Summary
• Timber represents the single largest group of exhibitors.
• It is the most prominent material on display.
• The Timber Works area is sponsored by The Timber Trade Federation.
• This year’s show will feature 1,000 exhibitors.
• Ecobuild will be held at Earls Court, London, from March 2-4.

If any more proof were needed of timber’s sustainability credentials there could be no clearer evidence than Ecobuild: timber represents the single largest group of exhibitors and is the most prominent material on display.

“Timber has always been a major part of Ecobuild,” said David Wood, managing director of the show’s organiser International Business Events, “but the number of exhibitors has grown as the event itself has.”

Of the 1,000 exhibitors at this year’s event at Earls Court, London, from March 2-4, just over 10% are involved in timber. However, timber’s presence is more than just a numbers game.

“It [timber] is very important to sustainable construction, of course, as there are many innovative timber products,” said Mr Wood. “It’s a highly flexible and adaptable material and, as long as it is sourced responsibly, it has excellent sustainability credentials.”

Clean graffiti

Visitors will be introduced to timber’s presence even before they reach the show as timber marketing campaign, wood for good, will literally pave the way to Earls Court. Using “clean graffiti”, the new campaign logo of a set of scales and the slogan “Wood Co2ts Less” will appear on the walls and footpaths approaching the venue.

Timber Works, the dedicated timber area introduced last year, is back for 2010. Sponsored by the Timber Trade Federation, it features 20 companies.

In recognition of timber’s strong presence, this year TTJ and sister magazine Timber & Sustainable Building has a special award for the stand that makes the best presentation of timber.

““The Timber at Ecobuild Award highlights the growing impact being made by timber and the timber industry at the show, which in turn underlines their importance to the future of sustainable construction,” said editor Mike Jeffree.

The winner of the Timber at Ecobuild Award will be announced on Thursday, March 4 at 11am in the Timber Works café.

Eye-catching attractions

As well as being the most prominent material at the show, over the years timber has also been the most eye-catching, and 2010 is no exception.

One of the major attractions at this year’s event will be the Nottingham H.O.U.S.E, a full-sized zero carbon house which will include products from Saint-Gobain companies International Timber and Pasquill.

The H.O.U.S.E (Home Optimising the Use of Solar Energy), designed and built by Nottingham University’s Department of the Built Environment, is the UK’s only entry in the Solar Decathlon Europe competition to design and build Europe’s most energy-efficient, zero carbon, solar-powered house. The final will be held in Madrid in June.

No doubt Saint-Gobain will also turn heads with its two-storey stand situated nearby. It will showcase products and technologies in complete systems for different applications in both new build and refurbishment.

Cornwall-based Frame UK will feature “before and after” student accommodation rooms. One will show the closed panel system as it would be erected on site, while the other could be an even bigger attraction for the show-weary visitor – a finished room, complete with a made-up bed.

Glulam

A sweeping curve of glulam will be the main feature on Finnforest’s stand, while Leno, the company’s cross-laminated timber panel system, will be used to create a timber and glass wall. “We want to explain to specifiers at Ecobuild the environmental advantage that can be gained by using engineered timber systems,” said building solutions director Kevin Riley.

Ecobuild is always a platform to launch products.

BCL Timber Projects, which has a stand in Timber Works, will launch a bamboo cladding system which, combined with its prefabricated panel system, is suitable for acoustic walls and ceilings.

Joinery company Soundcraft has launched a new division – Passive Windows – and at Ecobuild it will exhibit its new outward-opening window made from certified timber and with a U-value of 0.8W/m2K.

RTC Timber Systems will use Ecobuild for a UK-wide launch of its PassiveWall low energy wall and roof system. It was designed and supplied for Scotland’s first Social Passive house and RTC will be joined on its stand by the Scottish Passive House Centre.

Westgate Joinery will show its Accoya A energy-rated casement window. It’s already proving popular, and was chosen for the refurbishment of the Bell Tout lighthouse at Beachy Head, East Sussex, which has featured on Channel 5’s Build a new life in the country programme.

Along with its I-joist and insulation products, Steico will feature the new Steicoprotect, a lime-based render system applied direct to wood fibre insulation panels, and Hanson Plywood, UCM Timber and Aaztec Cubicles will team up to promote their new PaperStone sheet product.

Innovate Offsite

Timber, in the form of prefabricated systems from Advanced Panel Systems and Elements Europe, will also feature in the new Innovate Offsite, where Mtech and Galliford Try will construct a building to demonstrate a range of offsite products and techniques. Mtech will also host workshops in conjunction with the exhibit.

Also new this year is the Ecobuild Fringe programme, which features events from exhibitors – including the timber industry.

TRADA and the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) are teaming up to present a seminar on the implications of Eurocode 5 for the timber supply chain.

Canadian companies will have a strong presence at Ecobuild but it is the country’s forestry resource which will be in the limelight at the Fringe programme. One event will focus on timber’s environmental credentials and demonstrate how using wood products in construction is key to the mitigation of climate change. Another presentation will outline EQuilibrium, a programme for zero carbon housing.

Timber also features in the seminar programmes. On March 2, Performance matters includes a 1.5-hour debate on window performance, while on March 4, the TTF will host a seminar in the RICS Theatre.

Overseas exhibitors

Ecobuild’s claim to be the “world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment” is borne out by the number of overseas exhibitors.

Some countries, such as Canada and Austria, have exhibited at the show many times but this year Ecobuild’s global recognition goes even further with Denmark, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Turkey, France, Australia and Belgium all present. The Swiss will use their Ecobuild debut to showcase their expertise in timber housing and joinery.

“Ecobuild is now the gateway into the UK market, for suppliers of timber and other sustainable construction materials and products,” said David Wood.