The implementation of lean principles and approaches is gaining grounds in the construction industry globally. However, there is no clear understanding of the number and categories of lean practices implemented and the benefits associated with it in the planning, design and construction of building and infrastructure projects. This paper relied on a systematic review of published literature in Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar to identify and categorize the different lean practices implemented in the construction industry and the benefits derivable from them. Totally, 102 documents published between 1996 and 2018 were reviewed and their contents analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. A total of 32 different lean practices categorised into design and engineering; planning and control; construction and site management; and health and safety management were identified. The review also found that the last planner system and just-in-time were the top two most implemented lean practices and about 20 different economic, social and environmental benefits were linked to the implementation of lean practices in the construction industry. This review is instructive that lean practices have good prospects for enhancing the productivity of the construction industry and achieving sustainable built environment, but a critical mass uptake and sustained implementation are required to attain these goals.
This study was undertaken to identify key stress factors among professionals in the building construction industry in Nigeria. This is in view of the fact that to date, very little is known about work stress among professionals in the building construction industry in this country. The study involved the administration of a questionnaire to 107 professionals including architects, builders, civil/structural engineers and quantity surveyors randomly selected from 60 ongoing building projects in Anambra, Ogun and Kaduna States, Nigeria. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and findings show that the principal sources of stress were high volume of work, uncomfortable site offices, lack of feedback on previous and ongoing building projects, and variations in the scope of work in ongoing building projects. The paper suggests that taking responsibility for work which one has adequate capacity to handle, establishing realistic budgets and time frames for project delivery, provision of spatially adequate, visually and thermally comfortable site offices, adoption of appropriate job design practices and education of professionals in stress management will reduce the incidence of stress among professionals in the building industry in Nigeria.
This study investigated residential satisfaction of randomly selected 156 household heads in the OGD Workers' housing estate in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were collected through questionnaire survey and analysed using descriptive statistics, factor and categorical regression analyses. Respondents were generally satisfied with their housing conditions with 59 % of them expressing satisfaction, while 41 % were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with their housing environment. They evaluated satisfaction based on four key dimensions of housing unit characteristics, neighbourhood facilities and environment, management and services; and these residential components contributed the most to predicting residential satisfaction. Respondents' educational background, employment sector, sex and age were also found to be predictors of satisfaction. A key implication of the findings is that Core housing can provide satisfactory living environment, and this can be enhanced through the adoption of good housing design and management practices, improved access to basic services and social infrastructure and rapid upgrading of the number of bedrooms in the housing units.
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