Our visit to UK Construction Week 2022

Last month our marketing team headed down to London to visit the much-anticipated UK Construction Week show, hosted at the Excel centre. This umbrella exhibition consisted of three smaller shows, the Concrete Expo, the Offsite Show, and Grand Designs live. The theme for this year’s show was “culture change” with exhibitors focusing on how individuals and businesses can come together and implement positive changes across the whole sector. From regrouping after the pandemic, to reaching the various net zero targets proposed by the government, encouraging those within construction to embrace a cultural shift, positive change was definitely a prevalent theme at all three shows.

There were over 600 exhibitors located across the event hall, from building contractors and media outlets to businesses showcasing concrete trucks and furniture, a whole host of products and services came together for one fantastic event. Usually this exposition is held exclusively at the NEC, however due to having two years’ worth of innovative products and services to exhibit, an additional London based event was organised.

We spent the day at the Excel centre wandering around the three event spaces talking to various exhibitors and listening to a few of the scheduled talks. UK Construction Week offers a whole host of experiences to those working directly and indirectly within the construction industry. The next event is being held at the Birmingham NEC this October, be sure to check it out!

Here are a few key points we’re taking away from the event:

-Modular and prefabricated home building is on the rise. Consumers are feeling more confident with the “self-build” concept and are (in some cases) opting for pre-made houses, whether that be easy to erect timber frames, or insulated concrete blocks, the self-build revolution will continue to take the industry by storm.

-Sustainability is still king. We’re talking about a genuine care for the environment, not just greenwashing. Using environmentally friendly materials, recycling as much as possible, and considering how to offset carbon emissions within the building process are all important factors to consider. In order to achieve net zero, the construction industry as a whole, needs to embrace a cultural shift towards making green practices the norm.

-Construction isn’t slowing down. Upgrading infrastructure, meeting housing level demands, and improving the buildings and homes that already exist is big business.?It’s important to think about how to incorporate viable and sustainable practices into the building process in order to meet demand whilst ensuring longevity.?

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Learn more about UK Construction Week here: