83rd Euroconstruct Conference: European Construction Market Outlook until 2019 – Austria's Construction Market on a Robust Growth Path. Country Report Austria

The 83rd Euroconstruct Conference confirms Austria's growth path in the construction sector in the upcoming years. Nevertheless construction output is expected to increase only by 1.6 percent at constant prices in 2017 compared to the previous year which is significantly lower than the average of 2.9 percent in the Euroconstruct region. It has to be considered that Austria has already one of the highest numbers of building permits per 1,000 inhabitants in Europe additionally supported by numerous public housing programmes. Therefore growth in residential construction is limited. On the other hand the steadily improving economic framework, pushed by improving labour markets and higher private consumption along with improving export markets is driving non-residential construction (+2.1 percent) in 2017. Apart from that civil engineering is expected to remain weak with low investments in energy and water works. Growth in civil engineering can be mainly expected from the traffic infrastructure area, all above from investments into the road and railway network.