Division 2) Variable 150102: Building permits – Square metres (of useful floor area or alternative size measure)

‘Building permits’ is as defined for variable 150101 under H1. It is the objective of the useful floor area building permit variable to show the future development of construction activity in terms of volume.

This variable is compiled from the square metres of useful floor area of new residential and non-residential buildings for which permits have been granted. The useful floor area of a building is measured within its external walls, excluding:

• construction areas (e.g. areas of demarcation components, supports, columns, pillars, shafts, chimneys),

• functional areas for ancillary use (e.g. areas occupied by heating and air-conditioning installations, or by power generators),

• thoroughfares (e.g. areas of stairwells, lifts, escalators).

The part of the overall useful area of a building used for residential purposes includes the area used for kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms and ancillary rooms, cellars and common rooms of the residential units.

If the information on useful floor area is not directly available from the collected data, it may be estimated on the basis of the available sources.