Lean Construction Institute - Canada Conference: Save the dates: April 6th - 8th, 2016 Calgary, Alberta

Building for the Future Conference Notice

Save the dates: April 6^th - 8^th, 2016 Calgary, Alberta

You are invited to attend Lean Construction Institute – Canada national conference where lean thinkers will share best practices in Lean Project Delivery and you will have the opportunity to network with industry professionals.

Our goal is to develop capabilities that create better value on projects by improving performance, productivity and profitability, demonstrating that with LEAN you can have your cake and eat it too.

Our theme for 2016 is Building for the Future as we recognize projects like the Mosaic Center and Okanagan College that are using Lean to deliver exceptional Living Building Challenge/NetZero projects and the Moose Jaw Hospital that is transforming the way health care services are delivered.

Join us for first National Lean Conference in Calgary, at the Westin and learn more about how  to create more value for customers and a competitive advantage in the building industry.

What to expect?

1.          Explore WHY Lean creates a strategic advantage

2.          Learn how to deliver a Lean Project

3.          Add methods and tools to your Toolbox 

4.          Network with industry professionals

5.          Charge your batteries with awesome new IDEAS

BUilding for a Future Program

The Building for a Future conference will focus on developing lean project delivery principles and practices that will enable participants to take their projects to a whole new level of performance.  The journey begins with a hands on Boot Camp to learn how to deliver projects in less time and with less resources to improve productivity, value creation and profitability.

 The conference includes two value streams of learning opportunities.  The “Getting Started with Lean Projects” stream provides all of the key ingredients necessary to deliver a lean project.  The “Methods for Extraordinary Results” looks at best practices for lean practitioners wanting to take their projects to a whole new level.

The conference concludes with a Target Value Design camp that includes a full simulation on how to set-up the Big Room, establish cluster working groups and design a project to achieve the target, value and an optimized design. Keep informed by visiting  Lean Construction Institute - Canada 

Murray Guy | Lean Lab  | @Lean_tobe_Green | mguy@i-designs.ca

Work Shop: Target-Value-Design | Murray Guy

Target Value Design can get us to Net Zero Buildings at Net Zero additional cost | Murray Gu

Target Value Design is a disciplined design management system that turns the traditional design process upside down. Unlike traditional design processes where teams often design in silos and the final cost is not known until after the tender, target cost design is a dynamic process that involves the contractors that are going to be doing the work. It involves establishing a clear target, developing fully integrated design solutions with the whole team that meet the requirements and testing assumptions to the requirements and cost. Simple as that!

The target cost design process requires that the design team completely understands the Project Requirements and what represents value for the owner, tests design assumptions early and regular for value, keeping all options open until the last minute and finally choosing and integrating the best concepts that create the best value for the target cost. 

In this four-hour work shop, you will participate in the design of a Smart Building Net Zero project that will be a building of the FUTURE. Through collaborative and the adoption of lean and more integrated practices we hope to establish a conceptual DESIGN to meet the TARGET requirements and cost while provide exceptional VALUE.

The design workshop will include six clusters of 4 to 8 people organized around building systems including foundations, structure, envelope, interiors, mechanical, electrical and communication systems.

1. The first round of the simulation will include an assessment of the Project Requirements document and a testing of assumptions with the Owner’s representative.

2. This will be followed by a short pull planning session to plan the afternoon, establish milestones and deliverables.

3. The cluster groups will then proceed with 20 minute refinements of design, followed by 20-minute report outs of the cluster groups to the overall design cost to the target.

4. Finally, we will collaborate, integrate and innovate until we develop a solution that meets or exceeds the project requirement at or below the target cost.

The work shop will conclude with a discussion on how collaboration and integration can be used to deliver higher performance at less cost enabling teams to be more competitive.

Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green

Learn: LEAN LAB. … Design: Integrated Designs … Build: EcoSmart

For inquires: Mguy@i-designs.ca or 306.934.6818

Awe … Do we really need to go to BOOT CAMP | Murray Guy

High Performance Project Lean Boot Camp | Murray Guy 

Of course, have you ever heard of a team winning a championship that didn’t go to BOOT CAMP? 

At boot camp we learn why other teams are sluggish, why they drop balls, have bottlenecks and don’t win championships. The Boot camp day includes an overview of lean principles and practices that enable work to flow, value to be created and higher productivity and business success to be achieved. 

We learn how the Last Planner System is used to create reliable work flow on a project and how it delivers amazing results. The whole purpose of BOOT CAMP is to learn the basic principles of how to create flow and why the Last Planner System is the system that we need everyone to buy-in to using for design and construction. Think of BOOT CAMP as a “Lean Immersion Weekend Getaway”, where we immerse ourselves in lean so we understand just how BIG an impact process change can have on productivity. This is demonstrated with hands on production simulations.

• Villego Stage 1: This house building simulation involves a team of 6 to 14 participants building a house utilizing two different approaches. For stage 1 the house build normally takes 10 to 12 weeks using more traditional project delivery practices. This simulation sets the baseline for home building production based upon traditional methods.

• The Parade Game illustrates what impact work flow variability has on the performance of construction trades and their successors. The game consists of simulating a construction process in which resources produced by one trade are the prerequisite to starting work by the next trade. It demonstrates that throughput will be reduced, project completion delayed, and waste increased by variations in flow.

• The Airplane Game (6 Participants) helps break down employees’ natural resistance to change, making it a practical and entertaining way to introduce new concepts, open constructive dialogue and demonstrate the positive aspects of well-planned directed change. Employees involved in the simulation see why lean Production Methodologies are necessary. It helps to remove their fears regarding change and encourage them to identify non-value added activity. Using a fictional aircraft factory, the Airplane Game teaches advanced manufacturing practices, including:

• Villego Stage 2: When we combine what we have learned about reducing variability of work flow, single piece flow, better planning with inventory and quality control and use them in our second home building simulation we learn that we can reduce the time for a house build from 10 to 3 weeks.
  
  

When participants experience hands on lean production and see the huge potential of a different way of approaching production, the light bulb goes on and there is an AHA moment. Creating this AHA moment is instrumental in getting the team engaged and primed for the cultural change needed for Lean Project Delivery.

Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green

NetZero Projects: Learn Online LEAN LAB. Design Integrated Designs or Build EcoSmart  

Do you want the DIRTT on DIRTT?

Mogens Smed is a colourful Calgary entrepreneur made his mark manufacturing high-end office furniture and interiors, before selling out to U.S. giant Haworth Inc. in 2000. Now, he's back with a three-year-old private company, DIRTT Environmental Solutions, which uses advanced software to design, build and organize modular "green" interiors for North American companies. 

DIRTT is an acronym for "doing it right this time?" Did you do it wrong before?

Mogens Smed: Some chaos, a little bit of anarchy, no meetings - The Globe and Mail: "Mogens Smed: 

Some interesting tidbits from this Article

Lots of things were wrong. This is my third business career. My first company went bankrupt in 1982. Now I'm 61, and I've got three left in me. I've already got the name registered for my next one. 

It's called DIPTT, which means "doing it perfect this time," because we haven't done it all right this time either.

We are a manufacturing company in the most inappropriate city in the entire world, Calgary. But there is a genuine need and movement for sustainable products. We didn't get these many millions in sales because we got all misty-eyed about hugging a tree. We did it because we responded to the business issues and the design issues.

So there is a future in manufacturing in Canada?   There absolutely is - if you are using technology as a platform, and if you are not making widgets. 

What have you learned about managing?  If a client wants to get a hold of me, they call me directly. They don't have to go through a big bureaucracy. Nobody has an office in this company, including me. 

And there are no MBAs and lawyers in this company. It's on purpose. Read this book, A Whole New Mind, by Daniel Pink.'via Blog this'

We're not allowed to have meetings here at DIRTT.

How long will you keep going as an entrepreneur? I'll be going out feet first like some of these other guys. 

You're projecting $100-million in sales this year. Will this be a billion-dollar company?  More than a billion. No question.

Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green

NetZero Projects: Learn Online LEAN LAB. Design Integrated Designs or Build EcoSmart  

Paul Hanley: Lean green house cozy on coldest day | Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Paul Hanley: Lean green house cozy on coldest day | Saskatoon StarPhoenix: " A Tweet from Murray Guy caught my attention last week: “-35 in Saskatoon today! Our ‪#passive ‪#netzero home is really cozy! No heat required … just the sun!”

It was the coldest day of the year. Everybody’s furnace was working overtime, and Guy’s never cut in once? Is that even possible?

It’s all about the building “envelope,” says Guy, who built the energy efficient home in the North Park neighbourhood in 2015. The high performance building envelope is a foot-thick, with lots of triple-glazed windows to the south."

To meet Canada’s climate targets, Guy agues that every building should be net zero by 2020. Lean practices can help make that a reality and save owners a lot of money. Guy says the lean green approach is viable now, with more net zero homes and commercial buildings popping up across the country.

'via Blog this'

Secret Formula for an Affordable Net-zero home | Original by Pembina Institute

"Peter Amerongen is one of the acknowledged grandfathers of the net-zero home—a home that produces as much energy as it consumes. Using his secret formula for insulation you can make a net-zero home in the most northerly city in North America.

The era of net-zero homes is upon us. These super-efficient homes use rooftop solar energy production and smaller, electric powered heating systems such as air source heat pumps to produce as much energy as they consume.

That’s some sexy technology, but it only gets us halfway to net-zero. 

The real secret is insulation.

“We like the double 2x4 wall because it gives us the most economical high R-value,” says Amerongen. “The true energy performance on this is about R40.”
Double studs - creating a true R40 wall  “We like the cellulose because it's essentially a recycled material," says Amerongen. "It's got the lowest energy content in the insulation itself."

Amerongen also blows cellulose insulation into attics to a depth of two feet or more to achieve R80. In the basement, Amerongen shares another secret for energy efficiency.

“The heat loss from a basement wall can be just as high as the heat loss from above ground walls." he says. "We install four inches — two, two-inch layers of expanded polystyrene against the concrete — and then we build a 2x4 frame wall that we put a R22 mineral wool batt in. So we get a total of about R37, R38 in our basement wall."


“We also use it to some degree for giving us additional air tightness,” says Amerongen.

“Air tightness is a critical part of energy conservation, as important as insulation. 

A house that's highly insulated but still leaky will find its biggest [energy loss] is air

The final component in the home insulation puzzle are triple glazed windows, some of which achieve R8, a vast improvement over conventional windows.

The era of net-zero homes is upon us. 

These super-efficient homes use rooftop solar energy production and smaller, electric powered heating systems such as air source heat pumps to produce as much energy as they consume.

For the FULL STORY  on Peter's Recipe 

Insulation 101: One builder's secret blueprint for a net-zero home | Blog Posts | Pembina Institute:

You may also want to check out another former Factor 10 warrior Rob Dumont's recipe

 Directives for High Performance Homes  in a North Climate! 

Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green

If you want training how to deliver Lean Net 0 projects visit the Online LEAN LAB.

If you need a builder for your Net 0 home or want a copy of Rob Dumont’s Factor 10 recipe please visit EcoSmart

If you need help to deliver a lean and more integrated commercial project visit Integrated Designs.

'via Blog this'

Trust me I am the Expert

What are you waiting for? ... It is time to get Started

“If everyone waited to become an expert before starting, no one would become an expert. To become an EXPERT, you must have EXPERIENCE. To get EXPERIENCE, you must EXPERIMENT! Stop waiting. Start stuff.” ― Richie Norton

Positioning Yourself as an Expert in Your Field | Sylvia Baldock | LinkedIn:

Sylvia has an important message for Lean Start-ups and Innovation Companies that are in the process of transforming industries. You are not going to find experts in your field, you need to become one!  We all know from Jobs, Musk and Thiel that it pays dividends to become the expert so why not get started NOW!  

A few Nuggets from this article:

1. There has never been such and incredible wealth of knowledge at our fingertips as there is today and yet with our constant pre-occupation with our ‘busyness’ we often forget to feed our brains and our souls! We are the greatest asset our business has and neglecting that asset has serious consequences.
2. Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the lives around you
3. People who constantly learn and grow are exciting to be around as you always learn something new from them.

We need more experts to help solve our planets biggest challenge which is severe Climate Change. 

Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green

If you want training how to deliver Lean Net 0 projects visit the Online LEAN LAB.

If you need a builder for your Net 0 home or want a copy of Rob Dumont’s Factor 10 recipe please visit EcoSmart

If you need help to deliver a lean and more integrated commercial project visit Integrated Designs.

Thank you Sylvia with the same name as my mom, for this article that is BANG on ABOUT .... getting started!

'via Blog this'

Services to achieve High Performance Buildings

Integrated Designs Incorporated (IDI) provides services for high performance building projects. We believe that with lean and more integrated practices that we can have our cake and eat it too, higher performance at less cost.

How to create more value?

When you assemble the right Team, utilize Lean Project Delivery (LPD) Systems and engage in a highly COLLABORATE and disciplined work you can deliver exceptional WOW projects. Projects with cost and schedule predictability, reduced risk, that are more technically challenging and demonstrate leadership in the high performance building industry.

It is worth the effort as much higher levels of performance are achievable.

What is achievable in New Construction?

Based upon experience working on ten LPD projects, capital cost saving of at least 15% are achievable and projects can be completed four months early. The following projects were delivered using the LPD system.

• U of W Richardson College for the Environment (LEED Gold 60% Less Energy)
• Okanagan College (Living Building Challenge\Net Zero)
• Mosaic Center (Living Building Challenge\Net Zero)

How do we Improve the Performance of Existing Buildings?

Retro-commissioning, energy management and building renewals are strategies that can drastically improve performance while providing an excellent return on investment.

• Innovation Place Research Park: Energy Management, Retro-commissioning and High Performance Building programs resulted in 20% energy reductions. ($500,000/year)
• Retro-commissioning involves tuning the operation of existing systems. This relatively inexpensive service can reduce energy costs by as much as 20% while improving comfort and providing an excellent return on investment. Payback are often less than 2 yrs.
• Innovative energy management projects, like planting trees for solar shading at the City of Saskatoon Electrical Operations facility helped avoid changing out an existing cooling system

What services and how do they add Value?

Integrated Designs is an early adopter of industry practices that optimize cost, performance and productivity.Design 

• Design Facilitation: Our focus is to achieve simple systems that provide total life cycle cost performance 
• Mechanical: High performance HVAC and control systems that are cost effective 
• Electrical: Designs that reduce loads, measure performance and enable smart operations

Building Performance

• Energy Projects/Audits: Why not turn your energy savings into a great return on investment  
• Retro-Commissioning: Great investment with paybacks often less than 2 years 
• Building Renewal: Why not renew building systems with a lease financed by saving?

Sustainable Consulting 

• Commissioning: Performance testing to improve performance and project coordination 
• LEED/Building Certification: Validating that the building investment is sustainable 
• Energy Simulations: Evaluating integrated design options and energy savings

Lean Project Delivery

• Lean Coaching: Ensures projects are delivered with structure and discipline
• Target Value Design: Ensure project requirments are delivered to cost 
• Online Training: Learn how Lean creates an unfair competitive advantage 

Please contact Stephanie szubriski@i-designs.ca or Murray mguy@i-designs.ca to discuss how IDI may be of assistance or visit www.i-designs.ca or www.leanlab.ca