Placing a firm emphasis on knowledge sharing, discussion and debate, UK Construction Week has revealed the seminar programme for the main stage of the event, which takes place at the Birmingham NEC in October.
The Seminar Theatre will deliver high-level insight into the key issues affecting the industry, during the three trade days (6– 8 October) of the weeklong exhibition. Each seminar session will consist of an hour-long panel discussion, covering key topics such as house building, government policy and BIM.
The full programme has been announced on UK Construction Week’s newly updated website, which features in-depth sections for each of the nine shows that come under the event’s umbrella, as well as a host of visitor information, exhibitor details and the latest news from each of the shows.
Kicking proceedings off on the Tuesday morning, the keynote presentation will feature the newly appointed minister for construction, who will set out parliamentary plans and policies for the construction industry over the next electoral period – giving the incoming government an opportunity to clarify how it intends to support construction while in power.
The economy will also be under fire on day one, with sessions on protecting construction from economic weakness and improving the industry’s image among investors and policy makers. The sessions will feature high-level speakers from Glenigan, the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists and the Federation of Master Builders.
Skills will be the focus of the second day, with Marie-Clade Hemming from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association asking how construction can attract and retain the best talent, while Rupert Scott from TRADA will lead a thought provoking discussion on facing up to the construction industry skills shortage.
The final day will look at procurement and the supply chain, asking how different construction disciplines can work smarter together. Paul Bogle from the National Federation of Builders will also explore how contractors can make the most of the public procurement platform, as well as giving useful insight into the 2014 EU Directive regarding procurement models for public projects.
Rounding off the final day will be a dedicated session on the outlook for BIM in construction, which includes an update on the UK BIM Task Group, its progress in supporting BIM adoption and what the next steps will be – as well as useful advice on how SMEs can make the most of BIM.
Richard Morey, Group Events Director at Media 10, the event company producing UK Construction Week, commented: “From day one we have set out to create an informative and insightful programme of content, as we recognise that this is a key attraction for visitors and exhibitors alike. I think we’ve put together a line-up that reflects the needs and concerns of the industry today, which I hope will challenge and inspire participants in equal measure.”
Bringing together nine shows under one roof, UK Construction Week will be the biggest construction trade event the UK has seen in years. Taking place at the Birmingham NEC from 6 – 11 October (with the trade only days from 6 – 8 October) the event will unite 1,000 exhibitors with an expected audience of 55,000 visitors.
Visitors will be able to attend Grand Designs Live, the Build Show, Timber Expo, the Surface and Materials Show, Energy 2015, Kitchens & Bathroom Live, Plant & Machinery Live, HVAC 2015 and Smart Buildings 2015.
