The construction industry is complaining about the negative impact on construction projects due to high oil and fuel prices in the wake of the war in Iran. Road construction, for example, is being hit by price increases for bitumen, as the Eastern Construction Industry Association in Potsdam reported on request. "An oil price of over 100 US dollars per barrel has a direct impact on key construction materials," the association's managing director, Robert Momberg, told dpa. Bitumen - the binding agent used in road construction - accounts for around 40 to 60 percent of the price of asphalt. Price increases therefore have a direct impact on construction costs. According to Momberg, the price jumps could put pressure on the profitability of projects. Recently, it was reported that business in the construction sector was picking up again after difficult years. The construction industry expected a turnaround in 2026. In the wake of the Iran war, price increases are once again causing growing uncertainty in the industry. In view of rising interest rates, the financing of construction projects is becoming more expensive, according to the East German association. "We are already seeing noticeable effects in residential construction in particular: Higher construction interest rates are leading to projects being postponed or not realized at all in the medium term," lamented Momberg. This will further exacerbate the already tense situation on the housing market. As companies can hardly estimate price developments reliably and costing is becoming more difficult, the risk of public construction projects being delayed or not being able to be implemented economically at all is also increasing, the association representative said. The Construction Industry Association East represents the interests of 260 construction companies with 20,000 employees in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reservedDo construction projects face delays?
