Business Barometer, Building Equipment Sector (Sanitary Heating Air-conditioning)

Tasks

Drawing on the ifo business barometer for the building equipment sector, this project analysed the cyclical situation and further developments in the industry. According to the three industry stages of the building equipment sector, surveys were carried out of the manufacturing industry (heating technique, building fittings), the wholesale and the installation firms.

Methods

The approach adopted by this project followed the practices implemented in the ifo Business Survey. The data on the current business situation and the business expectations for several stages were combined to form the business climate index. Companies responsible for installation were surveyed on a quarterly basis. Additional forecasts of economic developments in Europe and Germany were taken into account when estimating the industry’s business cycle once a year. There was a special focus on changes in private consumer expenditure, equipment investment and construction investment.

The survey started in October 2004 and the associations of the building equipment sector enlisted participants specifically for it. This report features an analysis of the data collected up until March 2017.

Data and other sources

Primary Survey. Data from official statistics, as well as from primary and secondary statistical sources.

Results

The Business Climate Index in the ventilation and air-conditioning sector was significantly higher in March 2017 than in the same month of the previous year. Heating engineering was almost at the level reached in 2016, while sanitary engineering was lower, but remained above-average compared to the preceding few years.