Norwegian construction output grew 3.4% in 2022, even as residential building permits fell 5% to cover 32,000 dwellings. Road projects made up 45% of civil engineering output value, while infrastructure investment totaled 120 billion NOK. Housing demand cooled, but activity on major transport and public projects kept the sector moving.
Key Takeaways
- Construction output volume index increased by 3.4% in 2022 compared to 2021
- The sector employed 4.2% of Norway's total workforce in 2022
- In 2022, the Norwegian construction industry contributed 5.4% to the national GDP, amounting to approximately 285 billion NOK in value added
- Fatal accidents in construction numbered 12 in 2022, rate of 6.2 per 100,000 workers
- CO2 emissions from construction materials were reduced by 12% in 2022 through low-carbon concrete use
Norway’s construction industry grew strongly, with rising activity and investment driving a healthier outlook.
Related reading
01 · Category
Construction Output and Projects30 stats
01
Construction output volume index increased by 3.4% in 2022 compared to 2021
02
Residential building permits issued covered 32,000 dwellings in 2022, down 5% from 2021
03
Total gross floor area in new building permits was 6.2 million m² in 2022
04
Road construction projects accounted for 45% of civil engineering output value in 2022
05
Number of completed residential buildings was 25,400 in 2022, with average size 140 m²
06
Infrastructure investments in construction totaled 120 billion NOK in 2022
07
Non-residential building starts increased by 8% in 2022, focusing on commercial properties
08
Offshore construction related to oil and gas contributed 15% to total output in 2022
09
Public sector construction contracts were valued at 180 billion NOK in 2022
10
Housing construction turnover was 210 billion NOK in 2022
11
Building completions in Oslo totaled 8,200 units in 2022
12
Railway infrastructure projects under construction spanned 250 km in 2022
13
Commercial building permits covered 1.8 million m² in 2022
14
Renovation and maintenance works accounted for 35% of total output in 2022
15
Wind farm construction added 1.2 GW capacity in 2022
16
Hospital construction projects valued at 50 billion NOK ongoing in 2022
17
Average construction time for residential buildings was 18 months in 2022
18
Tunnel construction totaled 15 km completed in 2022
19
School building completions numbered 120 in 2022
20
Demolition waste from projects was 4.5 million tons in 2022
21
Bergen residential starts: 4,500 units 2022
22
Bridge constructions completed: 25 major ones 2022
23
Office space completions: 450,000 m² 2022
24
Harbor expansion projects: 5 ongoing valued 30bn NOK 2022
25
Passive house standard in 60% new homes 2022
26
Airport expansions: Oslo and Bergen phases completed 2022
27
Industrial hall permits: 1.2 million m² 2022
28
Flood protection builds: 12 km dikes 2022
29
Data center constructions: 3 new facilities 150MW 2022
30
Retail space new builds: 200,000 m² 2022
Interpretation
Construction Output and Projects Interpretation
Amidst a cautious 5% dip in dwelling permits, Norway’s construction sector in 2022 was a tale of two economies: it busily laid roads and railways while gently tapping the brakes on new homes, all the while feverishly expanding hospitals, data centers, and wind farms as if preparing for a future that is both greener and more digital, yet still in need of a place to live.
02 · Category
Employment Statistics28 stats
01
The sector employed 4.2% of Norway's total workforce in 2022
02
Total employment in construction reached 194,000 full-time equivalents in 2022
03
Average hourly earnings in construction were 512 NOK in 2022, 12% above national average
04
28% of construction workers were foreign-born in 2022, primarily from Poland and Lithuania
05
Female employment in construction was only 12.5% in 2022, up from 10% in 2018
06
Youth employment (15-24 years) in construction stood at 8.3% of the workforce in 2022
07
Labour productivity in construction grew by 1.8% annually from 2017-2022
08
Number of construction enterprises was 78,500 in 2022, with 92% being micro-enterprises (<10 employees)
09
Apprentices in construction numbered 18,500 in 2022, 9.5% of workforce
10
Overtime hours in construction averaged 4.2% of total hours in 2022
11
Unemployment rate in construction was 2.8% in 2022, below national 3.6%
12
Self-employment in construction was 22% of total employment in 2022
13
Skilled workers comprised 68% of construction workforce in 2022
14
Labour turnover rate was 14.5% in construction firms in 2022
15
Average age of construction workers was 42.3 years in 2022
16
Part-time employment was 5.2% in construction in 2022
17
Wage growth in construction was 4.8% in 2022
18
Vacancy rate in construction was 3.1% or 6,000 positions in 2022
19
Age 50+ workers: 35% of construction workforce 2022
20
Union membership rate: 52% in construction 2022
21
Temporary agency workers: 7% of total 2022
22
Engineers in construction: 15,200 employed 2022
23
Shift work prevalence: 28% in civil engineering 2022
24
Disability employment rate: 4.1% in construction 2022
25
Night work hours: 3% of total construction hours 2022
26
Job satisfaction score: 7.2/10 in construction survey 2022
27
Migrant worker retention rate: 82% after 1 year 2022
28
ICT specialists in construction: 8,500 in 2022
Interpretation
Employment Statistics Interpretation
While Norway's construction sector stands as a high-wage bastion fueled by skilled and surprisingly content workers, it faces a future built on the fragile scaffolding of an aging, male-dominated workforce whose only growth seems to be in overtime hours and small businesses.
03 · Category
Market Size and Growth24 stats
01
In 2022, the Norwegian construction industry contributed 5.4% to the national GDP, amounting to approximately 285 billion NOK in value added
02
The construction sector's turnover reached 642 billion NOK in 2022, marking a 7.2% increase from 2021
03
Building construction accounted for 52% of total construction turnover in 2022, totaling 334 billion NOK
04
Civil engineering works generated 308 billion NOK in turnover in 2022, representing 48% of the sector's total
05
The industry's average annual growth rate from 2018-2022 was 4.1%, driven by housing and infrastructure investments
06
Construction investment as a percentage of GDP was 3.8% in 2023 projections
07
In Q4 2022, construction production index rose by 2.5% year-over-year
08
The construction industry's projected growth rate for 2023 is 2.8%, with housing leading at 4.1%
09
Export value from Norwegian construction services was 12 billion NOK in 2022
10
Investment in construction machinery reached 25 billion NOK in 2022
11
Oslo region accounted for 28% of national construction turnover in 2022
12
Productivity gap between construction and manufacturing narrowed to 15% in 2022
13
Construction inflation rate was 6.5% in 2022 due to material costs
14
Digital construction market segment grew 18% to 35 billion NOK in 2022
15
Total value added per employee in construction was 1.47 million NOK in 2022
16
Construction R&D investment was 8 billion NOK in 2022, 1.2% of turnover
17
Venture capital in construction tech startups: 2.5 billion NOK in 2022
18
Import of construction materials: 150 billion NOK in 2022
19
Rogaland county construction turnover: 85 billion NOK in 2022
20
Cost index for building construction rose 7.8% in 2022
21
BIM adoption rate: 78% in large projects 2022
22
Prefabrication share of output: 25% in 2022
23
Insurance premiums for construction risks: 4.5 billion NOK in 2022
24
Trondheim construction growth: 5.2% in 2022
Interpretation
Market Size and Growth Interpretation
Norway's construction industry, a sturdy economic engine humming at 5.4% of GDP, is busily modernizing—bolstered by digital growth and prefabrication—yet remains cautiously optimistic as it builds through inflation, with housing and infrastructure firmly holding up the scaffolding of national development.
More related reading
04 · Category
Safety and Incidents30 stats
01
Fatal accidents in construction numbered 12 in 2022, rate of 6.2 per 100,000 workers
02
Lost-time injury frequency rate in construction was 4.8 per million hours worked in 2022
03
22% of construction firms reported safety violations in 2022 inspections
04
Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 45% of reported occupational illnesses in construction in 2022
05
Average sick leave days in construction were 12.5 per worker in 2022, above national average of 10.2
06
High-risk scaffolding incidents led to 150 stop-work orders in 2022
07
Training hours for safety per employee averaged 18 hours in 2022, up 15% from 2021
08
Fall from height incidents comprised 35% of serious accidents in 2022
09
Compliance rate with PPE regulations was 92% in 2022 audits
10
Construction sites with zero lost-time injuries increased to 25% in 2022
11
Serious injuries in construction totaled 1,200 in 2022
12
Crane-related incidents caused 8% of accidents in 2022
13
Safety investment per firm averaged 2.5% of turnover in 2022
14
Noise exposure exceeded limits in 28% of sites inspected in 2022
15
Vibration-related health claims rose 10% to 450 cases in 2022
16
Safety certification (HMS) held by 85% of large firms in 2022
17
Electrical accidents numbered 65 in construction in 2022
18
Psychological stress reports increased 15% to 800 in 2022
19
Safety audits conducted: 12,000 sites in 2022
20
Near-miss reporting rate was 25 per 100 workers in 2022
21
Dust exposure violations: 15% of sites 2022
22
Machinery entrapment accidents: 120 cases 2022
23
Risk assessments completed: 95% compliance large firms 2022
24
Asbestos removal incidents: 45 safety breaches 2022
25
Heat stress reports: up 20% summer 2022
26
Ladder fall incidents: 250 reported 2022
27
Fire safety drills: 85% participation rate 2022
28
Confined space accidents: 30 cases 2022
29
Safety app usage: 40% firms 2022
30
Traffic accidents on sites: down 12% to 180 2022
Interpretation
Safety and Incidents Interpretation
The Norwegian construction industry's safety report card for 2022 reads like a determined but clumsy student: showing clear improvement in study habits and investment, yet still getting grimly high marks in the exams that hurt, where real progress is measured in lives saved and pain avoided.
05 · Category
Sustainability and Environmental Impact30 stats
01
CO2 emissions from construction materials were reduced by 12% in 2022 through low-carbon concrete use
02
65% of new buildings in 2022 achieved BREEAM-NOR Excellent or higher certification
03
Waste recycling rate in construction reached 88% in 2022, avoiding 1.2 million tons to landfill
04
Energy-efficient buildings comprised 72% of new residential permits in 2022
05
Timber use in construction increased by 22% in 2022, substituting 500,000 tons of concrete
06
Renewable energy installations in construction projects totaled 450 MW in 2022
07
Water consumption per construction project averaged 15% less in 2022 due to recycling tech
08
40% of construction firms adopted digital twins for sustainability monitoring in 2022
09
Biodiversity impact assessments were mandatory for 95% of public projects in 2022
10
Low-emission machinery use reached 55% on major sites in 2022
11
Green building materials market grew to 45 billion NOK in 2022
12
Solar panel installations in new builds reached 15% coverage in 2022
13
Embodied carbon in new buildings reduced by 20% average in 2022
14
75% of asphalt used was recycled in road projects in 2022
15
LEED certified projects numbered 50 in construction 2022
16
Groundwater protection measures in 90% of urban projects in 2022
17
Modular construction reduced waste by 30% in pilots 2022
18
Air pollution from sites down 18% due to electric equipment in 2022
19
Green roofs installed on 20% of new commercial buildings 2022
20
Life-cycle assessments mandatory for public tenders since 2022
21
Bio-based insulation materials used in 35% of homes in 2022
22
Heat pump installations: 50,000 units in builds 2022
23
FSC certified timber: 70% of used wood 2022
24
Rainwater harvesting in 25% new projects 2022
25
Carbon capture pilots in concrete plants 2022
26
EV charging stations built: 10,000 points 2022
27
Soil remediation projects: 200 sites cleaned 2022
28
LED lighting standard in 90% new builds 2022
29
Circular economy practices: 50% material reuse target met 2022
30
Noise reduction measures: 80% compliance urban sites 2022
Interpretation
Sustainability and Environmental Impact Interpretation
Norway's construction industry has clearly been busy not just building things, but building them more wisely, stitching together a greener future one low-carbon brick, recycled beam, and solar panel at a time.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Norwegian Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/norwegian-construction-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Norwegian Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/norwegian-construction-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Norwegian Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/norwegian-construction-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
35 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level