Industry change-makers Line Up at UK Construction Week

Posted by Barbour ABI on 22nd April 2022 -

From the very first keynote speech of day one of UK Construction Week in London next month (3-5 May), the gauntlet is being thrown to the construction industry to embrace culture change in the way it works.

UK Construction Week has a reputation as the largest, most comprehensive and relevant industry event in the country, with new conference content, product launches and CPD for every part of the construction supply chain. London’s show next month is no exception.

Day one of the show sees a powerful panel assembled on the main stage to unravel the multitude of strands pushing the industry into culture change. Joining the Minister for building safety and fire safety, Stephen Greenhalgh, will be Dame Judith Hackitt, Amanda Long, chief executive of the Considerate Constructors Scheme, and architect and TV presenter George Clarke.

The main stage, sponsored by COINS, will also be the place to hear major announcements on topics as varied as construction procurement to carbon reduction, MMC to mental health, digitalisation to diversity.

There will be opportunities to learn the lessons from the nuclear, oil and gas sectors which have already achieved significant changes in the way they operate to increase safety and reduce major hazards. Senior government spokespeople will provide updates on policy to address the drive to Net Zero. And major development programmes such as the New Hospitals Programme will be examined for opportunities and examples of culture change in action.

Among a packed programme of content on the main stage, a couple more highlights stand out, including a unique case study session on Broadcaster Sky’s Sky Innovation Centre project, which together with ISG and Stronger Together seeks to raise awareness of human rights and labour policy to end modern slavery in construction and establish a good practice model. There will also be a session with charity partner Mates in Mind looking at mental health first aid and a wide range of preventative and proactive support measures.

Nathan Garnett, event director for UKCW, says:

“At our London show, we have one of the best line-ups of expert speakers, industry leaders and policy makers that we’ve ever gathered. If you needed to catch up on all the biggest issues facing construction right now, here is where you would come to get all that insight in one place.

“There really is something for everyone from every corner of construction, no matter what their profession or trade. And just the act of bringing everyone together like this is itself helpful to transform the culture of the industry, encouraging debate and cross-sector learning, creating new contacts and multidisciplinary networks, and sharing learning about how we make real change happen.”

In addition to the UKCW main stage, specialist hubs are placed around the show where over 150 hours of professional CPD will be delivered across seven separate theatres, covering sustainability, digital construction, offsite construction, innovation, and infrastructure.

On the first day of the show, the UKCW’s Role Models Awards shortlist will be announced, where talented professionals from all backgrounds and parts of the construction industry will be recognised for their hard work, sharing their career journeys and inspiring others to enter similar roles.

Another set of awards to be announced will be the Fix Radio Tradesperson of the Year awards for the country’s leading and most innovative tradesmen and women.

Yet another highlight not to miss out on is the exclusive ‘How ESG will change the Culture of Construction’ report by AMA Research, part of Barbour ABI group, which will be provided for free to all those that register to attend and won’t be available anywhere else.

It is written by independent industry commentator and analyst Brian Green, who will be speaking further on ESG alongside Ann Bentley, Global Board Director at Rider Levett Bucknall, and Simon Rawlinson, Partner and Head of Strategic Research and Insight at Arcadis. Barbour ABI will also be taking part in the show, speaking at the Infrastructure Hub to discuss government policies affecting the future of infrastructure.

UKCW London will host more than 300 exhibitors (600 including co-located shows), 10,000 products, and multiple specialist hubs.

Free registration is now open with one entry badge providing access to co-located shows Concrete Expo (3-4 May), the Offsite Show (3-5 May), and Grand Designs Live (30 April-8 May).

Industry conferences partnering with UKCW the Future of Work in Construction Live Forum (4 May) and REA’s Decarbonising Buildings Conference (5 May) will also be running alongside the event. These will focus on how to incorporate the latest sustainability approaches and explore low carbon solutions and the options available for heating domestic and non-domestic buildings as government policy develops.

Download the free UKCW app from both iOS and Android to book one-to-one appointments with delegates and exhibitors, and download the full preview brochure for all you need to know to plan your visit.

For regular updates on the event, follow UKCW on social media using the hashtags #UKCW2022 #UKCWLDN