Ecobuild visitor numbers up 3% to 44,538

"Optimism returns to green construction" was the message from Ecobuild organiser UBM following the March 4-6 event at London's ExCeL.

Exhibitor numbers were believed to be around the 750 mark, down from more than 1,000 a year ago and a peak of 1,500 in 2012.

The decision to return the conference and seminar content to the show floor helped fill out the display area and was declared a success by Alison Jackson, Ecobuild group director of sustainability & construction.

Visitor numbers contracted 22% last year, so better news on this front would have been a welcome lift to organisers.

"Despite the recession, green construction is now turning a corner and we believe both the industry and Ecobuild are firmly set for growth," said Ms Jackson.

Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, went further by declaring Ecobuild as the "Crystal Palace of its day".

Ed Davey, secretary of state for energy and climate change, used the show to launch government consultation on the future of the Energy Company Obligation.

He proposed a series of changes designed to reduce costs for suppliers and reduce the impact of bills on millions of consumers.

Energy and climate change minister Greg Barker used the show to announce a £19m boost for the Green Deal as funding was awarded for six community based retrofit programmes.

Meanwhile, UBM is furthering its aims to extend the Ecobuild concept internationally by announcing plans for Mexico and the Americas through a new partnership with the Centre for Housing Construction Development.

For a full report on Ecobuild 2014 see the next issue of TTJ.