Mixed outlook Construction gets off to a good start to the year
The Swiss construction industry got off to a good start in 2026. According to the Swiss Association of Master Builders (SBV), residential construction was the main driver. The rest of the year is unlikely to continue in the same vein.
27.05.2026, 09:54
27.05.2026, 09:58
SDA
Construction activity in building construction and civil engineering rose by a whopping 5.6% to CHF 4.98 billion between January and March, as reported by the SBC on Wednesday. With growth of 7.4 percent, residential construction remained the mainstay of the construction industry.
According to the communiqué, the brisk residential construction of the previous quarters continued. Low interest rates and low vacancy rates continue to meet with high demand. This is an environment that is driving residential construction.
Civil engineering fared less well, with growth of 0.1 percent. The public sector in particular hit the brakes, as the figures show. Civil engineering also felt the first effects of the war in Iran - in the form of a sharp rise in bitumen prices.
Slower growth for the rest of the year
The SBC expects lower growth for the rest of the year than in the first quarter. Nevertheless, a pleasing increase can still be expected in building construction, while the outlook for civil engineering is unclear.
According to the association, material shortages are not currently a major problem. Only around 6 percent of construction companies are currently complaining about this. After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, this figure was around 50 percent at times.
