Abstract
Aimed at maximizing project value while reducing waste and cost, the lean construction (LC) approach was formally and successfully introduced to the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry in 1993. Although LC has rapidly developed since that time, it was not applied to a Chinese construction project until 2005. However, due to insufficient knowledge and poor execution, this first attempt at lean construction in China was inadequate. The aim of this study was therefore to discover if the Chinese construction industry has since discovered how to use lean practices to maximize project value, shorten the project schedule, improve project quality, and reduce waste. This was achieved by conducting a case study of a LC project in Suzhou, China. The case study revealed that implementation of lean practices during the project, including Last Planner System (LPS), Kanban system, Just-In-Time (JIT), prefabrication, Internet of Things (IoT), quality and safety manage