Dublin, Ireland, September 8, 2025
News Summary
A major market study forecasts significant expansion in the global construction market, driven by housing, commercial development and infrastructure, with sustainability and advanced technologies accelerating change. Africa’s data‑centre construction is identified as a faster‑growing niche due to cloud demand and AI workloads. The specialist insurance sector is consolidating after an acquisition of a Dublin and Galway underwriting business focused on construction risks. A partial collapse of a derelict Dublin terrace with large unpaid levies highlights safety, fiscal and planning challenges posed by long‑term vacancy. Together the trends point to growth, innovation and evolving risk management needs.
Global construction market valued at USD 13.4 trillion in 2025; set to grow to USD 20.6 trillion by 2033
September 08, 2025 06:05 ET | Source: Research and Markets
ResearchAndMarkets Dublin, Sept. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)
Top line
The global construction market is estimated at USD 13.4 trillion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 20.6 trillion by 2033, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 5.51% over the period from 2025 to 2033. The market covers residential, commercial and industrial buildings as well as large infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges and airports.
Key trends driving growth
The recent market analysis highlights a clear shift toward sustainable practices and broader use of advanced technologies. Green building approaches, energy‑efficient designs and the use of renewable materials are increasingly required on major projects. Digital tools including Building Information Modeling (BIM), 3D printing and automated construction equipment are transforming planning and execution, improving precision and cutting waste while boosting collaboration and cost control.
Market structure and opportunities
The competitive landscape is diverse, featuring major multinationals, regional contractors and an expanding number of specialist providers. Investment in research and development is a leading theme as firms push new building methods, smart building systems and eco‑friendly solutions. The report lists market size data, trends, growth opportunities and restraining factors, and segments the market by product type, application, end user, technology, distribution channel and geography. More information on the full report is available at: https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/12lxa5
Regional spotlight — Africa data‑center construction
A separate ResearchAndMarkets release dated February 17, 2025 focuses on the Africa data center construction market. That market was valued at USD 1.26 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 3.06 billion by 2030, at a strong CAGR of 15.94% between 2024 and 2030. Key drivers include rising cloud investments, demand driven by artificial intelligence workloads and increased adoption of renewable energy for powering data centers. The report breaks down geography, competitive landscape, infrastructure components (electrical and mechanical infrastructure, cooling systems and tier standards) and investor and contractor profiles. Full details are available at: https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8yeapo
Mergers and acquisitions — sector consolidation continues
In corporate activity, a specialty insurance group completed the acquisition of 360° Underwriting, a managing general underwriter with bases in Dublin and Galway that specializes in commercial construction insurance. Founded in 2017, 360° Underwriting built a niche in Ireland offering latent defect coverage and owner‑controlled insurance programmes, using proprietary modelling to manage aggregation risk and secure capital backing. The acquired business will operate under a specialized underwriting managers division, fitting into that platform’s latent defect operations and providing a local entry point into the Irish market.
The deal follows a recent integration of another specialist firm into the same underwriting platform earlier in the acquisition cycle. That earlier addition, founded in 2017, brought in lines including environmental insurance and transactional liability and operates across multiple regions. The specialty group reported a notable revenue increase in Q3 2024, with total revenue rising by around 20 percent year‑on‑year to US$604.7 million.
Local collapse raises questions over derelict site levies
A partial collapse of a terrace of five late‑19th century cottages at 2-6 Dunville Terrace, facing the Grand Canal in Dublin 6, has highlighted the enforcement challenges around derelict properties. A roof on one cottage fell just after 8am on a Monday, sending a front wall into the path and road and scattering debris across the cycle lane. The cottages were listed on the local council’s Derelict Site Register from June 2023 and had been owned by a construction industry federation since the 1990s.
The federation currently owes more than €140,000 in unpaid derelict site levies, levies calculated at 7 percent per annum of market value plus 1.25 percent monthly interest on unpaid sums. The federation has acknowledged the outstanding levies and said the charge will need to be cleared to allow a long‑planned sale of adjoining properties to proceed. That sale, agreed several years earlier with an international developer for about €23 million, was conditioned on planning permission for a redevelopment scheme. A planning application was filed in October 2022 proposing demolition of the terrace and replacement with an eight‑storey office scheme; permission was granted the following September.
Local political representatives and community advocates have called for reuse of the cottages for housing and for tougher measures to deter site dereliction, including higher levies and stronger enforcement powers for councils. The federation has stated it accepts responsibility for managing the immediate safety and public concerns while the sale remains subject to standard planning and completion conditions.
What this means for the sector
The combined signals from market studies, regional infrastructure needs and corporate moves point to sustained expansion in construction activity, but also underline regulatory and environmental pressures. Growth opportunities will be strongest where firms adopt sustainable materials, digital planning tools and resilient business models. At the same time, local episodes of dereliction and enforcement gaps show how planning, ownership and funding issues can disrupt projects and public safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current size of the global construction market?
The global construction market is valued at USD 13.4 trillion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 20.6 trillion by 2033.
What growth rate is expected for the construction market?
The market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.51% from 2025 to 2033.
Which technologies are changing construction?
Key technologies include BIM, 3D printing and automated construction equipment, which increase precision, reduce waste and improve collaboration.
How fast is the Africa data‑center construction market growing?
The Africa data‑center construction market was valued at USD 1.26 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to USD 3.06 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 15.94%.
What was the outcome of the Dublin cottage collapse?
A roof collapse at 2-6 Dunville Terrace prompted safety responses and renewed scrutiny of unpaid derelict levies exceeding €140,000. The site is entangled with a pending property sale and planning history for redevelopment.
Key feature summary
| Topic | Key figures | Timeframe | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global construction market | USD 13.4T → USD 20.6T | 2025 → 2033 | Projected CAGR 5.51%; covers buildings and infrastructure |
| Africa data center construction | USD 1.26B → USD 3.06B | 2024 → 2030 | Projected CAGR 15.94%; cloud, AI and renewable energy drivers |
| Corporate M&A | 360° Underwriting acquired | Deal announced 2025 | Acquisition strengthens specialist construction insurance platform |
| Derelict site incident | €140,000+ unpaid levies | Registered since June 2023 | Partial roof collapse at 2-6 Dunville Terrace; sale and planning matters ongoing |
Report and regional release sources: ResearchAndMarkets releases dated Sept. 08, 2025 and Feb. 17, 2025. Links provided in the text lead to full report pages for further details.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Reuters: Ireland faces major challenges to scale up construction (Central Bank)
- Wikipedia: Construction industry
- BBC: Article
- Google Search: global construction market 2025 2033
- GlobeNewswire: Africa Data‑Center Construction Market outlook
- Encyclopedia Britannica: data center
- Insurance Business: Ryan Specialty acquires 360 Underwriting
- Google Scholar: construction insurance Ireland
- Irish Times: Construction Industry Federation site sale and dereliction levies
- Google News: derelict site levies Dublin
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