Optimising Construction Efficiency: A Comprehensive Survey-Based Approach to Waste Identification and Recommendations with BIM and Lean Construction

Ewelina Mitera-Kiełbasa () and Krzysztof Zima
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Ewelina Mitera-Kiełbasa: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska Street, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Krzysztof Zima: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska Street, 31-155 Cracow, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-25

Abstract: The construction industry continues to face significant challenges related to waste on construction sites, significantly impacting cost, timelines, and the quality of project outcomes. This study aims to identify contemporary sources of construction waste, assess their variability over time using data from 2016, 2021, and 2024, and evaluate strategies for their reduction. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining a literature review with a survey among Polish construction contractors. A total of 34 waste factors were assessed in terms of frequency and significance. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is recommended—based on both survey results and studies in the literature—as an effective strategy to optimise construction efficiency by reducing waste and supporting sustainability objectives. The analysis also shows increasing awareness and application of Lean Principles and BIM among contractors. By 2024, BIM use increased from 8% in 2016 to 63%, indicating broader recognition, although this recognition was still insufficient given the severity of reported waste. The findings revealed design errors as the most critical source of waste, alongside execution delays, quality defects, damages to completed works, and excessive workloads. Respondents also identified additional factors, including erroneous bid assumptions, unclear investor expectations, unrealistic deadlines, equipment failures, and overdesign. These underscore the need for strategic, technology-driven waste mitigation.

Keywords: waste; construction site; waste reduction; BIM; lean construction; AEC; construction efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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