While Austria's construction industry may seem a steady force, it’s actually an economic powerhouse fueling the nation’s growth, as evidenced by a sector contributing 5.4% to GDP and seeing total output surge to €52.3 billion in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the total construction output in Austria amounted to €52.3 billion, reflecting a 4.2% year-on-year growth driven by public infrastructure investments
- Austria's construction industry contributed 5.4% to the national GDP in 2022, up from 5.1% in 2021 due to post-pandemic recovery
- The average annual growth rate of Austria's construction sector from 2018 to 2023 was 3.8%, outperforming the EU average of 2.9%
- In 2023, Austria employed 312,000 people in construction, a 2.8% increase from 2022 with 65% skilled tradespeople
- The average gross monthly wage in Austrian construction was €3,850 in 2023, 18% above the national average
- Women comprised 12.5% of the construction workforce in Austria in 2023, up from 10% in 2018
- Total residential building completions in Austria reached 38,500 units in 2023, up 6.8% YoY
- Vienna's residential construction output was €6.2 billion in 2023, 22% of national total
- Average size of new residential dwellings completed was 112 m² in 2023
- In 2023, non-residential construction output reached €19.8 billion, 38% of total sector
- Office building completions added 1.2 million m² in Austria in 2023
- Industrial and warehouse space constructed totaled 2.8 million m² in 2023, up 12%
- In 2023, civil engineering projects comprised 28% of construction output at €14.6 billion
- Road construction investments totaled €3.2 billion in 2023 under ASFINAG program
- Rail network expansions added 45 km of tracks in 2023 via ÖBB projects
Austria's construction industry saw robust growth in 2023, driven by strong public and private investment.
Infrastructure Projects
1In 2023, civil engineering projects comprised 28% of construction output at €14.6 billion
Verified2Road construction investments totaled €3.2 billion in 2023 under ASFINAG program
Verified3Rail network expansions added 45 km of tracks in 2023 via ÖBB projects
Verified4Bridge rehabilitations numbered 180 projects costing €850 million in 2023
Directional5Water supply and sewage infrastructure builds valued €1.1 billion in 2023
Single source6Airport expansions, including Vienna, invested €420 million in 2023
Verified7Tunnel constructions advanced 12 km in 2023, mainly Koralmbahn
Verified8Public transport hubs built 15 new ones in 2023 costing €280 million
Verified9Flood protection measures constructed 250 km of dikes in 2023 for €650 million
Directional10Broadband fiber rollout in rural areas covered 1,200 km in 2023
Single source11Renewable energy grid connections added capacity for 2.5 GW in 2023
Verified12Cycle path network expanded by 450 km in 2023
Verified13Waste management facilities upgraded in 28 sites for €190 million in 2023
Verified14Port of Vienna expansions handled €2.1 billion in goods via new terminals 2023
Directional15Digital traffic management systems installed on 1,500 km highways in 2023
Single source16School infrastructure modernizations totaled 420 buildings in 2023
Verified17EV charging stations built reached 12,000 in 2023
Verified18Gas pipeline networks extended 180 km in 2023 for security
Verified19Vorarlberg's infrastructure spend was €890 million in 2023
Directional20Smart city projects in Linz added sensor networks to 50 km roads in 2023
Single sourceInfrastructure Projects Interpretation
Austria seems to be building a country that is noticeably more connected, protected, and greener than before, investing heavily in everything from the rails beneath your train to the fiber behind your Netflix.
Market Overview
1In 2023, the total construction output in Austria amounted to €52.3 billion, reflecting a 4.2% year-on-year growth driven by public infrastructure investments
Verified2Austria's construction industry contributed 5.4% to the national GDP in 2022, up from 5.1% in 2021 due to post-pandemic recovery
Verified3The average annual growth rate of Austria's construction sector from 2018 to 2023 was 3.8%, outperforming the EU average of 2.9%
Verified4Construction investment as a percentage of GDP in Austria stood at 7.8% in 2023, with residential making up 45% of total investments
Directional5In Q4 2023, monthly construction production index in Austria rose by 2.1% compared to Q4 2022, adjusted for working days
Single source6The value of new construction orders in Austria increased by 5.6% in 2023 to €28.7 billion, primarily from civil engineering projects
Verified7Austria's construction turnover per employee averaged €285,000 in 2022, 12% higher than the EU27 average
Verified8Producer prices in the Austrian construction sector rose by 6.3% in 2023, the highest since 2012 due to material cost inflation
Verified9In 2023, public sector construction spending in Austria totaled €18.4 billion, accounting for 35% of total industry output
Directional10Private construction investments in Austria grew by 3.9% in 2023, reaching €33.9 billion, fueled by housing demand
Single source11The construction industry's share in Austria's total exports of services was 2.7% in 2022, valued at €1.2 billion
Verified12Austria's construction PMI averaged 52.4 in 2023, indicating expansion for the 15th consecutive year
Verified13Building permits issued in Austria increased by 7.2% in 2023 to 45,200 units, with Vienna leading at 12,500
Verified14The cost index for building construction in Austria climbed 8.1% in 2023, driven by steel and concrete price surges
Directional15Austria's construction sector added €4.2 billion in value added in 2023, growing 4.5% nominally
Single source16In 2022, Austria ranked 8th in the EU for construction value added per capita at €5,890
Verified17Construction equipment market in Austria was valued at €1.8 billion in 2023, up 5% YoY
Verified18The Austrian construction industry's productivity grew by 2.3% in 2023, reaching 112% of 2015 levels
Verified19Total floor space completed in new buildings in Austria was 12.5 million m² in 2023, a 6% increase
Directional20Austria's construction debt ratio stood at 28% of output in 2023, lower than Germany's 32%
Single source21In 2023, digital construction technologies adoption in Austria reached 42% of firms, boosting efficiency by 15%
Verified22Construction R&D spending in Austria was €450 million in 2022, 0.9% of sector turnover
Verified23The sector's energy consumption for construction activities was 8.2 TWh in 2023, down 3% from 2022
Verified24Austria's construction import dependency for materials was 65% in 2023, mainly steel and cement
Directional25Venture capital invested in Austrian construction startups totaled €120 million in 2023, up 25%
Single source26Construction bankruptcy rate in Austria was 1.2% in 2023, below the national average of 1.5%
Verified27The industry's carbon footprint from construction activities was 12.5 Mt CO2eq in 2023
Verified28Austria's construction sector insurance premiums reached €2.1 billion in 2023, growing 4%
Verified29Mobile construction workforce in Austria averaged 15% of total labor in 2023
DirectionalMarket Overview Interpretation
Austria's construction sector is building more than just infrastructure; it's cementing its role as a robust, if slightly overheated, pillar of the economy, where public investment pours the foundation and private demand raises the roof, all while trying to keep costs from going through it.
Non-Residential Sector
1In 2023, non-residential construction output reached €19.8 billion, 38% of total sector
Verified2Office building completions added 1.2 million m² in Austria in 2023
Verified3Industrial and warehouse space constructed totaled 2.8 million m² in 2023, up 12%
Verified4Retail construction starts declined 4.5% to 450,000 m² in 2023 due to e-commerce
Directional5Hospital and healthcare building investments were €1.4 billion in 2023
Single source6Educational facilities construction value hit €2.1 billion in 2023, including schools and universities
Verified7Hotel and tourism non-residential builds added 180,000 m² in 2023
Verified8Data center construction in Austria expanded by 250,000 m² in 2023
Verified9Upper Austria led non-residential output with €4.5 billion in 2023
Directional10Green office certifications covered 65% of new completions in 2023
Single source11Logistics hubs under construction totaled 15 projects worth €900 million in 2023
Verified12Sports facility investments reached €450 million in 2023
Verified13Commercial property vacancy rate fell to 4.8% in 2023 amid new builds
Verified14Manufacturing plant expansions added 1.1 million m² in 2023
Directional15Cultural venue constructions valued at €320 million in 2023
Single source16Styria's non-residential floor space grew 7.2% to 1.9 million m² in 2023
Verified17Renewable energy plant buildings (non-res) totaled €1.2 billion in 2023
Verified18Average non-res cost per m² was €1,980 in 2023
Verified19Permits for non-res buildings issued for 8.2 million m² in 2023
Directional20Burgenland's industrial parks expanded by 120,000 m² in 2023
Single source21BIM usage in non-res projects reached 52% in 2023
VerifiedNon-Residential Sector Interpretation
While Austria's construction sector clearly decided retail was out of fashion last year, it enthusiastically embraced a full-scale, green-tinged building spree for everything from data centers and warehouses to keep our digital lives humming, to hospitals and schools for our actual lives.
Residential Sector
1Total residential building completions in Austria reached 38,500 units in 2023, up 6.8% YoY
Verified2Vienna's residential construction output was €6.2 billion in 2023, 22% of national total
Verified3Average size of new residential dwellings completed was 112 m² in 2023
Verified4Multi-family housing accounted for 62% of residential completions in 2023
Directional5Residential building permits for apartments rose 9.1% to 32,100 in 2023
Single source6Energy-efficient residential retrofits numbered 145,000 in 2023 under Sanierungsoffensive
Verified7Average cost per m² for new residential builds was €2,450 in 2023, up 7.3%
Verified8Social housing starts in Austria totaled 12,300 units in 2023
Verified9Vacancy rate in new residential developments was 1.8% in 2023
Directional10Prefab residential construction share grew to 18% in 2023 from 14% in 2020
Single source11Tyrol region's residential output increased 8.5% to €2.1 billion in 2023
Verified12Sustainable residential certifications (Klimaaktiv) reached 4,200 projects in 2023
Verified13Home ownership rate influenced by new builds rose to 56% in 2023
Verified14Rental residential completions were 22,400 units in 2023, 58% of total
Directional15Price index for existing residential properties rose 5.2% in 2023 to 142.3 (2015=100)
Single source16Subsidized residential financing disbursed €1.9 billion in 2023 for 15,800 units
Verified17Urban residential density averaged 2.3 persons per dwelling in new builds 2023
Verified18Timber-framed residential houses comprised 12% of completions in 2023
Verified19Salzburg's residential permits surged 11% to 3,200 in 2023
Directional20Passive house standards met by 35% of new residential builds in 2023
Single source21Residential demolition and rebuild projects totaled 2,100 in 2023
Verified22Carinthia's residential floor space added 450,000 m² in 2023
Verified23Smart home tech integration in new residences hit 28% in 2023
VerifiedResidential Sector Interpretation
Austria's construction scene is like a meticulous Viennese waltz: the steps are getting greener, tighter, and more expensive, yet somehow they keep building enough to ensure almost no one trips over a vacant new home.
Workforce
1In 2023, Austria employed 312,000 people in construction, a 2.8% increase from 2022 with 65% skilled tradespeople
Verified2The average gross monthly wage in Austrian construction was €3,850 in 2023, 18% above the national average
Verified3Women comprised 12.5% of the construction workforce in Austria in 2023, up from 10% in 2018
Verified4Apprenticeships in construction numbered 28,400 in 2023, representing 9.1% of total workforce
Directional5Labor shortage in Austrian construction affected 45% of firms in 2023, needing 25,000 more workers
Single source6Average working hours in construction were 39.2 per week in 2023, highest among sectors
Verified7Foreign workers made up 22% of construction employment in 2023, mainly from Eastern Europe
Verified8Construction unemployment rate in Austria was 3.1% in 2023, below national 5.2%
Verified9Training expenditure per employee in construction averaged €1,200 in 2023, 25% above average
Directional10Part-time workers in construction rose to 8.3% in 2023 from 6.5% in 2020
Single source11Safety incident rate in construction was 4.2 per 1,000 workers in 2023, down 12% YoY
Verified12Union membership in construction stood at 38% in 2023, highest in manufacturing sectors
Verified13Age distribution: 25% of construction workers under 30 in 2023, addressing youth influx
Verified14Overtime hours averaged 4.1 per week in construction in 2023
Directional15Digital skills training covered 35% of workforce in 2023, up 20% from 2021
Single source16Migrant integration programs trained 5,200 construction workers in 2023
Verified17Employee turnover rate in construction was 11.5% in 2023, lower than hospitality's 18%
Verified18Sick leave days averaged 12.3 per worker in 2023, impacted by seasonal work
Verified19Remote work adoption in construction offices was 15% in 2023
Directional20Wage growth in construction was 5.7% in 2023, outpacing inflation by 1.2%
Single source21Firms with over 50 employees had 72% automation in admin roles in 2023
Verified22Youth unemployment in construction dropped to 8.4% in 2023 from 12% in 2021
Verified23Pensioner re-entry into construction workforce was 4,200 in 2023
Verified24Gender pay gap in construction narrowed to 14.2% in 2023
DirectionalWorkforce Interpretation
Austria's construction industry is impressively busy, with high wages and low unemployment, yet it's still struggling with a severe labor shortage and trying to build itself a more diverse, skilled, and digitally savvy future—one brick, apprentice, and female tradesperson at a time.
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