Lean & connected construction sites thanks to an application developed by LIST

Published on 07/11/2019

Gone are the days of wastage on construction sites. LIST's "AndON" platform makes it possible to connect planning with data on a construction site, and contributes directly to "lean construction" – the work method that involves eliminating all types of waste on construction sites, from storage of materials to acceptance of the work. LIST researcher Fabrice Berroir answered our three questions about this new platform.

Why should the construction industry go digital?

Many construction projects suffer delays, which impact on overall budget, because construction site planning management is a real headache. Unnecessary movements, non-compliance, waiting times, raw materials that are not delivered on schedule, and over- or under-sized production teams and tools are all symptoms of the need for collaboration between the various parties involved in a project. Today, digitisation is opening new doors to facilitate this interface management.

What is the added value of LIST's AndON application compared with other project management applications?

The main challenge on construction sites is obtaining real-time information and incorporating it into planning. With our AndON application, the planning manager will have a dashboard with "visual checks": simple indicators of the status of tasks and their prerequisites (plans, materials, resources, etc.). Collection of information is structured, customisable and relies on the Internet of Things by means of QR codes or RFID tags that can be stuck onto or incorporated into materials. Users on the ground will therefore be able to view, manage and edit data in real time, which will help highlight necessary actions or risks of bottlenecks and so support integrated, guided and collaborative decision-making.

What are the next steps?

We have made a demo (Proof of Concept) and are now working on a prototype. With our commercial partner CLE (Compagnie Luxembourgeoise d'Entreprises), we also intend to set up a Consolidation Centre – a platform which would make it possible to outsource construction site logistics with the aim of supplying direct to work sites. The objective is to reduce environmental impact and congestion, and improve business productivity. This requires information flows to be made consistent by consolidating the various information systems of construction businesses, from the supply chain to the customer. We hope to be able to replicate this experiment on a wider scale around the Esch-Belval area in Luxembourg, since this is a trial that is fully in line with LIST's digital twin research.

If you would like to find out more about the digitisation of the construction industry, do not miss BIMLUX 2019 on 19 November. On the agenda at the event: digital twins, smart buildings, and Building Information Modelling through the eyes of the research community.

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 Fabrice BERROIR
Fabrice BERROIR
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