Ecobuild continues on upward curve

This year’s Ecobuild sustainable construction show was the most successful yet, according to organisers and exhibitors, not least for timber, wood products and timber-based building.

The three-day event at Earls Court, attracted 41,000 visitors, 20% up on last year, emphatic proof, said the organisers, that “the building sector is alive to the benefits of sustainable, innovative construction, even in recession”.

Stand numbers were up over 20% to around 1,000 and timber in some form featured on around 10% of displays, more than any other single building material.

The show’s Timber Works area was again sponsored by The Timber Trade Federation (TTF), and featured 20 exhibitors.

The TTF also ran a seminar on timber in sustainable construction and co-hosted another on the implications of Eurocode 5 for timber with TRADA.

Overall, TTF chief executive John White described the show as “a fantastic event”.

“It was fabulous to see how the green, sustainable agenda is now part of the mainstream in construction,” he said. “These issues are here to stay and timber clearly has an in-built advantage in this new environment given its renewability, embodied carbon and embodied energy.”

One trend that was worth all timber businesses noting, he said, was towards exhibitors offering product packages and systems.

“It’s increasingly not about supplying pieces of wood, but wood made into something that offers a total solution,” he said.

He added that the TTF was already talking about repeating the Timber Works area at next year’s Ecobuild.

This was confirmed by event director Moira Edwards.

“And we’re also looking at a timber feature, though it's too early to put flesh on the bones,” she said.

Next year Ecobuild will move to the ExCeL exhibition complex in east London and has already booked more space than the entire event this year.