Status quo of the European construction industry
The construction industry is one of the key pillars of the European economy, with investments in the sector reaching €1,457 billion in 2022, accounting for 10.1% of the EU’s GDP [1]. Furthermore, the sector comprises ca. 3 million enterprises, mostly SMEs, and represents 11.4M jobs, i.e. ~6% of total employment in the EU27 and even ~29% of industrial employment [1]. These figures underscore the industry's extensive reach and its crucial role in shaping the livelihoods of a significant portion of the EU's workforce.
Beyond this, the industry directly intersects with the European Union's ambitious political agenda, notably the EU Green Deal, which aims to transform Europe into a climate-neutral continent by 2050. Despite its importance, the construction industry often remains on the periphery of discussions. Current initiatives, such as the revision of the Construction Products Regulation and the Energy Efficiency in Buildings Directive, are steps in the right direction but fail to address the sector’s deeper structural challenges. As low carbon solutions and circular innovations in building materials begin to hit the markets across the European Union, their potential to catalyze green growth becomes increasingly evident. However, realizing this potential on a meaningful scale requires addressing the structural challenges of the construction sector.