By Leonid Nesterenko
Foreigners are taking a growing interest in Belarusian materials and construction specialists, as shown at numerous construction fairs. One of the largest such forums — Stroyexpo-2012 — gathered almost double the number of foreign entrants in Minsk, compared to previous years. Some were eager to see what our builders are capable of, while others were ready to offer their own construction and repair materials for sale.
Specialists are inclined to connect this interest with Belarus’ joining of the Single Economic Space (together with Russia and Kazakhstan). Companies from these states wish to make a name for themselves and foreign producers appreciate that they can gain access to the entire SES market via Belarus.
“In 2012, Belarus plans to export almost $500m of construction services,” notes Belarus’ Deputy Architecture and Construction Minister, Sergey Lastochkin. “Contracts have been signed for the implementation of construction projects in various Russian regions while Belarusian specialists are now building sites in Venezuela and Turkmenistan.”
Meanwhile, domestic companies need to modernise their production methods if they wish to compete abroad — using the latest materials, technologies, approaches and site design principles. Our niche may be the construction of contemporary, energy-efficient housing — which is gaining popularity worldwide. Belarus was the first within the CIS to develop this avenue.
According to the Belarusian Architecture and Construction Ministry, this year, 1.2m square metres of ‘smart’ accommodation will appear countrywide. Of course, refinements are needed but our construction services and materials have the chance to be successfully promoted around the globe. By 2015, around 60 percent of new buildings in the country should use energy-efficient technologies.
