Teaching Lean Construction: an Overview of Trends and Future

Abstract

Since its inception in the early 1990s, Lean Construction (LC) has had a significant impact on the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Under this philosophy, various methods have been developed to apply Lean practices in AEC. A fundamental first step is to begin with higher education institutions that train future construction professionals. Consequently, this research aimed to identify the main current and future trends in teaching LC. Additionally, it aimed to assess how such teaching aligns with the most commonly employed didactic techniques in AEC education. To achieve this objective, a survey was conducted among professors and practitioners from different parts of the world, revealing interesting findings, including the predominance of tools such as the Last Planner System in teaching LC, and that the Case Study approach as the most utilized in the classroom from a didactic view.