The exhibition, which attracted over 60,000 people across three days, provided visitors with an insight into Saint-Gobain’s offer. A wide range of solutions from the company’s UK businesses were showcased on its 225m² stand and daily demonstrations in the Renew area showed a selection of sustainable systems in practice to equip visitors with the knowledge and skills to specify and install energy efficient products. Its companies also featured in the Pasquill Extreme Timber and Isover Multi-Comfort House areas, both key attractions at the exhibition.
Saint-Gobain companies Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Saint-Gobain Glass, British Gypsum, Ecophon, Isover, Saint-Gobain PAM, Pasquill, Quantum Solaglas, Saint-Gobain Solar and Weber all exhibited on the Saint-Gobain stand, which had thousands of visitors including the Rt Hon Gregory Barker MP, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change. Solutions on display included internal, separating and external wall systems for timber, masonry and steel new build and refurbishment construction, room-in-the-roof and ceiling solutions, as well as glazing and pipe products for both residential and commercial applications, highlighting how technologies can be used alongside each other to create more energy efficient buildings.
The Renew area proved popular with visitors seeking to improve their knowledge of sustainable solutions, with crowds gathering to watch each live demonstration. The series of daily demonstrations showed the application and installation of a range of products and systems which can help to meet the huge challenge of refurbishing the existing building stock. These included internal and external wall insulation, glazing, flooring and loft and cavity wall systems.
Engineered timber manufacturer and supplier Pasquill impressed attendees in the Extreme Timber zone with a striking glulam structure which highlighted the aesthetic qualities and design possibility of engineered timber when it comes to creating spectacular and sustainable structures, educating visitors regarding the potential of such solutions when it comes to sustainable construction.
Finally, shortlisted entries in Isover’s UK Multi-Comfort House student contest were judged by a panel of leading industry experts which included Professor Wolfgang Feist, founder of the Passive House concept. Students’ entries had to be designed in accordance with Isover Multi-Comfort principles, encompassing Passive House performance levels.
Large numbers of visitors attended the competition final, where the winning entry was revealed as The Green Canyons, a design which aimed to reconnect the city of Manhattan and achieve a cohesive identity to counter the depleting quality of life in vertical urban sprawl. Runners-up were the Social Tower Experiment, which proposes a new, vertical street lifestyle, and The Green Ramp, which aims to integrate Lower Manhattan’s green spaces into the city fabric. All three winning teams will go on to compete in the international final which takes place in Prague in May.
Lisa Benbow, head of communications for Saint-Gobain UK, Ireland and South Africa, comments: “Saint-Gobain and its UK businesses are at the forefront of providing highly efficient solutions to the challenges facing society today in terms of energy, housing and the environment. We are also committed to ensuring the construction industry is equipped with the skills and knowledge required to deliver more sustainable solutions and our presence at Ecobuild demonstrated how we can provide products, capabilities and expertise required to achieve a low carbon future.
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