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European Underfloor Heating Market Set to Grow 7.1% to Nearly €4 Billion in 2026

The European underfloor heating (UFH) market is set to grow 7.1% in 2026, reaching almost €3.95 billion, as renovation demand and a stabilising construction sector pull the industry out of a two-year downturn. Sales volumes across the 13 countries covered by Interconnection Consulting’s IC Market Tracking® study are forecast to rise 0.7% to 105.9 million m², following a 1.7% decline in 2025. Spain is leading the recovery, with volumes up 4.8% and value up 9.6% in 2026 – nearly twice the European pace – as renovation activity and new residential construction both accelerate.

Much of Spain’s momentum comes from housing shortages driving new multi-family construction, combined with rising renovation activity supported by energy-efficiency programmes and growing heat pump adoption. Average selling prices, which slipped slightly in 2025 amid strong competition, are expected to recover by 4.7% in 2026, reinforcing the country’s above-average value growth and standing in sharp contrast to the wider European market, which is only stabilising after two difficult years.

The two markets also differ in character. Spain remains one of Europe’s most hydronic-dominated markets, with hydronic systems accounting for 95.9% of sales and wet, in-screed installation representing 95.2% of hydronic installations – reflecting the importance of new multi-family housing developments, where wet systems remain the default choice. Across Europe as a whole, the picture is more mixed: hydronic systems account for 86.9% of installed volume, while dry installation methods are steadily gaining ground, particularly in renovation-heavy markets, thanks to their lower installation height and faster fitting time.

“What we hear directly from manufacturers across Europe confirms the picture in our data: this isn’t one market moving in one direction, but many local markets moving at very different speeds. The one constant almost everywhere is that renovation is now outpacing new construction, and it’s increasingly bringing heat pumps and underfloor heating together as building owners prepare for decarbonisation,” says Allison Carranza, Market Analyst at Interconnection Consulting.

In the coming years, competition is expected to shift increasingly from individual products toward complete heating-system solutions. Manufacturers will need to combine energy efficiency, renovation-friendly installation and compatibility with heat pumps and digital controls, while also managing rising input costs and growing price sensitivity among customers.

Looking ahead, Spain’s momentum is expected to continue, supported by ongoing residential construction, expanding renovation activity and the increasing pairing of underfloor heating with heat pump systems – reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s fastest-growing UFH markets. The wider European market, meanwhile, is expected to settle into a steadier, renovation-led growth path through 2029, with a more pronounced acceleration anticipated from 2027 onward as residential construction gradually normalises.

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Germany and Austria's School Bag Markets Are Splitting Apart — Here's Where the Money Is Moving

The combined German and Austrian school bag market reached €191.2 million in 2025, down 0.2% in value and 1.3% in quantity, according to a new study by Interconnection Consulting. Behind that headline number, three forces are reshaping the market at very different speeds: enrollment trends have pulled Germany and Austria in opposite directions, the balance of value between product segments is quietly shifting toward larger backpacks, and a 2026 shipping disruption is about to reset sourcing costs for the whole industry.

Two markets, two directions

Germany and Austria, long moving in step, are no longer telling the same story. Germany’s market contracted in 2025, with value down 0.5% and quantity down 1.5%, as the number of children entering first grade fell. Austria moved the opposite way, growing 2.7% in value and 0.9% in quantity, supported by rising enrollment across both younger and older age groups. The forecast through 2029 keeps the two markets on separate tracks: Germany faces a further contraction, averaging 1.0% per year in value, as the smaller birth cohorts recorded in Germany in 2022 and 2023 reach school age toward the end of the decade, while Austria continues to grow overall, even as its own pace slows in the final two forecast years.

Where the margin is moving

School backpacks over 25 liters, the format favored by older children, already account for 54.8% of quantity sold across both markets. What’s new is that they have now closed the gap in value too: at 42.1%, the segment has edged ahead of the mid-sized 20-24 liter category (41.5%), which has traditionally led the market. Pricing is moving unevenly alongside it. Bags for younger children have been getting measurably more expensive in both countries, while backpacks for older children are growing at a noticeably slower pace — two different pricing logics operating side by side in what looks, on the surface, like a single market.

A cost shock nobody ordered

The timing could hardly be worse. Following the closure of a major shipping route in early 2026, freight costs out of Asia, where much of school bag manufacturing is based, are set to rise sharply, adding fresh cost pressure just as volumes are already shrinking. The combined market is forecast to rise to €196.8 million in 2026 as prices adjust, before easing back to €192.8 million by 2029 — a path that looks flat from a distance, but hides a market absorbing a cost shock and a demographic slowdown at the same time.

This is no longer one market moving at one speed — it is two countries, two capacity segments, and two cost bases, each on its own trajectory. Brands still planning for a single, uniform market are the ones most exposed to what comes next.

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At the IC Impulsworkhop "Sales Optimization" we appreciate not only the practical relevance, but also the eloquent language and the perfect rhetoric. The most important benefit for our company was the sales pipeline. Adrian Capellarie (Head of Sales Admonter Holzindustrie)

Deutscher Holzfertigbau Verband

Interconnection provides us with the prefabricated house study a plausible and veritable data basis for the analysis of the actual situation in the prefabricated house market and beyond for the assessment of the future market development. We are happy to use this interpreted data for our lobbying and everyday work.

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ELK

The prefabricated housing study by Interconnection Consulting shows a real picture of the actual market situation and forms a valuable basis for our strategic decisions.

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I appreciate on the forum "Impulsworkshop Vertriebsoptimierung" the practical relevance of Peter Berger linked with his practical examples. I also liked the sovereign presentation style. The most important benefit was for me, on the one hand refresh of methods and also the sales management tools that were shown. Ing. Dietmar Hammer (Head of Product Management Gaulhofer)

Kontron

The most important benefit of the Impulsworkshop "sales optimization" was in my view the procedure of the definition of strengths and the entire sales process. Mr. Berger is very competent and professional. Fabian Freund (Sales Manager, Kontron Austria)

Österreichs Personaldienstleister

The sales management tool "Jobs Intelligence Austria" has become indispensable for many Austrian temporary staffing providers for fast and correct strategic management decisions as well as a daily support tool for hot leads for the sales team. Interconnection Consulting has consider individually to all user needs during development process and also convinces with fast response times during operation.

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Long experience and deep understanding of the construciton industry markets make up the quality of the IC studies. Interconnection Consulting is a constant companion concerning the assessment of markets and helpful for decision-making.

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Interconnection Consulting reports deliver a worthfull external perspective and are so a good contrast with regards to our internal market point of views.

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Scandinavian Business Seating

The IC Report gives a very good overview of the Western European office furniture market, in a well-structured way. The data is helpful to better understand the market developments and drivers.

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Under a short time constraint, Interconnection was able to deliver an outstanding study that exceeded my expectation in terms of quality and market breadth. I highly recommend Interconnection to anyone in need of market research.

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When developing new market strategies, Interconnection is a trusted source we always come back to. Christian Frey (Marketing Manager CS DACH)

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