About

Institutes already existed. The missing piece was working together.

A light international framework among national Lean Construction institutes — not a new institute, and not a replacement for the ones at home.

Kyoto, June 2025

On 6 June 2025, at the close of IGLC-33 in Kyoto, Glenn Ballard presented Lean Transformation of the Global Construction Industry.

He noted that Lean Construction was already being advanced in some 29 countries, through about 26 national institutes and communities. Each was doing useful work at home. None of that work, on its own, would transform the industry worldwide.

His proposal was simple: the institutes should work together. This community exists for that purpose.

The invitation from that talk

These were the kinds of work he asked the institutes to take on together. They are the origin of the community — not a list of programmes already adopted.

01
Coach students who lack well-informed advisors — and include those advisors when they are willing.
02
Create and support Lean Construction institutes in more countries.
03
Promote Lean Construction in the public sector, internationally.
04
Help practitioners help researchers — for example by testing hypotheses.
05
Help researchers help practitioners — for example by translating selected papers into plain language.
06
Get Lean Construction teaching materials into education at every level.
07
Train and coach Lean Construction consultants.
08
Engage other construction-industry organisations: owners, architects, engineers, trades.

What it is

A light framework so national and regional institutes can recognise one another.
A directory of who speaks for which country or network.
A quarterly meeting, and room for shared work when that meeting agrees it.

What it is not

A new institute that replaces the national ones.
A membership body with dues.
A publisher of company-level data.

The first gathering was held online on 9 January 2026. How the community meets now is on How we work. Who speaks for each country is on Parties.