Page 87 - economic report 2021

XI. Construction and related industries

The sector of construction and related
industries, which represented 9.3% of GVA GVA IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR
in 2021, has seen a period of remarkable, Variation rate in real terms Chart 11.1
sustained growth over recent years. This
recovery began in 2016, after a long period
of recession, and has continued until 2021.
Throughout this whole period (2016-2021), the
average annual growth in GVA has been 10%.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions ordered
in 2020, annual growth in the sector slowed
to 1.4%, but without falling like the other
economic sectors, and growth accelerated
again in 2021, to 23.5%, a historically very high
variation rate.
Source: Department of Stat st cs.

This positive trend seen by the construction
sector occurred fundamentally in the housing GVA in construct on saw an extraordinary
segment, as public investment was limited increase of 23.5% in 2021, af er slowing
by the exceptional increase in public current but not falling in 2020.
expenditure due to COVID-19.
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In parallel with the very dynamic activity, employment in the sector rose 6.9%, to 3,717
employees, an increase that is added to that of 2020 (4.3%), making it the highest figure since
2011. The number of business establishments in the construction sector also increased from 879
in 2020 to 931 in 2021 (5.9%). The good moment that the sector is experiencing resulted in an
increase in average wages of 5.1%, reaching €2,222 per month, the highest figure in the historical
series (in nominal terms) and exceeding the total average wage, after 11 years below the average.
For its part, reactivation of the sector brought a notable rise in imports of building materials -
including traditional building products and also
products made from ceramic, glass, iron and
APPROVED SQUARE METRES steel, copper, nickel, aluminium, lead, zinc, tin
BY CATEGORY Chart 11.2 and other commodities – of 49%, completely
reversing the 17% fall recorded in 2020.

The approved surface area for building
grew an extraordinary 168% in 2021. The Andorran economy: developments in the main sectors | XI. Construction and related industries

In 2021, the area surface of approved projects
2
grew strongly (168%), to 536,241 m . This is
the highest figure in the last thirteen years,
after that of 2019, which was an unusual year
because many approvals were brought forward
New builds Renovations before the entry into force of the 2020 Law
Extensions Demolit ons on the Energy Transition and Climate Change,
which establishes that new buildings must have
Source: The Of cial Associat on of Architects of Andorra.
virtually zero energy consumption, obliging