Matthew Richards' guide to lingo (30 May, p44) doesn't help anyone with regard to understanding lean construction.
Toyota's concept of lean is about identifying customer value and removing production activity which does not contribute to that value and is thus waste. The principle reason for the lack of lean construction in the UK is the rareness of integrated design and construction practice focused on customers and their needs. Lean seeks value by identifying and increasing customer benefits by attacking unnecessary cost: effectiveness, not efficiency.

Postscript

Richard Saxon, marketing director of Building Design Partnership and chairman of Be.