Sardinia's construction sector drives the economy and employment.
Fillea CGIL: The sector accounts for 31% of the island's added value, and 15,000 jobs have been created since 2019. "But more needs to be done on green policies and undeclared work."(Handle)
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Construction drives a third of the Sardinian economy, and the growth in regional employment is due to this sector alone, with 15,000 more people employed in the last six years.
This is what emerged from the survey commissioned by Fillea Cgil Sardegna from the national research center Cresme, presented at the Chamber of Commerce in Sassari in the presence of Secretary General Antonio Di Franco.
On this occasion, in light of the sector's significant numbers, Fillea Cgil also launched an appeal to the Region to invest in the construction sector "with resources and guidance that will restore its rightful centrality in Sardinia's economy."
This is because, it is emphasized, "housing and the built environment represent an opportunity for the development and social cohesion of Sardinia because they combine economic growth, employment stability, and the fight against energy poverty and housing hardship."
In this regard, regional secretary Erika Collu urged regional councilor for Public Works Antonio Piu to "construct a single, official, and centralized regional map of the vacant housing stock through the synergy of the various responsible bodies: Region, Municipalities, intermediate bodies, regional companies, state property, with the involvement of the Universities as well."
"While the construction sector remains the driving force of the economy in Sardinia and the country," Secretary General Di Franco emphasized in his speech, "the government is failing to support it with adequate policies: no implementation of the Green Homes Directive and therefore no energy efficiency policies despite the climate crisis." Furthermore, the cut in tax deductions for renovations unfortunately reopens the door to undeclared work .
Also present at the meeting were Daniela Falconi, president of ANCI Sardegna; Alessandra Casu, professor of urban planning at the University of Sassari; Giuseppe Desogus, professor of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architecture at the University of Cagliari; and Fabio Pinna, chief of staff of the Municipality of Sassari.
THE DATA – During the conference, data demonstrating the sector's importance to the island were also presented: "If we then measure the impact of construction and real estate on the wealth produced in Sardinia, adding together investments in construction, routine maintenance of existing assets, and real estate activities and services, we can say that construction accounts for 31% of Sardinia's added value." Essentially, construction "drives" a third of the Sardinian economy.
As mentioned, from 2019 to 2025, employment growth in Sardinia was driven solely by construction: while services lost 3,000 workers and industry gained 3,000, construction employment increased by 15,000. Construction accounted for 94% of the region's employment growth.
"The research," noted Cresme Technical Director Lorenzo Bellicini, "then addressed the issue of housing, highlighting that over the past ten years, while Sardinia's population has decreased by 49,000, households have grown by 23,000, resulting in an increased demand for housing." Conversely, "rising house prices and rents have made Sardinia the fifth-worst Italian region in terms of affordability, measured by average income and housing costs. In this regard, Sardinia is the Italian region with the highest price increase between 2024 and 2025 (+30%)."
(Unioneonline/lf)