Overall construction activity
In 2019, the total volume of construction works is estimated to have risen by 1.6%. This corresponds to a favorable business climate in construction as illustrated by various economic indicators such as the level of business confidence and full order books. Accordingly, paid employment falling under Belgian social security rose by 1%, in line with the recovery that started in 2017.
Housebuilding
As a result of the high number of houses that received planning permission in 2018, the construction of new houses grew by around 0.6% in 2019. Applications for permission got a temporary boost in late 2017 prior to the entry into force of stricter energy efficiency requirements in January 2018 in Flanders. Due to the new regulatory framework, planning permissions then declined by 5% in 2019.
GDP 2019
BILLION
POPULATION 2019
Total investment in construction in 2019
BILLION
Non-residential construction
In 2019, the construction of new, non-residential buildings fell by around 4% due to a sharp decrease in demand for industrial and agricultural buildings. This decrease was slightly counterbalanced by an increase in demand for office buildings which generate more work per unit of volume.
Civil engineering
The civil engineering segment grew by around 6.5% in 2019, despite the traditional post-election decline in investment by local authorities following the 2018 municipal elections. This increase is due to the ramp-up of several projects, including the RER regional express net-work, the Liège tram project, the Brussels metro, the Terneuzen Lock and the Oosterweel Link.
| Per cent variation of investment in real terms on previous year | |||||||
| investment Mln. € fixed prices | |||||||
| Sectors | 2019a | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019a | 2020b | |
| 1. | Building | 32,840 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | NA |
| 1.1. Housebuilding | 18,971 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.6 | NA | |
| 1.1.1. New | 7,727 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 0.6 | NA | |
| 1.1.2. R&M | 11,243 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 | NA | |
| 1.2. Non residential (c) | 13,869 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | -0.8 | NA | |
| 1.2.1. Private | 9,036 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | -0.8 | NA | |
| 1.2.2. Public | 4,833 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | -0.8 | NA | |
| 2. | Civil Engineering | 7,499 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 9.6 | 6.5 | NA |
| (1 + 2) | Total Construction | 40,339 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1.6 | NA |
| a: estimate - b: forecast - c: incl. R&M | |||||||
| Number of building permits in residential construction | |||||||
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019a | 2020b | |||
| single dwelling | 19,718 | 18,057 | 20,339 | 19,165 | NA | ||
| collective dwelling | 31,024 | 29,801 | 32,797 | 30,903 | NA | ||
| other types of dwelling | 235 | 236 | 323 | 296 | NA | ||
| Total | 50,977 | 48,094 | 53,459 | 50,364 | NA | ||
| (Collective dwellings and other types of buildings: in number of flats) | |||||||
