The Swiss construction industry expanded in the first half of 2026, with revenues rising 3.1% year-over-year to 11.2 billion Swiss francs, according to the Swiss Contractors Association (SBV).
Growth was led by high-rise construction, which outpaced civil engineering as residential and public sector projects accelerated. After a 5.6% increase in the first quarter, expansion moderated in the second quarter, with revenues reaching 6.2 billion francs—a 1.3% year-over-year gain. Residential and public high-rise construction both grew more than 5%, while civil engineering declined 2%, despite a substantial backlog of work. Delays attributed to legal challenges and protracted permitting processes have slowed project execution, the SBV said.
The order backlog at mid-year stood at 8.7 billion francs for high-rise construction and 8.2 billion francs for civil engineering. Total new orders in the period rose 1.6% to 12.2 billion francs, with high-rise orders up 2.5% and civil engineering orders up 0.5%.
The SBV estimates that 48,000 new homes will be completed in 2026, based on the volume of new residential construction orders. This would bring supply closer to demand, though the association cautions that 2027 may see a decline as new orders in the first half of 2026 stagnated and building permit applications in 2025 were weak.
Looking ahead, the SBV is banking on infrastructure-led growth in civil engineering, particularly through the federal program "Verkehr '45," which plans expansions of rail, road, and transport networks in urban areas. The association is urging the inclusion of more national highway projects than currently envisaged to sustain momentum.
