Improving construction efficiency through lean techniques and digital tools: case of a real-time implementation in an institutional building construction

Introduction Constructions continue to be plagued with waste, cost-overrun, delays and poor real-time coordination. However, the integrated implementation of both lean construction and digital tools (e.g. BIM, business intelligence) have not been extensively investigated under real-time project settings despite their respective capabilities in boosting performance. Methods This research utilised a Lean–Digital integrated methodology in the context of a building project at an institutional scale located in Vellore. Activities were categorized as value-adding (VA), non-value-adding (NVA) and necessary non-value-adding (NVAN) using Value Stream Mapping (VSM). A 4D/5D BIM model in Autodesk Revit was synchronised with Power BI dashboards via Speckle for online monitoring. Workflows (Power Automate) were built to create automatic alerts and approvals. Performance was tested in the field during a 4-month observation period. Results Lean construction interventions decreased the duration of excavations by 15% and saved 2.06% (234.88hours) total in a project’s time span. Real time digital dashboards led to better communication with parties involved, minimized delays in approval and constituted more transparency in monitoring progress. The automated workflows accelerated reporting cycles and increased agility in the decision-making process. Discussion The findings demonstrate that integrating lean process optimization with digital monitoring platforms creates measurable efficiency gains and enhances proactive project management. The proposed framework supports data-driven decision-making and offers a scalable model for improving construction productivity through synchronized Lean–Digital implementation.