Figures released by the Association of Engineers of Beirut & Tripoli show that construction permits issued in the first four months of 2012 reached 4.7 million square meters, constituting a decrease of 10 percent from 5.2 million square meters in the same period last year. Construction permits totaled 1.1 million square meters in April 2012, down 25.6 percent year-on-year from 1.5 million square meters in April 2011. In parallel, cement deliveries reached 1.5 million tons in the first four months of 2012, a decrease of 2.8 percent from 1.6 million tons in the same period last year.