The recent 86th edition of Latin America’s largest construction event brought further optimism to the sector in Brazil, one of the largest in the country and an important engine behind the nation’s economic growth. The latest edition of Encontro Nacional da Construçao Civil (ENIC) was held in Goiania, central Brazil. Some 1,500 companies from the civil construction sector attended the macro event including a large contingent from North and Northeast Brazil, two of the regions where the building of residential property is particularly strong at the moment.
The highlight of the three-day event was the presence of President Dilma Roussef who delivered the well-received news regarding the next phase of the national housing programme, Minha Casa Minha Vida. Roussef confirmed that the third phase of social housing construction is due to start at the end of May.
The large-scale construction of housing for low and medium-income families is one of the largest in the world – phases one and two encompassed the construction of over 3.36 million units throughout the country. And the programme has done much to alleviate some of Brazil’s huge property deficit as well as providing the civil construction sector with a massive economic boost.
Speaking to attendees, Roussef said the main challenge facing the future of the programme was the shortage of available land in certain states. In Santa Catalina, Sao Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, the lack of suitable plots has pushed land prices up to levels incompatible with the government programme. In the rest of the country, however, there continues to be a good supply of land for the next phase of building.
Against this background of optimism for the immediate future of Brazilian new builds, the civil construction sector received the news that Brazil has won two top international awards in the prestigious FIABCI Prix d’Excellence 2014.
Awarded annually by the International Real Estate Federation with United Nations consultative status, the prizes recognise architectural and construction excellence in property. In particular, the prizes seek to bring world attention to buildings that “provide society with the optimal solution to its property needs”.
Brazil took first prize in the low-rise residential and offices categories. The Vila das Corais complex in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco (Northeast Brazil) was deemed the best building in the world with five or fewer storeys. The complex, currently nearing completion, is part of the first district in the state of Pernambuco to be completely designed and planned from scratch. In the office category, the four-block Centro Empresarial Senado in Rio de Janeiro took top place in the accolades.
Source: ABECIP-Associacao Brasileira das Entidades de Crédito Inmoniliário e Poupanca
