In 2017, the construction sector in Portugal showed several important trends.
The number of building permits issued increased by 9.9% compared to 2016, totaling 18,621 buildings — of which 68% corresponded to new constructions.
This positive trend continued in 2018: in just the first seven months, more than 8,000 permits were granted, representing a growth of 22.6% compared to the same period in 2017.
The Portuguese housing stock consisted of about 3.6 million family housing units (most built in the 1970s and 1980s) and 5.9 million traditional family accommodations, representing an increase of 0.19% and 0.16% relative to 2016.
In total, 14,073 buildings were constructed or renovated, an increase of 9.7% compared to the previous year. New constructions represented 48% of this total.
This dynamism is linked to the growing attractiveness of Portugal — both tourist and residential — which has strongly boosted the construction sector, especially in major cities like Lisbon and Porto. Over the last five years, the number of new works and rehabilitations has increased significantly.
However, many of these projects still neglect the ecological and sustainable aspects of construction, although a gradual change and an increase in efforts in this direction can be observed.
For more detailed information about the construction sector in Portugal, it is recommended to consult the INE report of 2017.