Greener, healthier building products take centre stage at UK Construction Week’s Innovation Zone

Construction contractors, specifiers, and architects looking for innovative environmental solutions can explore a mix of products at this year’s UK Construction Week Innovation Zone.

Held at London’s ExCel from 3-5 May, the sector’s green change-makers will be demonstrating construction innovations including advanced sensors for buildings to improve air quality, multi award-winning tapes for insulation boards for improving thermal performance, an energy and chemical-free water purification system, and a timber pallet recycling scheme.

Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director says: “As part of our theme of culture change, we’re encouraging new ways of thinking across all areas of construction, to challenge and inspire others to drive the future of the industry. There’s an abundance of new technology at our disposal, which is crucial to help us achieve net zero and improve building safety.

Just one small change in a process can completely transform the way a business operates and its outcomes, and we want to open doors to innovative solutions that will better serve companies, end users, and the environment. That’s why we’ll be showcasing some of the best products and innovators out there.

Some of the game-changing developments demonstrated at the Innovation Zone include:

• Aico’s Environment Sensors are designed to improve home-life safety. The Ei1025 sensor supports better maintained, healthier, energy efficient homes to overcome challenges from compliance and carbon footprint reduction to mould risk and fuel poverty.

• EASYClickBase - a strong, light weight and flexible sub-base made from 100% recycled plastic that can halve traditional preparation time of laying paving and driveways. It significantly reduces labour

by reducing excavation by up to 80% and lessens the environmental impact of hard landscaping, as well as the cost of installation.

• Gapotape is a multi-award-winning combination of foil and foam tape specifically designed for use in conjunction with rigid insulation board. It is the first product proven by the British Board of Agrément (BBA) to eradicate air leakage and thermal bridging.

• Halcyan Water Conditioners - a sustainable solution for the prevention of mineral scale accumulation and removal of existing mineral deposits in hard water areas, improving energy efficiency and equipment lifespan, while decreasing maintenance energy bills and system unreliability.

• Pallet LOOP, a circular economy pallet reuse scheme aiming to replace a significant quantity of the circa 18 million single use pallets currently used in UK construction each year, while eliminating avoidable pallet waste and helping meet carbon net zero targets.

The Innovation Zone will also offer visitors the opportunity to network, learn, and explore new ideas with a range of specialist seminars including presentations from

MOBIE with architect George Clarke, a case study on 3D printing from Cucinella Architects on the TECLA building, and sessions from UK Research and Innovation and the Construction Innovation Hub.

Sponsor, Construction Industry Solutions (COINS), will hold its COINS Grand Challenge 2022, which is free to enter and now open, aimed at kickstarting innovative ideas to improve the built environment.

UKCW London will host more than 300 exhibitors (600 including co-located shows), 10,000 products, 300 expert speakers, seven theatre stages, multiple specialist hubs, and 150 hours of CPD content.

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 the Future of Work in Construction (4 May) and REA’s Heating Conference: Decarbonising Buildings (5 May) will also be running alongside the event.

Download the free UKCW app from iOS and Android app stores to book one-toone appointments with delegates and exhibitors.