ARTICLES LABELLED WITH TAG Ukraine

Previous optimism over the prospect of the construction market in the Southeast European region is gone, the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association (EECFA) reports. The current forecast is foreshadowing almost no growth until 2023 and contraction in 2024. The main reason behind is the worsening climate for construction due to the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Unlike logistics and retail assets, office buildings received less damage from the war in Ukraine, but it is still impossible to calculate the exact number of losses or destroyed office space. Iryna Nastych summarised the situation in an article prepared by the Ukrainian Real Estate Club for Property Forum.

After the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, real estate developers in Kyiv stopped working on construction sites and focused on defence processes. They handed over their equipment and materials for the construction of protective structures, created volunteer organizations, etc. By now, after the de-occupation of the settlements around the capital and the relative stabilization of the situation in Kyiv, some developers began to resume work on construction sites. Iryna Nastych summarised the situation in an article prepared by the Ukrainian Real Estate Club for Property Forum.

The war launched by Russia on February 24th is still going on in Ukraine. Infrastructure facilities are being damaged every day. The cost of damages that experts share changes daily. According to the Centre for Economic Policy Research, the total expenses for reconstruction will range from $220 billion to $540 billion, writes Anna Nestulia, Principal at Invest in Projects for Property Forum.

The latest report from research firm Spectis indicates that following a strong start to the year, the outlook for the construction sector over the coming months of 2022 is now less bright. The expected slowdown can be indirectly caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine, which only aggravates the problems the market has been facing previously, such as soaring prices of raw materials, building materials, and energy sources or the shortage of labour.

Romania’s trade relations with Ukraine, Russia and Belarus are limited, but the country has been importing raw materials from these countries that are used in the local construction market, according to an analysis by the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association (EECFA). 

Property group NEPI Rockcastle has launched the “Donate for the Ukrainian people” campaign, conducted through SPOT, the mobile loyalty application of the company.  

Several large Polish real estate companies have joined forces to help refugees in Poland that are fleeing the war in Ukraine under the #Property4Ukraine initiative. The companies will provide a temporary home for 3,000 refugees from Ukraine. They are already moving into four buildings belonging to Echo Investment, Grupa Archicom, Globalworth and Skanska.

Property developer Globalworth is providing 12,000 sqm of its portfolio in Romania and Poland for Ukraine war humanitarian relief efforts. The spaces will be used to accommodate refugees and provide them with related logistical support as well as depositing and sorting the donations. 

There is increased demand for all categories of property assets in Romania, with office and industrial set to continue their growth streak this year. Property Forum talked to Victor Constantinescu, Managing Partner of Kinstellar’s Bucharest office and Co-Head of the firm-wide Real Estate practice, about the impact of the pandemic on Romania’s real estate market and how the country’s property investment potential can be harnessed in the next years.