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According to the results of the 2008 Annual Survey of Building, Construction and Real Estate Sectors released today (November 27) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the gross output of the construction sector was $172.1 billion in 2008, representing an increase of 16.1% over 2007.
The gross operating surplus (calculated as gross output less total operating expenditure) of the construction sector, surged by 33.9% to $10.6 billion in 2008 as compared with 2007. The proportion of gross operating surplus in gross output was 6.2%, higher than the 5.3% in 2007.
The value added of the construction sector, which is a measure of its contribution to Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product, was $49.9 billion in 2008, representing an increase of 17.6% over 2007.
The survey did not cover labour-only sub-contractors that mainly supplied labour to work on a job-to-job basis. However, the gross value of construction works performed by these sub-contractors had already been included in that performed by those contractors commissioning their services.
In addition to the construction sector, the survey also enumerated establishments engaged in real estate development, leasing, brokerage and maintenance management services; and architectural, surveying and project engineering services.
The gross output of establishments engaged in real estate development, leasing, brokerage and maintenance management services was $124.4 billion in 2008, representing an increase of 16.3% over 2007.
In 2008, the gross operating surplus of these establishments taken together rose by 18.1% from a year earlier to $75.5 billion. The proportion of gross operating surplus in gross output was 60.7%, slightly higher than the 59.8% in 2007.
The value added of these establishments taken together was $91.3 billion in 2008, representing a 14.3% increase from a year earlier.
The total number of private building projects ever operated in 2008 was 215. Among them, 69 were on Hong Kong Island, 78 in Kowloon and 68 in the New Territories and outlying islands. As at end-2008, 163 projects, which would together provide 5.5 million square metres gross floor area of buildings when completed, were still under construction.
The survey excluded establishments which developed real estate projects for their own use as well as those which owned land but without developing it during the reference year. Real estate leasing and other related activities undertaken by individuals or firms which engaged less than two persons (except for subsidiaries of real estate enterprises) were also not covered in the survey.
As regards establishments engaged in architectural, surveying and project engineering services, the gross output in 2008 was $12.8 billion, representing an increase of 44.7% from a year earlier.
In 2008, the gross operating surplus of these establishments taken together increased significantly by 99.7% from a year earlier to $1.4 billion. The proportion of gross operating surplus in gross output was 10.6%, higher than the 7.7% in 2007.
In 2008, the value added of these establishments taken together was $8.1 billion, representing an increase of 40.6% from a year earlier.
The attached table shows the summary results of the survey.
The survey was conducted from January to October 2009. More detailed survey results will be published in the "Report on 2008 Annual Survey of Building, Construction and Real Estate Sectors". Users can download the 2008 edition of the publication free of charge as from end December 2009 at www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/index.jsp .
For enquiries about the survey results, please contact the Construction and Miscellaneous Services Statistics Section of the C&SD at telephone 2882 4684 or email building@censtatd.gov.hk .
Ends/Friday, November 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:31
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