A study to boost innovation in construction

The construction is a key sector for the Spanish economy, not only for their contribution to GDP but by its capacity of haulage and strangulation on a large number of industries, whose production is directly linked to the construction activity. This is the main conclusion of the study ' productive interlinkages of the construction industry and materials industry. Identification of professional profiles and associated training ' developed by the Industrial Observatory of the building.

According to this study, the percentage of production of 10 branches of activity of the of the Spanish economy to meet the demand of the construction sector, shows the knock-on effect that exercises and allows us to understand the domino effect that occurs when the activity is reduced.

The current production model requires the construction so that the Spanish economy to grow, so, according to the Observatory, is impossible to carry out a change of production model without regard to this important sector.

The end of the economic cycle with the outbreak of the international crisis in the middle of the 2007 paralyzed practically activity in the field of residential building, segment representing 51,71% of production in construction, with important consequences in employment as it has been proved.

The study launches the following proposals for action for the improvement of competitiveness: promoting the development of the whole of the sector, promoting the adaptation of its activity to the new criteria of sustainability through innovation in processes and products; design a plan for revitalization of the image of the sector and implementation by all relevant stakeholders; promote policies to support the activities of r & d, promoting cooperation and the approach of the companies with r & d actors, to improve processes and products; promote the participation of the sector in national and international r & d programmes; promote cooperation between companies in the value chain, in order to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness; increase support to the business internationalization and the search for new markets; enhance training in all its aspects, as necessary to promote stability in the employment and employability of workers related to the production process; upgrade professional skills of the profiles whose linkage between the work and materials industry is direct, and adapt them to the real needs which demand both the industry and own construction companies; development of research to extend knowledge, influencing the improvement of the technical assistance in the prevention of occupational hazards; promote the creation of new sources of information - quantitative and qualitative - to raise awareness of the activities related to the construction sector; promoting higher levels of disaggregation of the information that provides the public statistics, and improves on the updating of data; and analyse the economic impact and viability of certain regulatory and regulatory measures applicable to the sector, so that it is possible to anticipate the effects they produce about the same.

These data have been obtained through the analysis of Input-Ouput tables that had been done on the latest tables published by INE in accordance with the European system of national accounts (regulation of EEC No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996) that applied in a harmonised way all States members of the European Union)(EU).

This Observatory was created on May 7, 2009 through the signing of a cooperation agreement by the National Confederation of construction (CNC), the State Federation of construction, wood and Allied of Comisiones Obreras (Fecoma-CCOO) MetalConstruction and Allied of the General Union of workers (MAC-UGT), the Spanish Federation of innovation entities (FEDIT), the Labour Foundation of construction (FLC) and the Ministry of industry, tourism and trade. The technological Institute of construction, AIDICO participates in this Observatory on behalf of FEDIT.