Lean Operations Management Model to Increase On-Time Project Delivery in a Construction Company

Abstract

The construction industry is exposed to more significant risks and unforeseen events than other industries, as projects are often developed under unpredictable circumstances due to different factors that must be taken into account during their execution. In addition, delays in the construction industry are considered one of the biggest problems faced by projects, as they can lead to cost overruns, disputes between parties, project abandonment and even lawsuits. The objective of the present study aims to increase the on-time delivery of construction projects by addressing the reasons and root causes identified in the study. The innovative proposal to avoid project delivery delays is introducing a Lean system based on the Last Planner System (LPS) methodology, designed to support production planning and control in construction projects. The proposed model was validated using a pilot plan in a project of tracks and greenways carried out in Lima, obtaining; as a result, a decrease of 8% in the time of project delays with respect to the initial deadline, an increase of 22% in the percentage of the completed plan and a decrease of 5% of the stoppages due to rework. The research confirms the success of the lean construction philosophy and its powerful tools, such as the LPS, which will serve as a reference for its application in other companies with similar characteristics.