Events, Exhibitions & Training

As a sign of the vital importance of sustainability to the future of construction, Ecobuild has got bigger this year, despite the tough economic climate. The exhibition will bring together more than 1,000 suppliers of products and services for low and zero carbon construction and several new events have been added to the agenda, alongside the usual range of seminars, conferences and live displays of the latest renewable and efficient technology.

Ecobuild installer is one of these new initiatives and will provide a focus on the practical implementation of micro renewable energy systems. Installer business and Practical installer will comprise of over 30 seminars, workshops and training sessions for those involved in providing heating, electrical and plumbing services, along with live interactive demonstrations by Plumb Center.

The Ecobuild fringe is another new addition and sees a range of individual events run by exhibitors and supporters taking place alongside the main conferences and exhibitions. Some highlights of the fringe include ‘Delivering low energy sustainable buildings – the people dimension’, run by Construction Skills, and BioRegional’s event, ‘One planet living’.

The conference and seminar programme will, as usual, tackle the most pertinent issues facing those involved in sustainable building design. Delivered by over 500 of the sector’s most highly regarded experts, the programme is divided into ten themes: Future energy; Getting water wise; Regulations revealed; Performance matters; Simplifying standards, guides and tools; Refurbishing Britain; Urban planning and public realm; Sustainable by design; Making the most of markets; and Beyond construction.

Something else to look out for this year is Mtech Consult and Galliford Try’s collaboration: Innovate Offsite, which will see a building constructed in the exhibition hall using real offsite technology.

There will also be the opportunity to get behind the University of Nottingham’s entry in the Solar Decathlon Europe competition as the Nottingham HOUSE (Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energy) makes its debut at Ecobuild before the competition final in Madrid in June.

This year’s event promises to be as challenging and entertaining as ever and will give us much to think about for the future of sustainable construction.

Entry is free, including all seminars, conferences, attractions and special events, when you sign up at www.ecobuild.co.uk