How 'just-in-time' wastages can be quantified: case study of a private condominium project

Compared with the manufacturing sector, the construction industry suffers from relatively lower productivity, although some attempts are being made to overcome low construction productivity by introducing manufacturing-based concepts to the construction industry. The just-in-time (JIT) concept is one of the manufacturing-based concepts introduced to streamline construction operations and help raise productivity in the industry. The fundamental philosophy of JIT is to eliminate wastes from delays, transportation, unnecessary processing and unnecessary motion. This is because any activities which do not add value to a process are considered wasteful. Construction productivity therefore can be enhanced if these activities are eliminated. This paper presents an accounting procedure for measuring JIT wastes. The case study of a private condominium project, where this accounting procedure was applied, shows that indeed JIT wastes can be identified and eliminated to raise construction productivity.