Influence of seasonal factors in the earned value of construction

Abstract

The objectives in each construction process can be multiple. However, the constructions have to be carried out under some restrictions concerning price and terms. They constitute some strategic and interdependent goals. In other words, "time is money". Several papers support that seasonal effects influence the execution rate of construction. Thus, most of them try to improve the forecasts by evaluating and joining them to the planning, although always measuring their influence indirectly. In this paper, we suggest a methodology to directly measure the influence of the seasonal factors as a whole over the earned value of construction. Additionally, we apply it to a certain case study regarding the subsidised housing of public promotion in the Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain). It is worth mentioning that our results are clarified: we have calculated the average monthly production for each month a year with respect to the annual monthly mean. Moreover, the differences regarding the average monthly production we have contributed are quite significant, and hence they have to be taken into account for each earned value forecast so that a project becomes reliable.