$167.2 billion — the projected size of the UAE construction market by 2031 (AED 614.4 billion), Mordor Intelligence says
Mordor Intelligence projects the UAE construction market at AED614.4 billion, or $167.2 billion, by 2031.
· Last verified: 5 Oct 2026 (TradeArabia, Mordor Intelligence)
Summary
- Mordor Intelligence projects the UAE construction market at AED614.4 billion, or $167.2 billion, by 2031.
- Dubai alone accounted for 47.2% of the national construction market in 2025, the firm said.
- Infrastructure is forecast among the fastest-growing segments, pulling visualisation technology deeper into pre-construction decisions.
The latest
The UAE construction market is projected to reach AED614.4 billion, equivalent to $167.2 billion, by 2031, according to market intelligence firm Mordor Intelligence. The forecast rests on sustained public and private investment, major urban development plans and infrastructure spending, with demand spread across residential, hospitality and logistics assets. Dubai remains the single largest contributor to that growth.
Details
- The headline figure: Mordor Intelligence puts the UAE construction market at AED614.4 billion, or $167.2 billion, by 2031. The firm did not publish a baseline value for the current market alongside the projection, nor a year-by-year growth path toward the 2031 target.
- Dubai's share: The emirate accounted for 47.2% of the UAE construction market in 2025, according to the report, making it close to half the national total on its own and the main engine behind the projected expansion through the end of the decade.
- What drives it: The report attributes the continued expansion to sustained public and private investment, major urban development plans and infrastructure projects, combined with growing demand across the residential, hospitality and logistics segments rather than any single sector.
- Fastest-growing segment: Infrastructure is forecast to be one of the market's fastest-growing segments through 2031, alongside continued activity in residential, commercial and hospitality developments. The firm did not break out individual growth rates for each of those categories.
- The technology angle: As project scale and complexity increase, digital design, Building Information Modelling, immersive visualisation and virtual experiences are being used earlier in the cycle, allowing developers, architects and investors to assess projects in greater detail before construction begins.
- The company: Lifesize Plans Dubai, which provides full-scale architectural plan projection and immersive visualisation, entered the UAE market in 2023. It combines full-scale physical projections with virtual and augmented reality so users can test floor-plan configurations, finishes and design options pre-construction.
- The executive view: Georges Calas, chief executive of Lifesize Plans Dubai, said market expansion reflects both the scale of development underway and rising expectations from developers and buyers. He argued that experiencing a property before it is built adds "a valuable additional layer of understanding and reassurance."
- Where it is heading: Calas added that complementary technologies such as immersive visualisation and PropTech are increasingly positioned to improve design communication, enhance customer experience and support more informed decisions across the development lifecycle.
Background
Mordor Intelligence is a market intelligence and advisory firm; the 2031 figure is its own projection rather than an official government forecast. The AED614.4 billion and $167.2 billion values are two expressions of the same number at the stated conversion.
Between the lines
The pitch and the data sit close together here. A forecast produced by an advisory firm underpins commentary from a visualisation vendor that entered the market in 2023 and stands to benefit if pre-construction technology spending rises with project complexity. The 47.2% Dubai concentration also means the national projection leans heavily on one emirate's pipeline holding up.
What's next
Watch whether Dubai's share of national construction activity holds near 47.2% in subsequent readings, and whether infrastructure awards track the growth rate implied by the 2031 projection.
Source: TradeArabia, Mordor Intelligence