In the third quarter, the construction of new buildings decreased

News
Posted on 25 November 2020, 8:00

According to Statistics Estonia, in the third quarter of 2020, the total production of Estonian construction enterprises in Estonia and abroad decreased by 12% year on year. Considering only the Estonian construction market, the decrease in construction volume was 10%.

The production value of Estonian construction enterprises totalled 817 million euros, whereas building construction accounted for 518 million euros and civil engineering (roads, bridges, port facilities, pipelines, communication and electricity lines, sports fields, etc.) for 299 million euros. Compared to the third quarter of 2019, the volume of building construction fell by 13% and the volume of civil engineering works fell by 10%.

According to Merike Sinisaar, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, the domestic construction market was affected the most by the decrease in the volume of new building construction. “The volume of civil engineering, which was on the rise in the first half of the year, also took a downturn in the third quarter. The main reason was the decrease in repair and reconstruction works,” added Sinisaar.

The construction volume of Estonian construction enterprises in foreign countries decreased by almost a third year on year. There was a fall in both building construction and civil engineering works. Construction in foreign countries accounted for 5% of the total construction volume, while this share was 8% in the corresponding period in 2019.

Construction volume index and its trend, 1st quarter 2003 – 3rd quarter 2020 (2015 = 100)

According to the Register of Construction Works, 1,900 dwellings were completed, which is nearly a tenth more than the year before. The majority of completed dwellings were in Tallinn, in the rural municipalities in the vicinity of Tallinn and in Tartu county. Building permits were granted for the construction of 3,338 dwellings, which is a third more than in the third quarter of 2019. The most popular type of residential building was still a block of flats.

The number of completed non-residential buildings was 316, with a useful floor area of 186,000 square metres – these were primarily new storage, education and industrial premises. Compared to the same quarter of 2019, there was an increase in both the useful floor area and the volume of completed non-residential buildings.

Statistics Estonia collects and analyses data to produce the quarterly economic indicators of enterprises. The statistical activity is commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications in order to understand how the Estonian economy is doing.

More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
 


For further information:

Kadri Kütt
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia

Tel +372 625 9181