The activity will be held on September 11th in the Atlapa convention center and seeks to bring together providers and companies from around the world.
The Construction Chamber is organizing the business meeting, which will take place during Habitat Expo on September 10th-14th in the Atlapa convention center.
From a statement issued by the Panamanian Chamber of Construction (CAPAC):
The increase of 13 % compared to 2012 is mainly due to changes in international prices of construction materials.
In the capital city the cost of construction of an apartment building is about $1267 per sqm, while in the metropolitan area and its surroundings the cost is $1,169 per sqm." In relation to 2012 , the increase is 13 %, because in that year, what was paid in the city was $1,112 and $1,042 in the surrounding area", reported Prensalibre.com.
Contribution to GDP by country: Panama - 17.4%, Honduras - 6.4%, Nicaragua - 5.3%, Costa Rica - 5.1%, El Salvador- 3.0%, Guatemala - 2.8%.
A report by the Regional Organization of Chambers of the Construction Industry in Central America and the Caribbean (Ordecccac) provides figures for the construction sector in 2012 for the countries in the region, as well as projections for 2013 and 2014.
One of the projects which aroused the most interest from foreign investors in the recent Investment Summit has drawn criticism over its design and planning.
The small amount of urban development and the broken terrain in the area of Zone 25 where the Municipality of Guatemala plans to build an international airport have raised questions in the real estate sector.
Fiscal reforms and the lack of resources for public investment have generated great uncertainty in the sector, coming at the same time as a shrinking of construction projects for housing and public infrastructure.
This was despite the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) having forecasted growth of 7.7%. The tax reform package passed last year by Congress includes measures affecting property development.
Materials and other inputs saw rises of 25 percent in 2011, with a quintal of iron having the highest price increase.
Construction materials experienced a 25.6 percent increase last year, compared to prices in 2010. A quintal of iron was the item with the most notable rise, going from Q337.7 ($ 43) in 2010 to Q423.58 ($ 54) in 2011, reported PrensaLibre.com.
The Chamber of Construction Companies is urging the Government to create a new financing model for home purchases.
Employers propose that the government subsidize up to four interest rate percentage points for the purchase of homes under $38,000 and up to two points for homes between $38,000 and $51,000. Current interest rates fluctuate between 7.5% and 9%.
Prices of materials such as iron rods and cement, among other things, have gone up compared to 2010.
The rise in the price of oil and other raw materials at international level is one of the main reasons for the sharp increase observed in the prices of building materials in Guatemala.
The price of iron, a major material in construction, rose between 35% and 50% last year, depending on the caliber and quality.
The lack of public investment, credit restrictions and political instability are some of the reasons.
This was pointed out by representatives of the Regional Organization of Construction Chambers of Central America and the Caribbean, participants in the conference "Financing and Sustainable Development."
The countries which have lost the most jobs in the sector are El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras.
In May 2010 the local price of iron was up 9.3% and cement 8.4%, relative to May 2009.
An article by Fernando Quiñonez for Sigloxxi.com reports comments and opinions from members of the Guatemalan Construction and Industry Chambers regarding the price rises.
The increases, together with a lack of measures to stimulate the economy, has led the industrial sector to postpone factory expansion plans, comments the executive director of the Chamber of Industry (CIG), Javier Zepeda.