MARCH 2011 |
www.opp.org.uk WORDS | Gordon Miller
BUSINESS Conference calls
Exhibitions, summits, conferences. Whatever they’re called, events like these are becoming increasingly popular in the world of sustainability. Gordon Miller looks at some of the available green shows, and the work that goes into planning one.
Ecobuild (1-3 March 2011, at Excel, London) is the world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment ... and the UK’s largest construction event. From humble beginnings less than fi ve
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years ago Ecobuild now features more than 1,300 exhibitors, as well as three conference programmes that examine the key issues surrounding sustainability, construction and the built environment, from big picture debates on international political co- operation to global economic models and the psychology of climate change. A measure of the growth of interest
in sustainability in the built environment through the last decade, Ecobuild began in Earl’s Court Exhibition hall one, expanding to fi ll both halls the following year, before outgrowing the venue. This year’s event, at Excel, promised to fi ll a substantial number of halls at the UK’s largest exhibition venue. Ecobuild may be the largest event but
it’s far from the only one. The GreenBuild Expo (29/30 June) in Manchester is a signifi cant event. Trade magazine Building puts on several exhibitions and conferences annually on a broad range of sustainability and other subjects. Many of the conferences, hosted by Building and others, are detail specifi c. For example, I attended a conference in February entitled ‘Advanced Materials for the Modern Built Environment’. As the title suggests, the speakers presented detailed analysis of materials e.g. high performance insulation textiles, paint applications, and anti-corrosive steel treatments. Technical detail indeed. Overwhelmingly, these exhibitions
and conferences are UK-focussed ... i.e. the delegates and exhibitors are both domiciled in and primarily work in the UK, servicing British-based clients. Sure, some international
onferences and exhibitions are big business and, increasingly, so is the world of sustainability.
trade and consumers attend, but in the main the focus is UK-centric. While, in itself, that’s not an issue, clearly different markets (in diverse geographic regions) require different approaches and applications to specifi c localised conditions. To address the apparent gap and
identifi ed need in the market, Sustain Worldwide is hosting a conference ‘Investing in Sustainability: Maximising the Opportunities of a Sustainably Built Future’ at the iconic Barbican Centre on 26th May 2011. The one-day conference will focus on demonstrating, through case study led presentations and facilitated workshops, how to successfully fi nance, build and sell sustainable international real estate.
“A good event is made by the total package of content, qualifi ed exhibitors and networking”
Eminent speakers will include Jonathon Porritt, environmentalist, author, founder- director of Forum for the Future, and a non-executive director of housebuilders and developers Wilmot Dixon. Jonathon will make the keynote
address “A vision of sustainable development for the 21st Century”. Gilberto Jordan, President & CEO of Andre Jordan Group, the developers of Belas Clube de Campo, Lisbon, Portugal, will deliver a presentation entitled “Overcoming the challenges of developing sustainably and making it profi table”. A full conference programme can be viewed at http://www.
sustainworldwide.com/conference.html Signifi cant presentations will be the
ones to be made by Andrew Mellor, head of sustainability for PRP Architects on ‘Discovering tomorrow’s cutting edge applicable sustainable technologies and materials today’, and a presentation on
‘Uncovering international tax breaks, incentives and grants available to develop sustainable development worldwide’ by the head of sustainability at Knight Frank, David Goatman. Event strategy consultant Jacqueline McBeth, who is the Commercial Director of ‘Investing in Sustainability: Maximising the Opportunities of a Sustainably Built Future’, and who has 14 years’ experience in driving growth and profi tability in business conferences in Europe and the US, says: “In simplistic terms, an event needs to show delegates how to make money or save it. “You have to start with a robust
programme. For most executives, time is the scarcest resource, so driving home the benefi ts of attending the conference is essential. It’s also important to facilitate networking opportunities between peers for insight into best practice, and peers and their suppliers. Crucially, this face-to-face contact helps new business relationships to be developed and new deals brokered.”
Albert de Koning, a property
management consultant who attends about half a dozen conferences annually says one of the major benefi ts of attending conferences and exhibitions is the opportunity it gives to be able to meet everyone in one place. “At exhibitions and conferences it’s always stimulating to meet people in the network and to extend one’s network. In my view a good event is made by the total package of content, qualifi ed exhibitors (zero tolerance for disqualifi ed exhibitors or products), speakers with interesting experiences rather than ‘professional speakers’, and networking by organising special networking events outside opening hours. ‘After hours’ special themed events on subjects like technology, sustainability, water management are always appreciated.” For me, based on the conference I recently attended, you can add
comfortable seats and good coffee to the list of ‘must haves’ at an event. Other key elements include: a strong, dynamic chairperson, who challenges the delegates to get involved in the day’s events and talk with one another, and keeps the programme moving. Secondly, a well- facilitated workshop session is a good unifi er of the delegates. Thirdly, the delegates need to be able to have their say. Otherwise it makes for a long day to ‘sit and listen’. So, a brief Q&A session after every presentation is critical. Lastly, feedback is critical. No event is perfect, but unless you ask those who attended for their thoughts, you’ll never know what worked in their opinion.
OPP readers are invited to attend ‘Investing in Sustainability: Maximising the Opportunities of a Sustainably Built Future’, to be held at the iconic Barbican Centre on 26th May 2011.
The delegate rate is £795 to non- members of Sustain Worldwide and free to members (with an additional free ticket). OPP readers can pre- book their ticket at an introductory rate of £495 (ex-VAT) before 31 March 2011 on a fi rst come, fi rst serve basis. Delegate places are strictly limited to 100 maximum.
For more information about the conference and for a full programme of the day’s event, visit:
http://www.sustainworldwide. com/
conference.html
To book at the special OPP reader rate, email:
events@SustainWorldwide.com or call +44 (0)20 7754 5557. To discuss how to join Sustain Worldwide - and thereby receive 2 complimentary tickets to the conference - email
info@SustainWorldwide.com or call +44 (0)20 7754 5777.
www.sustainworldwide.com
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