The Construmat fair, dedicated to the construction industry, opened on Tuesday at the Gran Via venue in Fira de Barcelona, spotlighting the ongoing difficulties surrounding housing access, which remains a pressing concern for citizens.

As part of the event, key industry players convened to call on public administrations for agreement on strategies aimed at addressing the complex issues related to housing, with plans to advance discussions further on Wednesday.

During the fair, representatives from various segments of the construction sector are set to present a consensus document outlining ten specific measures aimed at alleviating the housing shortage.

This document will be delivered to Salvador Illa, President of the Generalitat of Catalunya, and Isabel Rodríguez, Minister of Housing, among other governmental representatives.

"We aim to leverage Construmat as a sector platform to advocate for a deviation from partisan disputes and to achieve a state pact on housing," stated Xavier Vilajoana, the president of Construmat and also of the Asociación de Promotores Constructores de España (APCEspaña).

The ten measures proposed include: increasing the supply of all types of housing—market-rate, affordable, and social; expediting land transformation and management; unifying regulations and enhancing permit delivery processes; establishing appropriate taxation and affordable financing mechanisms; fostering effective public-private collaboration; promoting urban rehabilitation and regeneration; prioritizing sustainability, industrialization, and architectural quality; recruiting additional labor; ensuring a sufficient and stable budget allocation; and ultimately, reaching a national housing agreement.

Vilajoana expressed that these recommendations have been in development for some time, finalizing the document last month.

He noted, “The measures are not particularly difficult to implement, requiring only political will and efficient administrative processes.”

The proposals carry national significance but Vilajoana also emphasizes local policy adjustments, particularly regarding the requirement for 30% public housing in new developments in Barcelona.

“This must be restructured now to fulfill its intent of 30% across various plots and public land.

The rehabilitation regulations should also be excluded, as they currently impede progress,” he urged.

Marta Vall-llosera, president of the Council of Higher Architectural Colleges of Spain (CSCAE), emphasized the importance of modernizing the land law to align urban planning with current needs and called for clarity in regulatory frameworks.

Alfredo Sanz of the Council General of Technical Architecture of Spain (CGATE) expressed the sentiment that the sector should be granted proper acknowledgment, while Mariano Sanz, Secretary General of the National Construction Confederation (CNC), reminded attendees that the housing challenge lies not solely within the sector but also necessitates administrative intervention.

The initial day of the congress featured multiple proposals to tackle the housing access crisis.

A prominent solution included advocating for the industrialization of construction.

Montse Pujol, founder of the PMP Group, which pioneers this construction method, clarified that this approach entails implementing productive assembly lines that allow for more control, rather than traditional construction methodologies.

Successful case studies were presented, including the construction of 32 public housing units for seniors and people with disabilities in Pamplona, as well as a project for 2,900 apartments in the Madrid metropolitan area.

Andrés Rituerto, director of development for Culmia’s Plan Vive, highlighted their ability to shorten construction timelines by 30% under this method.

Additionally, a neighborhood perspective was shared during a presentation on the social housing atlas project in Spain, featuring Margarita García, vice president of the State Confederation of Neighborhood Associations and coordinator for housing.

García argued that housing is perceived more as an economic asset than a right, which fosters speculation, urging all administrative levels to engage with the issue urgently.

In a parallel event, Fira de Barcelona debuted Vitafoods Europe, an international nutraceutical fair, running from Tuesday to Thursday.

The event focuses on foods and ingredients with therapeutic properties and anticipates attendance of about 21,000 industry professionals at its venue in l'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

With participation from approximately 1,400 companies spanning over 160 countries, nearly 10% of exhibitors are from Spain.

Vitafoods originated in Copenhagen and had been held in Geneva since 1998, representing part of Fira's strategy to attract international trade events, which will receive a boost from the expansion of the Gran Via venue.