Opportunities
Sector analysis
Retail
Last year as a whole saw the value of underlying project starts in the retail sector (those worth £250k to £100 million) grow by 29 per cent compared with 2010, as supermarket projects continued to keep contractors in work, according to figures from intelligence provider Glenigan.
Private housing
Following a weak first half of the year, private housing picked up during the third and fourth quarters of 2011, with the value of underlying starts (those between £250k and £100m) rising by 24 per cent year on year in Q4, according to business intelligence provider Glenigan.
Education
Despite the coalition’s axing of the Building Schools for the Future programme nearly two years ago, under which the previous government had pledged £55bn of investment in capital, the education sector is only just beginning to feel the full force of this cancellation.
Hotels & leisure
All four quarters of 2011 saw a fall in the value of underlying hotels & leisure starts (those between £250k and £100m) across the UK, with starts for the year overall falling by 18 per cent compared with 2010, according to data from business intelligence provider Glenigan.
Social housing
While underlying project starts in the social housing sector fell by just 3 per cent year on year for 2011 as a whole, the fourth quarter saw activity plummet - a trend that business intelligence provider Glenigan expects to continue this year.
Industrial
The industrial sector enjoyed a relatively positive 2011, with the underlying value of project starts (those valued at between £250k and £100m) rising by 12 per cent compared with 2010; however, this figure was still 47 per cent lower than in 2007.
Retail
The retail sector has repeatedly been hailed as the saving grace of the HVAC and the wider construction industry amid the downturn in work, as the major supermarkets have continued to drive activity.
Private housing
The private housing sector saw a continued period of contraction over the course of 2011, despite initial hopes that it would drive recovery for the wider industry.
Offices
The first half of last year saw the office sector fail to respond positively to the improving economic conditions, looser monetary policy and recovering financial sector.
Hotels & leisure
The hotels & leisure sector experienced a difficult 2011, with the value of projects starting on site falling significantly in the first two quarters of the year compared with the same periods of 2010, according to business intelligence provider Glenigan.
