1. Contact | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.1 Contact organisation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.2 Contact organisation unit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Directorate for Business Statistics (DCSE) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.3 Contact name | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alessandra Leo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.4 Contact person function | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Survey manager | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.5 Contact mail address | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Via Tuscolana, 1788 - 00173 Rome Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.6 Contact email address | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
leo@istat.it | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.7 Contact phone number | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
+390646736190 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.8 Contact fax number | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2. Metadata update | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2.1 Metadata last certified | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2.2 Metadata last posted | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2.3 Metadata last update | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3. Statistical presentation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.1 Data description | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quarterly indicators of building permits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.2 Classification system | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Classification of Types of construction (CC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.3 Coverage - sector | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The coverage is based on the Classification of types of construction (CC) and covers Section 1 (buildings). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.4 Statistical concepts and definitions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
List and definition of variables: 1) Number of new dwellings (total, in one and in two or more dwellings residential buildings) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.5 Statistical unit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reporting unit information is provided by municipalities or by those who asking for building permits or other qualifying titles to build; they fulfill an on line questionnaire. Municipalities monthly validate on line questionnaires to make them available to Istat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.6 Statistical population | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New building projects for residential; New building projects and enlargement of pre-existing buildings (for communities and non-residential). The average number is about 15000 per year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.7 Reference area | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italy - The whole national territory | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.8 Coverage - Time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are available since 2000. Questionnaire was last revised in 2010. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.9 Base period | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Not applicable – building permits data are expressed in absolute values. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4. Unit of measure | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The quantity of the residential buildings is measured in cubic meters of volume and square meters, dwellings in habitable floor area, that of non-residential buildings in square meters of area (absolute figures). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5. Reference Period | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data collection and production process are both montly, while indicators and data dissemination, to Eurostat and at national level, are quarterly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6. Institutional Mandate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6.1 Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Legal basis: National level: This is one of the compulsory surveys fixed every year by a Decree of the President of the Republic (D.P.R.); Legislative Decree n. 301/2002 (Building permits and DIA); Law 122/2010 (SCIA); Presidential Decree n. 380/2001 and subsequent amendments. European level: Council Regulation (EC) No 1165/1998 introducing short-term statistics at European level; Regulation (EC) of the European Parliament and of the Council No 1158/2005 amending Regulation 1165/98 and introducing the European sample schemes, industrial import prices, output prices for services and other changes. Commission Regulation No 1503/2006 defining variables and frequency of data compilation, repealing new orders received for building construction and new orders received for civil engineering Commission Regulation No 472/2008 introducing the new base year 2005 and the statistical classification of economic activities, NACE Rev. 2, into short-term statistics. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6.2 Institutional Mandate - data sharing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No other transmissions to international organisations except Eurostat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7. Confidentiality | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.1 Confidentiality - policy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Several national legal acts guarantee the confidentiality of data requested for statistical purposes. According to art. 9, paragraph 1 of the Legislative Decree n. 322 of 1989, personal data can only be disseminated in aggregate form, in order to make it impossible to identify individuals. The Personal Data Protection Code – introduced by the Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30 June 2003 – provides special rules concerning the processing of personal data for statistical purposes within the National Statistical System (Sistan). Further, in order to make statistical secrecy and protection of personal data effective, Istat is currently taking appropriate organisational, logistical, methodological and statistical measures in accordance with internationally established standards. Links to different legal acts on statistics are presented on the website of Sistan - National Statistical System - (http://www.sistan.it/index.php?id=203). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.2 Confidentiality - data treatment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Survey elementary data are treated as confidential. Aggregated data are disseminated in https://www.istat.it. Data transmitted to Eurostat refer to 10 variables, but only 3 of them are disseminated at national level; so 7 variables are sent to Eurostat by using confidential flags. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8. Release policy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8.1 Release calendar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are only transmitted to Eurostat in according to the Release calendar for euro indicators and disseminated nationally without a predefined release calendar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8.2 Release calendar access | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Information on release is disseminated on ISTAT website: hhttps://www.istat.it/it/informazioni-e-servizi/per-i-giornalisti/appuntamenti/calendario-diffusioni-ed-eventi. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8.3 Release policy - user access | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by issuing the press release "Indicatori dei permessi di costruire" (“Buildings permits indicators”). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9. Frequency of dissemination | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quarterly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10. Accessibility and clarity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10.1 Dissemination format - News release | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"Indicatori dei permessi di costruire" (Building permits indicators) is a quarterly press release, it includes data and a technical explanatory note. In this document, graphs and tables ease the data analysis. A short text explains recent evolution for the phenomenon. They are available on ISTA’S website: Indicatori dei permessi di costruire and Building permits indicators. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10.2 Dissemination format - Publications | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are made available to the public through yearly publication “Annuario Statistico Italiano” (ASI) -Italian Statistical Yearbook; it shows graphs and tables of quarterly indicators relating to the total number and square meters of useful floor area of dwelling in new residential buildings and total square meters of new non residential activities. Annuario Statistico Italiano 2018. "Noi Italia - 100 statistics to understand the country we live in" includes an indicator for building permits at regional and national level, with international comparisons. Noi Italia. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10.3 Dissemination format - online database | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are disseminated in I.Stat database (I.Stat), theme “Industry and Construction”, sub-theme “Building permit indicators” data-set “New residential building” and “New non-residential construction”. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10.4 Dissemination format - microdata access | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before data dissemination, validated microdata are stored in an ISTAT database called ARMIDA which collects, for all internal surveys, microdata and other useful information (such as metadata and classifications) for the correct interpretation of the data. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10.5 Dissemination format - other | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are sent to Eurostat as confidential and used for European aggregates, part of them become free for dissemination at national level once published by Istat, the rest of data continue to be confidential. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10.6 Documentation on methodology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A short description of the methodology and characteristics of the survey is contained in the technical explanatory note attached to the press release updated regularly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10.7 Quality management - documentation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
More information about procedures applied for quality management and quality assessment is contained in the document "Quality Guidelines For Statistical Processes" - December 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11. Quality management | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11.1 Quality assurance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Istat quality policy is coherent with the European Statistics Code of Practice adopted in 2005 (and revised in 2011) and available at the link http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/quality/european-statistics-code-of-practice, with Eurostat Quality Definition and with the recommendations of the LEG on Quality. Following the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice, Italy has adopted the Italian Code of Official Statistics in order to promote quality improvements of the statistics produced by the Italian National Statistical System. Essential points of Istat quality policy are: process and product quality, documentation, respect for respondents, strengthening of statistical literacy and users’ orientation. For more details:https://www.istat.it/en/organisation-and-activity/institutional-activities/quality-commitment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11.2 Quality management - assessment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The overall quality assessment can be considered satisfactory as there is a compliance between the production process and Istat quality guidelines. Indicators are relevant with regard to users’s information needs, they are accurate and easily accessible and supported by metadata allowing for a perfect understanding of the data, they allows comparisons over time and respect the timing. A set of standard quality indicators are regularly analysed and shows the following indicators: coverage and unit nonresponse (since 2008), editing and imputation (since 2007), timeliness and punctuality (since 2003), resources (since 2005). They are available on Siqual (Information System on Quality), with graphs and tables that ease the analysis. In 2014, this survey was submitted to an audit on quality in a testing phase. Siqual - Information System on Quality ([S] - Quick survey on building permits) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12. Relevance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12.1 Relevance - User Needs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Main users of indicators of building permits are: - Institutions: government departments, ECB, national central bank, international organisations, etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12.2 Relevance - User Satisfaction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12.3 Completeness | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eurostat's requirements in terms of time series are fulfilled (some data are flagged as confidential). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13. Accuracy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13.1 Accuracy - overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All the measures useful to reduce sampling and non sampling errors are implemented, so the overall accuracy of the index can be considered good. Moreover, between the first and the final release there is an average lag of 11 months; these indicators normally show a similar trend. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13.2 Sampling error | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In 2013, size sample was modified: from 814 to 1034 units on a total of 7960 municipalities; outlier treatment and adjustments for non-response are included, but an assessment of sampling errors is not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13.3 Non-sampling error | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Non sampling errors are reduced by applying a set of actions. In the collection phase, for reducing late transmission and increase response rate, postal reminders, email, telephone contact are used; for municipalities that do not comply for the year 2018, it will be applied a financial penalty, in according with the Legislative Decree n. 322/1989 (articles 7 and 11); paper questionnaires are checked before data entry. Moreover the on-line procedure used since july 2010 helps aiming at an increase of the response rate and debugging through a compatibility check on some main variables. Other actions are based on checking procedures of few single fields during data entry and automated error checking procedures after data entry. Response rate is around 84% at the time of the first release to Eurostat and around 90% at the second release (response rates weighted by populations). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14. Timeliness and punctuality | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14.1 Timeliness | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The press release is published on average 180 days after the end of the reference period; data are transmitted to Eurostat within 90 days using the confidential clause; data are provisional in the first release, then they are revised and become final in average 11 months after the reference period. Questionnaires start to be filled in during the reference period, the data collection ends one month after (for on-line questionnaires) and two months after the end of the reference period (for paper ones). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14.2 Punctuality | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
On time releases to Eurostat within 90 days as required. For national dissemination only an internal calendar is fixed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15. Coherence and comparability | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15.1 Comparability - geographical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are disseminated at national level complying with the European definitions (CR 1503/2006); the whole national territory is covered by the same definitions and methods. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15.2 Comparability - over time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data are comparable from year 2000. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15.3 Coherence - cross domain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Comparisons with index of production in construction: trends are consistent and differences are explained by weight of this survey that accounts for about 40% of total data in the construction sector. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15.4 Coherence - internal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Variables V411 and V412 are coherent for common types of buildings. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16. Cost and Burden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The cost estimate is compiled in terms of total number of hours worked (THW). It is equal to the product of three terms: (total) Annual Working Days (AWD), (total) Hours Worked per Day (HWD), Number of Persons involved in the Survey (NPS).
There are also data entry costs that are related only to paper questionnaires, used by municipalities that do not use the on-line application.
The burden estimate is compiled in terms of total number of minutes (TNM) taken to fill in the questionnaire. The respondents need about 15 minutes to fill the questionnaire, while municipalities need about 2-3 minutes to validate and send it.
The assessment of these costs and burdens covers the statistics for both STS and national requirements. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17. Data revision | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17.1 Data revision - policy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revision policy is carried out to consider late incoming data and benchmarking procedures (see point 17.2); a revision calendar is prepared, but only for internal staff. Revisions include seasonal adjustment. Transparency of disseminated data is ensured: major changes in methodology and in others survey features are infrequent but are promptly disseminated in methodological notes attached to data releases or through letters sent to municipalities. Errors are rare but, if occurred, they are promptly corrected: in order to inform users, correct results are disseminated both to Eurostat and on the Istat website. There is an internal database where vintage data are stocked. The same revision policy is applied to data released nationally and transmitted to Eurostat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17.2 Data revision - practice | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data revision is composed by 3 steps: - a first revision is carried out after 90 days from the first release, taking into account new data arrived after the first estimate; - a second revision is carried out in September in the year following the release of the first estimate as a result of a benchmarking procedure based on percentage changes; - a third revision is carried out in September in the year t+2 of the release of the first estimate as a result of a benchmarking procedure which takes into account data of the yearly survey on building permits. No revisions are carried out to take into account building permits revoked. A paragraph called "Revisioni" is included in the press release “Indicatori dei permessi di costruire” of each July and it contains differences with previous data disseminated. A methodological note contains further information on revision policy, criteria, periodicity. The Mean Revision (MR), the Main Absolute Revision (MAR), the Relative Mean Absolute Revision (RMAR%) and the Max Absolute Revision (MaxAR) are compiled for these variables on year-on-year growth rates calculated on unadjusted data, from first quarter 2016.
Same indicators are compiled for these variables on quarter-on-quarter growth rates calculated on seasonally adjusted data, from first quarter 2016.
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18. Statistical processing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18.1 Source data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type of source: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18.2 Frequency of data collection | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monthly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18.3 Data collection | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The questionnaires used in the survey are separated for residential (Mod. ISTAT/PDC/RE) and non-residential (Mod. ISTAT/PDC/NRE) building. Communication of no building permits in the period from the municipalities is the Mod. ISTAT/PDC/NEG. The deadline for responses is about the end of the month after the reference month. Late responses are taken into account in the revision process. Respondents fill an online questionnaire; then, municipalities monthly validate them so they became available to Istat. If a municipality do not use the on-line application, respodents fill the paper questionnaire attached to the request of building permits and then municipalities collect and send them to ISTAT by post or by email. For reducing late transmission and increase response rate a set of actions are applied, e.g. postal reminders, email and telephone contacts, penalties for non - respondent municipalities. Each worker periodically monitors and follows up the non response, through informatic procedures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18.4 Data validation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data validation is applied following three type of rules: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18.5 Data compilation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Estimates for non-response: For 176 self representative municipalities, in case of PMR (Partial Missing Response) missing values are estimated through the average value available for the same municipality in the 12 previous months; in case of TMR (Total Missing Response) a minimum distance estimation model is used. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18.6 Adjustment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Raw data are corrected for seasonal effects by TRAMO-SEATS procedure, version 942 of 2017 for Linux. Seasonal adjustment series are estimated for all ten series except for residencies for communities (CC113) and for office building (CC122). Adjustment models are completely reviewed once a year, with the release of data referred to the second quarter of the year and in conjunction with the application of the procedure, based on benchmarking and balancing techniques, that makes the quarterly series consistent with those coming from the annual structural survey on building permits. Each quarter, parameters are re-estimated and seasonally adjusted series are revised from the first quarter of 2000. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19. Comment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
None |