transforming traditional mep construction into a modern ... panel 3 - court.pdf · • productivity...

© LEAN CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE

C A P T U R E A N D L E V E R A G E T H E L E A N A D V A N T A G E

Transforming Traditional MEP Construction into a Modern Process of Assembly

18th October 2017

Dr Peter Court, Laing O’Rourke UK





Contents

2

• Aims and objectives, expected outcomes and methodology

• UK health and safety statistics

• Productivity dimension

• The MEP onsite assembly system

• Case studies and lessons learned

• Where are we today?

• Questions



Aims and objectives

3

To transform the traditional construction

process into one based on technological

innovation by:

• Designing for Manufacture and

Assembly (DfMA)

• Onsite assembly of modules and kits-of-

parts to form complete MEP systems

• With ergonomic workplace design

• Resulting in onsite operatives carrying

out safer, simpler assembly tasks for a

shorter period of time

• Target 70-60-30 towards zero



Expected outcomes

4

• To satisfy customers needs and

requirements

• To look after our people, as everybody has a

right to go home safely after a productive

days work

• To challenge and change the poor image of

construction

• Because of increasing time, cost and

resource constraints

• To bring a high degree of certainty to what

we do

• To protect valuable commissioning periods



Methodology

• Developing and implementing a PRODUCTION SYSTEM

and MEP PRODUCTS that projects use

• Strong LEADERSHIP support at business unit and project

level

• Making RULES and STICKING to them

• Driving processes through all of their WORKSTREAMS

• Continuous identification of, and overcoming BARRIERS with

COUNTERMEASURES



• 2.2 million people work in BRITAIN’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY making it the

countries biggest industry

• In the last 25 years over 2,800 people have DIED from injuries they received as a

result of construction work, many more have been injured or made ILL

• Construction also has the highest rate of MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

(MSD’s); these are mostly back injuries from manual handling

• HANDLING INJURIES (to employees in 2004/5) accounted for 38% of over 3 day

injuries and 15% of major injuries

• In the UK 4,500 construction workers are ABSENT from work every day because

of injuries caused by ACCIDENTS, but there are 11,000 construction workers OFF

SICK at any one time with a work-related illness (Gibb 2006)

UK Health and Safety statistics (at the time of the research process)



A productivity dimension

Margin10%

Labor17%

Sub-contractors34%

Materials16%

Plant1%

Preliminaries22%

Margin

Labor

Sub-contractors

Materials

Plant

Preliminaries

Aggregate value of labour component = approx. 23%



MEP onsite assembly system (refer to previous research)

Agile dimension – flexible,

responsive

Lean dimension – modular,

standardised

Lean dimension – waste

elimination, good ergonomics



Main lean features of the MEP assembly system

9

None of these are new in their own

right…

But it’s the combination of them

into a SYSTEM that brings

greater VALUE

• Synchronized workflow through the project value chain

• Planning and production control with LPS®

• Digital engineering

• ABC inventory analysis

• Preassembly, prefabrication and parts kitting (with postponement)

• Week beat scheduling

• Mobile work cells with ergonomicworkplace design

• Creation of a common understanding



ABC inventory system (based on Pareto)

10

• Type A parts are modules pre-assembled offsite.

• Type B parts are components such as prefabricated spools, loose pipes, electrical conduits, cables, ductwork, grilles etc.

• Type C parts are consumables such as nuts and bolts, clips etc.

(a simple preassembly formulae)

=A

(100’s -

1,000’s)

+B

(1,000’s –

10,000’s)

C

(100,000’s –

1,000,000’s)



CommissioningDesign

Basic and detailed design

Digital engineering

Onsite

assembly

Inbound and outbound logistics

Workplace organisation

Creating a common understanding

ProcurementComponent

manufacture

Logistics strategy by material type

ABC parts classification

Postponement and parts kitting

Modular assembly

Lean interventions into the project value chain

Planning and production control

Week-beat scheduling

Last Planner System®

Synchronised workflow



Some clarification of terms used

12

• PREASSEMBLY refers to sub assemblies and components assembled together offsite into modules.

• Generally made-to-order (MTO)

• PREFABRICATION refers to loose components joined together offsite to form sub-assemblies (spools for example).

• Generally made-to-order (MTO)

• LOOSE COMPONENTS are just that, loose components.

• Generally made-to-stock (MTS)



Case study 1 – North Staffordshire PFI Hospital in the UK




North Staffordshire PFI Hospital (UK)

14

• £100 million MEP project

• Multi-storey car park

• Maternity and Oncology Centre

• Sterile Services Department

• Hub and Wards Unit, Diagnostic Treatment Centre

• Community Hospital – remote location

• The project commenced construction in December 2006 and completed in 2013



• Synchronized workflow through the project value chain

• Planning and production control with LPS®

• Digital engineering

• ABC inventory analysis

• Preassembly, prefabrication and parts kitting (with postponement)

• Week beat scheduling

• Mobile work cells with ergonomic workplace design

• Creation of a common understanding

Main lean features of the MEP assembly system

Explored fully in:

Transforming Traditional MEP

Construction into a Modern Process

of Assembly (my Thesis)



LCI CONGRESS PRESENTATION STYLE GUIDECase Study 2 – Northern Water Treatment Plant in Regional Queensland Australia




Northern Water Treatment Plant (NWTP)

17

• EPC project for Queensland Gas Company's (QGC) Northern gas fields

• Designed for a capacity of between 80ML/day and 100ML/day

• The Plant has advanced water treatment technology

• Disc filtration, Submerged Ultra Filtration (SUF)

• Ion Exchange (IX), three stage Reverse Osmosis (RO)

• Chemical conditioning and brine concentration

• Producing product water and salts suitable for various beneficial uses

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiYuY_l8vXNAhXFGj4KHSvvAUgQjRwIBw&url=https://twitter.com/laing_orourke/status/747708047884181505&psig=AFQjCNGcFrLs6SGsdE_aKCssjEQ3N5PbUQ&ust=1468686519967312

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiYuY_l8vXNAhXFGj4KHSvvAUgQjRwIBw&url=https://twitter.com/laing_orourke/status/747708047884181505&psig=AFQjCNGcFrLs6SGsdE_aKCssjEQ3N5PbUQ&ust=1468686519967312



NWTP particular issues

18

• Remote location with extreme weather and difficult logistics

• Difficult working conditions and living in a camp

• Rostered work periods (19/9) and skilled trade shortage

• Sister project stick built – major labour cost and time overruns

• Critical schedule to produce gas to target dates

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiYuY_l8vXNAhXFGj4KHSvvAUgQjRwIBw&url=https://www.linkedin.com/biz/164668/feed?start=10&v2=true&psig=AFQjCNGcFrLs6SGsdE_aKCssjEQ3N5PbUQ&ust=1468686519967312

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiYuY_l8vXNAhXFGj4KHSvvAUgQjRwIBw&url=https://www.linkedin.com/biz/164668/feed?start=10&v2=true&psig=AFQjCNGcFrLs6SGsdE_aKCssjEQ3N5PbUQ&ust=1468686519967312



So what did we do?

19

• Self delivered integrated BIM

• Comprehensive DfMA solution, divided into 5 plant locations, 32 module groups,

262 modules in total including Kits-of-Parts

• Parts-kitting strategy (type B & C parts) with mobile work cells for trade crews

• Workflow implemented with LPS® with daily commitment planning



Logistics and manufacturing



Self delivery crews with appropriate equipment

21

• 3 crews – offloading and assembling modules (riggers, mechanical and

electrical)

• 1 crew fitting Kit-of-Parts interconnecting modules and General Electric (GE) kit

• Supplied with appropriate tools, mobile work cells and point-of-use Kit-of-Parts

containers



Kit-of-parts at point of use

22



Examples of appropriate equipment

23

Mechanics stool

(saves your back)

Field office with LAPTOP for

BIM model (saves a walk)

Tools/parts trolley (saves

carrying things around)



Workflow driven by plant fit-out sequence

24

• Bases poured

• Module assembly in sequence

• Process kit assembled in sequence

• Kits of parts assembled

• Next module group commences



So how did we do? (summary compared to sister project)

Target NWTP

Assembled offsite • Above ground piping 58% offsite (84% of large bore)

• SUF tank 90% offsite (above ground works)

• Clarifier tanks 86% offsite (above ground works)

On site labour • 262 modules > 70% less on site labor

• SUF Tanks > 60% less on site labor

• Clarifiers > 60% less on site labor

Schedule compared to sister

project – Kenya Water Treatment

Plant (KWTP)

The overall benefit to the schedule to achieve mechanical

completion:

• KWTP = 100 working weeks

• NWTP = 63 working weeks = > 37% cycle time

improvement



Key lessons learned

• Design had to be reworked for a DfMA solution, due to late decision – cost and time impact

• DfMA design development resource was a bottleneck – time impact

• Large nuts and bolts are not MTS, but MTO (delivery delay) – time impact

• Initial module delivery targets were ambitious – initial time impact



LCI CONGRESS PRESENTATION STYLE GUIDECase Study Three – CHUM Super Hospital in Downtown Montreal, Canada




CHU Super Hospital in Downtown Montreal (thermal plantroom)

28

• 2,880,000 sq ft (268,000 sq m), 772

beds

• Thermal plantroom on top of last

building to be constructed (L 17, 18 and

19)

• 6 hot water boilers: 2.352 MW hot water

• 6 steam generators: 2.238 MW steam

• 9 chillers: 31.651 MW cooling

• 8 generators: 20 MW emergency

standby power



Thermal plantroom particular issues

29

• Contains all primary movers

• Needed to commence site-wide

commissioning

• On top of last constructed main building

structure with difficult logistics

• ASME B31.1 power plant specification

• No real 3D/BIM or pre-assembly

capability in the region

• Can’t self deliver – sub-contracted only

option

• Skilled trade shortage

Jeff TPR/CHUM Integrated Specialties.pptx





So what did we do?

30

• Self-delivered fully integrated BIM model

designed around actual components

• All plant and interconnecting piping and

cable containment detailed

• All piping 4” and above pre-fabricated

off-site for on-site assembly

• 700 spools, 450 spool locator drawings

• Precise install sequence

• We sub-contracted on this basis – we

took the risk

• Collaborative planning and LPS®

weekly work planning

•



So how did we do?

31

• Work commenced April 2015 (week 1)

• Systems construction complete (ready

for testing and commissioning):

• Heating and cooling systems:

between week 36-44

• Standby generators: week 57

• Steam and condensate system: week

62

• Average 47 operatives over the period

(minimum 10 - maximum 68)



Key lessons learned

32

• Specialist CAD resource (steam system) was a bottleneck – time impact

• Tower crane in the way of sequence (bad initial decision) – revisit out of sequence required

• We had clashes so we paid – cost impact

• No personnel hoist to working floors, had to walk up stairs – cost and time impact

• Limited space for welfare cabins, located on other floors – cost and time impact



Where are we today?

MEP product family

Energy

centres/

plant rooms

Composite

Sectional

With building envelope

Without building

envelope

Plant/

equipment

modules

Pump modules

Valve modules

Calorifier modules

Heat exchanger

modules

Other component

modules

Supply chain:

Pressurisation and

booster sets

AHU’s

Fans

Chillers

Tanks

HV/LV panels

Generators

Sub-stations

Ring main units

Vertical

distribution

Active risers

Multi-floor

Floor2floor

Structural

Non-structural

Multi service

Electrical

Mechanical

Horizontal

distribution

Roof

Ceiling void

Floor void

Below ground

Interstitial

Structural

Non structural

Multi service

Electrical

Mechanical

With building fabric

Frameless (ATIF)

Electrical

modular

systems

Supply chain:

Modular wiring

Pre-wired boards

Pre-wired modules

Bus-bar solutions

Building

technology

systems

Supply chain:

Lighting control

solutions

Fire solutions

Security solutions

ICT solutions

BMS solutions

Wireless

Modular plug & play

Volumetric

spaces

Supply chain:

Toilet pods

Bathroom/en-suite

pods

Utility cupboards

Theatres

Clean rooms

Kit-of-Parts

Pipe spools

Steelwork

structures

Platforms

Ladders

Stairs

Support systems

Supply chain:

Mobile assembly

cells

Terminal

distribution

Fan coils

Multi service ceiling

module

Supply chain:

Multi service chilled

beams

Multi service acoustic

module

Radiant panel module

Manifolds

Smart walls

Integrated plumbing

systems

Bed-head units

AVSU’s

Theatre panels

Ultra cleans theatre

hoods

Pendants

Theatre lights

Dado trunking

CRAC units

Forms

complete MEP

systems when

assembled

together onsite




34

Composite plant rooms with building fabric (sectionalised)



Composite plant rooms/modules

35



Plant equipment modules

36



Vertical distribution modules

37



Horizontal distribution modules

38



Horizontal distribution modules (skinny)

39



Terminal distribution modules

40



Terminal distribution modules (electrical under-floor)

41



Volumetric bathroom pods

42



Kit-of-Parts (KoP)

43



Mobile work cells (onsite parts centres)

44



Contact Us

45

Dr Peter Court

[email protected]

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