The construction industry has historically been quite inefficient, but this is no longer acceptable in today's post-pandemic world. As construction companies struggle with shortages of everything from raw materials to skilled tradespeople, meeting deadlines has become increasingly challenging. In fact, force majeure events in construction have become common, from delays caused by supply chain strikes to extreme weather.
In such a turbulent global market, identifying efficiencies and implementing cost savings are more important than ever. This is where the relatively modern concept of lean construction can help, especially in terms of complex assembly projects such as wind turbines. In this article, we discuss the benefits of lean construction for wind farms – but first, let's define what lean construction entails.
How do you define lean construction?
There are many common misconceptions about lean construction. It may seem like a manufacturing process, but lean construction is more of a holistic ideology. In essence, it is the process of minimizing waste. Whether you're wasting resources, time, labor, or anything else, you're increasing costs and reducing profitability. In today's competitive and complex construction sector, this is unjustifiable.
Lean construction starts with initial consultations and designs, ensuring that subsequent steps (such as assembly and completion) are as cost-effective and streamlined as possible. It is based on a unified approach from architects and designers, as well as builders and their clients. Lean construction techniques will therefore vary from one project to another.
Each client brief raises different challenges, as the various parties involved in realizing a specific vision try to balance the (often conflicting) objectives of working quickly, affordably and to a high standard. However, one constant is the need for clear and proactive communication between all stakeholders. This must occur at all phases of a project.
How does this relate to wind farms?
Wind turbines are a fundamental weapon in humanity's battle against climate change and one of the few construction sectors that records annual growth. However, wind farms are almost exclusively complex to build. They stay outdoors, often on exposed slopes or at sea, where conditions are inhospitable and volatile. They span huge tracts of land, necessitating the independent construction of each turbine and its ground-level infrastructure. They involve expensive raw materials, specialized assembly equipment, dedicated access roads and highly qualified construction personnel.
Modular turbine assembly can usually be completed within a few months. However, this ignores the manufacturing processes that precede it and the infrastructure that surrounds it. When a client discusses a possible future commission, lean construction for wind farms should be incorporated into each site design, timing and cost proposal. 
What are the benefits of lean construction for wind farms?
These are seven of the main advantages of lean construction for wind farms:
- Better communication: Data silos are the antithesis of lean construction. When different departments and companies share data freely, decisions can be made and implemented quickly and accurately, keeping people informed about project milestones.
- Fewer accidents: Research carried out by lean construction pioneer MT Højgaard in the 1990s indicated a 70% accident reduction rate on lean construction sites. This means less bureaucracy and delays, with more workers operating at their peak.
- Just-in-time deliveries: There are no benefits (but there are some disadvantages) to having components delivered prematurely – or, worst of all, late. If reliable partners can support JIT delivery, it will enable a smooth workflow from one stage to the next.
- Less environmental damage: With a quarter of carbon emissions across the EU generated by the construction sector, companies urgently need to reduce their ecological/environmental footprints by minimizing waste through lean construction.
- More environmental efficiency: This builds on the last point. Reusing everything from waste to plastic packaging allows companies to increase their green credentials, potentially helping a wider attempt to achieve carbon neutrality or other green accreditations.
- Accelerated construction: By preemptively specifying the strongest possible crane for the work on site, it becomes possible to mount a hub and rotor on the ground. This is much faster and safer than trying to fix each blade in place 300 feet up.
- Faster completion: When all parties collaborate and communicate, deadlines decrease. This in itself is an example of waste reduction. Faster completion also leads to early payment of invoices, allowing customers to recoup their spending faster.
