Greenbuild Expo, the largest sustainable building and refurbishment event in the north of the UK, returns to Manchester Central for another two days of training, demonstrations, workshops and advice from all sectors of the built environment.
Taking place on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 June, the conference is free to all and is specifically targeted at those working in the volume housing and non-domestic building sector, including hotel and leisure venues, offices and larger companies, as the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) becomes more integral to working life.
It is anticipated that architects, house builders, engineers, maintenance and energy managers, contractors, Local Authorities, installers and procurement bodies, amongst many other organisations and professions, will attend the event.
Greenbuild Expo 2011 will be bigger than its 2010 predecessor with over 100 exhibitors, and for the first time, Greenbuild Expo will be hosting the UK’s only wood fuel event, Ignition11.
Exhibitors confirmed for Greenbuild Expo 2011 include BRE, Centre for Construction Innovation North West, Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, Forestry Comission, EnviroHomes, EcoSkies, NICEIC, Solfex, Johnson and Starley, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Sundog Energy, Worcester Bosch, Wagner Solar, UK Green Building Council and UK Flood Barriers.
The latest speaker to confirm attendance is James Walker from B&Q, who will talk about the company’s pilot pay-as-you-save (PAYS) project, which aims to fund green housing refurbishment. Speakers from organisations such as BRE, Manchester City Council, Gateshead Housing and Procure Plus will also be leading seminars.
Focusing this year on sustainable refurbishment, Greenbuild Expo will examine such topics as the Code for Sustainable Homes and renewable energy.
Bespoke taster training sessions will also allow participants – everyone from installer to planners - to gain an insight into a variety of topics, including:
- MCS installer sessions for photovoltaics, solar thermal, heat pumps and biomass
- Energy management sessions for facilities and buildings managers, public sector
- Passivhaus design taster for public sector, developers, architects and consultants
- Sustainability courses for all.
The sessions will be led by expert training providers who will be offering full course discounts and incentives for all delegates.
Other highlights of the conference include the Building Retrofit Zone, co-hosted with Energy In Buildings and Industry (EIBI) Magazine, where multi-site and large building owners can learn how building adaptations can reduce carbon emissions, utility bills and comply with the government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme.
As the only UK conference dedicated to woodfuel, Ignition11 promises to continue from where Ignition09 left off, bringing biomass out of the forest and into the city.
With its own area within Greenbuild Expo, Ignition11 will be devoted to the latest developments in product innovation and legislation updates, as well as showcasing the alternatives that woodfuel provides in light of the Government’s commitment to the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme (RHI).
Exhibitors already booked include Asgard Biomass Systems, Remeha Commercial, RES, the Rural Development Initiatives, Viessmann, UK Biomass and Dunster Heat.
The Ignition11 seminar programme includes talks on how the RHI will support woodfuel, understanding and using fuel quality standards, woodfuel procurement and a guide to getting it right first time. Advice from consulting engineers, surveyors and agents will be supplemented by a number of organisations, such as Envirolink Northwest and Rural Development Initiatives.