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OUR WHY - LEAN CONSTRUCTION

To provide easily understood, accessible Lean Construction resources for the leaders in the field—the superintendents and last planners—so they will feel empowered to implement Lean construction principles and methodologies on their projects, even if they have no other resources or champions available.

New Content Alert: The Lean Builder Master Class

Our online, self-paced video course has launched. Designed to help you bring Lean Construction principles to the job site, the video series is filled with actionable strategies in 47 lessons and 11 downloadable templates. Upon completion, you will be The Lean Builder Certified.

We invite you to learn more about the curriculum and licensing options. And, if you want to try before you buy, we’ve unlocked three videos as part of a free trial for your journey into Lean construction.

The Lean Builder Book

While we hope that a wide audience enjoys this book on lean construction principles and finds it informative and helpful, The Lean Builder was written for a specific group of people: the leaders in the field—the superintendents and last planners. Our goal is to provide an easily understood, accessible resource for you so you’ll feel empowered to implement Lean methodologies on your projects, even if you have no other resources or champions available to you. We invite you to be open-minded and willing to explore these new ideas and concepts, which may push you to abandon the comfort zone that is “that’s the way we have always done it.”

Joe Donarumo & Keyan Zandy
The Lean Builders

People are talking about The Lean Builder

Michael F. Stark
CEO, Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry

Written for those who roll up their sleeves and do the work as craft professionals, foremen, and superintendents, The Lean Builder is a must-read for anyone new to Lean Construction, and certainly those professionals working in the field.

Bevan Mace
VP, Business Acquisition, Balfour Beatty
2017 Lean Construction Institute Chairman Award Winner

I hope The Lean Builder inspires current and future builders by empowering the people closest to the work to improve the work.

Romano Nickerson
Principal, Boulder Associates Architects
2014 Lean Construction Institute Chairman Award Winner

Your job is simple: read this book. Then, get others to read this book. Together, we will transform the industry!

Henry Nutt, III
Preconstruction Executive, Southland Industries
2018 Lean Construction Institute Pioneer Award Winner

The Lean Builder is something worthy of our time—at least, for those builders who are fed up with the B.S. of our traditional construction methods.

Mark Linenberger
Sr. Vice President/General Manager
Linbeck Group

This book’s easy to read and rich content has emphasized the real value of Lean application for the builder. A must-read for anyone who wants to take their implementation game to the next level.

Rebecca Snelling
Owner, RS Consulting
2018 Lean Construction Institute Chairman Award Winner

The openness and transparency that went into the content of the book highlights the authors’ drive for a better industry!

Greg Stedman
Lean Director, KHS&S Contractors

The Lean Builder puts the focus where I believe Lean practices have the biggest impact: with the men and women who do the work.

Dan C. Heinemeier
Executive Director
Lean Construction Institute

This is a book that should be read by anybody who sees Lean as too challenging to attempt, and even those who have tried it before and failed. It will correct misperceptions and inspire people to try something new. Hand it out to your project teams and watch the light bulbs come on!

Dick Bayer
VP, Lean & IPD, Colliers Project Leaders
2013 Lean Construction Institute Chairman Award Winner

As a guy who loves to spend time in trailers with the real teams, I can’t wait to share this work with the dedicated men and women who actually build our projects. Thank you, Joe and Keyan!

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Lean Construction Resources

Successful Lean construction is built on more than a single tool or methodology. It is a continuous commitment to improving communication, planning, collaboration, and project execution from the field to the office. At The Lean Builder, we have developed a growing library of practical resources to help construction professionals understand and implement Lean construction principles on projects of every size.

Whether you’re just beginning your Lean journey or looking to strengthen an established Lean culture, the resources below provide practical guidance drawn from real-world construction experience.

Last Planner System®

The Last Planner System® is one of the most effective production planning systems available for construction teams. Rather than relying solely on top-down scheduling, Last Planner encourages collaboration among the people performing the work, creating more reliable commitments, improving workflow, and increasing schedule predictability. Learn how this proven system helps project teams improve planning while reducing delays and uncertainty.

Daily Huddles

Effective Daily Huddles keep crews aligned, identify obstacles before they become problems, and improve communication across the jobsite. Short, focused meetings help teams coordinate activities, discuss safety, review production goals, and ensure everyone understands the day’s priorities. Consistent daily communication is one of the simplest ways to strengthen Lean construction practices.

Pull Planning

Unlike traditional scheduling methods, Pull Planning begins with the desired project outcome and works backward to identify the activities necessary to achieve it. This collaborative planning process encourages trade partners to coordinate their work, reduce unnecessary waiting, and create more reliable schedules that improve project flow and accountability.

Visual Communication

Clear Visual Communication helps everyone on a project quickly understand priorities, production status, safety concerns, and workflow. From visual planning boards to performance metrics and constraint tracking, effective visual management reduces confusion and supports better decision-making throughout every phase of construction.

Eight Wastes

One of the core Lean construction principles is identifying and eliminating the Eight Wastes that reduce productivity and create unnecessary cost. Waiting, excess transportation, overproduction, unnecessary motion, defects, excess inventory, overprocessing, and underutilized talent all limit project performance. Understanding these common sources of waste allows teams to focus on delivering greater value to owners while improving efficiency across the project.

Constraint Management

Successful projects proactively identify and remove obstacles before they impact production. Constraint Management helps project teams recognize issues involving materials, labor, permits, information, equipment, and other dependencies before scheduled work begins. Removing constraints early allows crews to maintain reliable workflow and avoid costly disruptions.

Root Cause Analysis

When problems occur, Lean construction focuses on understanding why they happened instead of simply treating the symptoms. Root Cause Analysis helps project teams uncover the underlying causes of recurring issues, allowing organizations to develop lasting solutions that improve quality, reduce rework, and support a culture of continuous improvement.

Whether you’re exploring Lean construction for the first time or expanding an existing Lean program, The Lean Builder’s collection of books, podcasts, videos, articles, and educational resources is designed to help construction professionals build stronger teams, improve project outcomes, and create lasting operational excellence through proven Lean construction principles.