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Still time to register for 2020 National Construction Summit - March 24, 2020

Monday 9 March 2020

There is still time to register to attend the 2020 National Construction Summit, which is being held on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at a new venue - the National Arena, Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown in Dublin.

Incorporating a comprehensive conference programme, including a wide array of seminars and free workshops, the event will also feature an extensive exhibition area, showcasing the latest products, services and technology for the construction, engineering, sustainable building, maintenance and architectural sectors.

Key conference themes include: jobs, skills, training and education; infrastructural investment; public & private housing; finance; building materials & services innovation; Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); and Sustainability.

A variety of topics will be discussed such as Construction 4.0; Green Technology; Project Ireland 2040; the use of drones, AI, AR and VR for design and build; and BIM.

Although the Irish construction industry is undergoing a strong recovery, it faces significant challenges, such as skills shortages and difficulties in planning and public sector procurement, if it is to deliver the 35,000 housing units that are required annually and the €116 billion investment in necessary infrastructure envisaged under the government’s Project Ireland 2024 programme to drive economic growth.

Innovation

In order to design and construct the sustainable buildings and infrastructure required by a growing population and to help businesses adapt to the challenges of the unfolding fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), the construction industry throughout Ireland needs to rapidly adopt innovative technologies and techniques. However, there is concern that the industry is not evolving fast enough to meet these changing needs.

The 2020 National Construction Summit in conjunction with a number of co-located event pillars attempt to present solutions to these challenges. Visitors are free to move between the different co-located events, which include:

Architecture, Design and Planning
Building Control & Regulation Expo
Building Materials & Innovation
Digital Construction in association with CITA
Data Centres and Critical Infrastructure
Lean Construction
Offsite & Modular Construction
Facility Management and Maintenance Show
Passive & nZEB buildings

For instance, Digital Construction in association with CITA will provide expert and practical advice on how businesses of all sizes within the construction industry can avail of the benefits of the latest advances in technology. CITA’s mission is to actively encourage the Irish construction sector to take full advantage of current and emerging Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).

Harnessing new technology brings many benefits across all sectors of the industry (architecture, engineering, construction and operations) including enhanced collaboration and communications, improved efficiency and productivity, resulting in a streamlined and speedier design and construction process.

The adoption of ICT throughout the construction industry is also helping the architecture, engineering, construction and operations sectors to reduce risk while maintaining profit margins on building projects.

Lean construction

Although once the considered the preserve of the manufacturing industry, the introduction of a lean approach and Lean practices within the AECO (architecture, engineering, construction and operations) sector can dramatically improve productivity and efficiency whilst simultaneously eliminating waste, resulting in better quality products and services.

By making construction easier, better and faster, clients will also reap benefits in terms of improved project delivery. The Lean Construction Show will provide practical advice for AECO professionals on how to implement a Lean management system, assess the current success of any existing system and, equally importantly, how to embed a culture of continuous improvement to ensure the endeavour reaps maximum benefits and is long-lasting.

Offsite & Modular Construction

Offsite & Modular Construction will cover the latest developments in this fast moving field. Offsite Construction techniques can be applied to all types of buildings including residential, commercial, industrial and institutional.

In addition to the time, cost and quality benefits, the adoption of an offsite construction approach can also help to overcome the skills shortages faced by many building contractors. Indeed, it has been suggested that offsite construction techniques could be used to alleviate the ‘housing crisis’ by building new homes more quickly and efficiently.

Building Control & Regulations

Building Control & Regulation will provide a forum for all those involved in building control in Ireland to meet and discuss the latest developments in design and construction techniques and technologies.

The event will help participants to keep up-to-date with any changes to building control regulations and associated legislation and potential future amendments.

Through a combination of a comprehensive conference programme in conjunction with an exhibition of the latest products and services available, the Building Control & Regulations Expo will encompass all key aspects regarding the control, design and construction of buildings in order to ensure the health, safety and welfare of people within the build environment, access for people with disabilities and the conservation of fuel and energy.

Topics being covered include: developments in building control legislation; fire protection & safety; disability access; work commencement requirements; building control management systems; training opportunities; sound and insulation regulations; quality control in building materials; and construction products regulations.

Passive & NZEB

Passive & NZEB will focus on energy efficiency, energy conservation and high energy performance in buildings.

In accordance with the Building Regulations, the NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Buildings) Standard will apply to all new buildings occupied after the 31st December 2020. For Public Sector bodies, the standard will apply to all new buildings owned and occupied by December 31, 2018.

Passive & NZEB Construction 2020 will highlight the latest trends and developments in this area and provide practical advice for visitors to enable them to keep up-to-date with changes in Building Regulations and Energy Ratings.