constructionyear

Constructionyear is a term used in architectural records and real estate databases to indicate the year associated with a building’s construction. In practice, it most often denotes the year of completion, but some data sources record the year construction began or the year renovations were finished. The exact meaning can vary with the dataset, the historical period, and the conventions of a given country or organization.

Data about construction year is typically stored as a four-digit year. In cases where dating is uncertain, it may be labeled circa (c.) or presented as a range to reflect multiple construction phases or later renovations that obscure the original date.

Constructing a reliable construction year relies on multiple sources, such as archival plans, building permits, official plaques, tax records, historic registries, and published histories. When a building has undergone substantial alterations, the reported year may reflect the original build, the most recent major phase, or a composite timeline.

The construction year is a basic characteristic with several implications. It helps determine age, inform assessments of architectural style and historical significance, and assess eligibility for heritage protection or preservation grants. In data analysis and mapping, construction year enables temporal studies of urban development, construction booms, and the evolution of neighborhoods.

Related terms include year built, year of completion, construction start date, and construction completion date. Care is needed to interpret construction year consistently across sources to avoid misdating a structure.