|
contents | events | |||||||||
| bautec comes to a successful close bautec (19 to 23 February) attracted substantially more visitors, some 64,000, almost ten per cent more than its predecessor. The International Trade Fair for Building and Construction Technology in Berlin featured more than 810 exhibitors from 18 countries. The decision to combine this event with a number of other trade shows, SolarEnergy, Trade Fair for Renewable Energy, and Build IT Berlin, IT and Communication Trade Fair for the Construction Sector, together with the inclusion of Urban Solutions Berlin, Combined Convention and Trade Show for Housing and Real Estate, and freispielberlin2008, the new platform for groundcare and landscaping, has met with a good response by visitors to these events and has also contributed to the overall success of bautec 2008. According to an independent institute specialising in trade fair marketing, visitors were mainly interested in the subjects of energy efficiency and climate change. In addition to details about Germany's new "energy passport" regulations and the renovation and development of existing buildings, attention was also focused on the sections devoted to energy and installation systems, dry construction and interior fitting out, roofs/walls/facades and insulating materials. Visitors from the private sector were also able to obtain a wealth of information about timber construction, windows/doors and heating/sanitation/air conditioning. The proportion of trade visitors attending this event rose from 78 (2006) to 85 per cent. There was also an increase in the proportion of foreign trade visitors, from three to ten per cent, most of them from other EU countries, and in particular from the Baltic states, Austria and Poland. It was also noticeable that some 400 trade visitors had come from Iran in order to learn about the latest construction technologies and products. City in transition – tasks for the construction industry. This subject formed the main focus of the European Construction Congress Berlin 2008, which took place on the second day of the trade show. The congress attracted over 150 participants from Germany and from all over Europe too, and the entire presidium of the FIEC European Construction Industry Federation was represented. "City in transition", according to the president of the FIEC, Professor Daniel Tardythis, is a subject of great topical relevance, especially in view of the fact that, compared with the overall population, the proportion of people living in cities throughout the world increased from 37 to 45 per cent between 1970 and 1995. A recent study predicts that this proportion will rise to 55 per cent by 2015 and to over 60 per cent by 2025. As Tardy reminded his audience, over half of the world's population will be living in cities by then, and in Western Europe the figure is already 80 per cent. "Building contractors have an increasingly important part to play in the development of urban construction", the FIEC president stated. The 2nd Central and Eastern European Conference at bautec attracted some 230 participants, including two delegations from Bulgaria and Romania, with 50 members each. The next bautec 2010 will take place from 16 February to 20 February. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |