Volume indices of construction: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Volume indices of construction
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics have been discontinued. The volume index of construction describes relative change in the volume of commercial building output compared with the average of the base year. The volume index is calculated quarterly from turnover data by building company. Volume indices of building construction and civil engineering construction are calculated as sub-indices of the index. The effect of price changes is taken into consideration by deflating the volume index of building construction by Statistics Finland's implicit price index and the volume index of civil engineering by the cost index of civil engineering works. Apart from the original indices, seasonally adjusted and trend series are also calculated.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Domestic turnover
Domestic turnover refers to the volume of domestic taxable sales in the payment control data of the Tax Administration. In addition to domestic sales, the volume of taxable sales includes own use of (construction)services.
Turnover
Turnover refers to the information concerning sales obtained from the Tax Administration's self-assessed tax data (total data) and from Statistics Finland's sales inquiry conducted among the 2,000 largest enterprises within their respective industries. In the self-assessed tax data, turnover may also include profit and loss statement items external to turnover, such as sales of fixed assets, other income, extraordinary items, purchases inversely liable to tax, own use of products and agency sales. The largest items deviating in profit and loss account from turnover are adjusted in the calculation. The concept of turnover in Statistics Finland's sales inquiry is fairly close to the concept of turnover in the profit and loss statement. Turnover comprises both domestic and export turnover. Turnover is exclusive of value-added tax.
Volume index of sales of building construction companies
The volume index of sales of building construction companies describes development in the output of the industry. The index describes relative change in the volume of output compared to the average output in a base year. The base year of the volume index is 2000 and the series starts from the year 1995. The index is published quarterly. Apart from the original index series, a seasonally adjusted series and a trend series are also calculated. The index is calculated from deflated data on turnover by individual enterprise. The deflator is the implicit price index of Statistics Finland's volume index of newbuilding. Data on the turnover of building construction companies are obtained from the Tax Administration's value added tax payment and reporting control records and from Statistics Finland's inquiry of large enterprises. The calculation is based on the so-called estimation of change. Included are enterprises for which comparable data are available for the examined month and for the corresponding month of the previous year. A change percentage is calculated for the industry with the data on these enterprise and the index series is then continued with this figure. Up to the end of 2001, the 1995 Standard Industrial Classification was used in the calculations. The 2002 Standard Industrial Classification has been used as of the beginning of 2002. Compilation of the statistics is influenced by the EC Regulation of Short-Term Statistic (No. 1165/98, http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/dsis/bmethods/info/data/new/legislation/sts.html).
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information:
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data.
Further information: The terms of use for statistical data
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (eur-lex.europa.eu) and the Finnish Data Protection Act (Finlex.fi) are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (Finlex.fi).
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection