Denmark - Housing Starts

These statistics monitor total construction activity (measured by total floor area) and total residential construction (measured by numbers of dwellings). It is possible to monitor many aspects of the construction activity, but the statistics are mainly published in accordance with some main categories: Type of building, use of building, and state of the building project (permitted, started, completed and under construction).

Information on residential construction is available from 1876 for the municipality of Copenhagen, for the municipality of Frederiksberg from 1886, for provincial towns from 1916, for parishes with larger urban areas from 1929 and for all Denmark from 1950. Estimates on floor area were not established until the end of the Second World War. Since 1980, the statistics have been compiled on the basis of the Central Register of Buildings and Dwellings (BBR).

The construction statistic are compiled on the basis of data extracted from the registers on buildings and dwellings. The statistics are based on building permits, etc. compiled by the municipalities, when construction results in an increase of the floor area or the number of dwellings. The statistics show the state of the building projects (permitted, started, completed and under construction) with information on type of building and type of ownership.

Statistical Concepts:
The data reported by the municipalities are based on the actual building permits, which implies that in cases where a building permit is not required data are not reported. The National Agency for Enterprise and Construction decide the extent and requirements. For more information on variables and their definitions, see www.ois.dk.

The statistics monitor all building permits, which increase the floor area or the number of dwellings. Building projects are grouped by their state:

• Building permits: The permit given by the municipality for starting a construction within a given period. The building permit will be annulled, if the construction is not started within a year. Some construction did not require a building permit, but only a notofication. In statistical context, the building permit and the notification are the same
• Start of construction: The date for the physical start of the construction. For non-residential buildings used for agricultural purposes etc. and small buildings (garages, carports and outhouses) the date of the building permit and the date of the construction started are similar. This kind of building is treated less strictly according to the Act.
• Completion of construction: A certificate for use or provisional use is given or for reasons where the construction is completed and no certificate is needed.
• Under construction: A building stock of building activities, which have started but not yet completed at a certain time (normally, at the end of the reference period).

The statistical unit for construction statistics is the building. The property unit is used for identification and the units in the buildings submit figures on floor area and numbers of dwellings.

The unit of counting is the floor area or dwelling. Buildings are in some cases equal to building permits:

• The statistics use different terms for spaces. The most important terms are: 
• The total building space equaling the sum of the space of all floors, the potentially utilized attic space but not the basement space.
• The building ground space (area built on), which is equal to the ground floor space.
• The term dwelling is delimited by the unit in a building, which is an all-residential unit, a combined residential and non-residential unit or a room (with a unique address.). The basic point is, that the dwelling shall be sanctioned to be used throughout the year

In the Central Register of Buildings and Dwellings each building permit has several variables with information. The most important variables are:

• Main use of the building: The actual use is registered. If the building is used for several purposes, the use accounting for the greatest space is registered. The classification has 5 classes and 27 objects. The classes are residential buildings (weekend cottages excluded), production buildings, warehouses farm buildings, industry and manufacturing buildings, public works etc., buildings for administration and trade, transport, personal services, buildings for cultural purposes plus institutions and other buildings.

• Although there is no offical definition for other residential buildings, this category consists of buildings used for residential purposes which cannot be placed in the other categories. Municipalities decide the category; it can include non-residential buildings which have received temporary permission to be used to habitation.

• Type of builders: Private, housing societies and public builders (determined by the ownership).
• Construction materials: external cladding, type of roof and type of heating.
• Geography: Counties/Regions and municipalities.

The purpose is to monitor quarterly construction activities in terms of absolute figures. The statistics are estimated using monthly data from the Central Register of Buildings and Dwellings. During the time of producing the statistics Statistic Denmark has noted that there are delays in the municipality's data registrations. This makes it necessary to estimate provisional figures to be used for measuring construction activities.

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy in this case are supplemented by a specific revision practice. The data revision practice states, Because of the problem of delays in the municipalities' registrations in the Central Register of Buildings and Dwellings, final figures are not produced, instead, provisional figures are published, which give an estimate of the construction activity.

This information comes directly from Statistcs Denmark's site. For more information visit: http://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/dokumentation/documentationofstatistics/construction