Six specialist events highlight the central issue – energy efficiency
The Building Performance Congress from 7 to 11 April 2008, held as part of Light+Building, the International Trade Fair for Architecture and Technology, is a platform for information and communication. In six different specialist events, this knowledge forum offers up-to-date and well-supported information with the guiding principle of energy efficiency as its central focus. Famous experts from home and abroad will spotlight current developments in the six specialist events: "Light Focus", "Energy Focus – German Energy Consultants Day", "IEECB Focus - Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings", "Building Forum", "ACS Forum – Computer systems in the building industry" and "The future for real estate".
- Light Focus (7 to 9 April) has the strapline "Professional Solutions by Professional Lighting Designers". The Professional Lighting Designers' Association (PLDA), acting on behalf of the Electrical Luminaires and Electrical Lamps Trade Associations (Fachverbände Elektroleuchten und Elektrische Lampen) in the Central Association of the German Electrical and Electronic Engineering Industry (Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie – ZVEI), will be organising this part of the congress for the eighth time. Talks will be given by people from all over the world: speakers from the USA, India, Singapore, Thailand and several European countries will present a variety of topics including lighting design projects; they will deal with the applications for light sources and also address issues surrounding effective solutions for daylight illumination and sustainability. The morning of 8 April is exclusively devoted to the topic of "Light in open spaces" and is the responsibility of the research society for countryside development and landscaping (Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau e.V. - FLL).
- The main thrust of the Energy Focus – German Energy Consultants Day on 9 April is concerned with commercial premises. The sponsors of this event are the Federal Chamber of Architects (Bundesarchitektenkammer BAK), the Federal Chamber of Engineers (Bundesingenieurkammer BIngK) and the Chamber of Architects and Town Planners for the State of Hesse (Architekten- und Stadtplanerkammer Hessen AKH). The fourth German Energy Consultants day is directed at architects and engineers who are actively involved as energy consultants in practice. Current questions on the assessment procedures for existing buildings, the current state of technology as well as ways of getting into the market for energy consultants are all issues on the agenda.
- The IEECB Focus on 10 and 11 April presents the international conference "Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings". The well-known event of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre brings together specialists from all over the world to discuss the potential energy savings in buildings used for commercial purposes. During the conference, there are also plans to hold the award ceremony which forms part of the European Green Light Programme and to present, for the first time, the Green Building Programme Award. Both programmes reward projects throughout Europe which, through the implementation of specific measures, have led to considerable savings of energy. More detailed information is available at: www.eu-greenlight.org.
- The Building Forum on 8 April in Hall 9.1 will be concerned with the impact of building automation on the energy efficiency of buildings. The forum is a co-operative venture between Messe Frankfurt and the ‘Fachverband Automation + Management für Haus + Gebäude' (trade association for automation in homes and buildings) within the Association of German Machine and Plant Manufacturers (Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau – VDMA). The lectures will investigate the significance of European and national moves regarding energy conservation and protection of the climate, and conclusions will be drawn about the energy performance of existing building stock. This will be followed by concrete examples of building automation projects that have already been completed and examples of contractors' involvement.
- The ACS Forum (9 to 11 April), to be held in parallel with the specialist ACS exhibition – Computer Systems in the Construction Industry, will spotlight current sector pre-occupations. The programme of lectures which has been devised by the Chamber of Architects and Town Planners of the State of Hesse, will be concerned with the following topics: "What impact does life-cycle management have on subsequent costs in business and office premises?", "Planning – construction work in existing buildings", as well as "Costs and Deadlines". On 10 April the focus of interest will fall on individual and modern domestic solutions which make use of modern electronic technology. This event is a joint project of the General Association of the German Electrical and Information Technology Trade (Zentralverband der Deutschen Elektro- und Informationstechnischen Handwerke – ZVEH), the Central Association of the German Electrical and Electronic Engineering Industry (Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie – ZVEI) aand the "Intelligent Homes" ("Intelligentes Wohnen") initiative. Along with the lectures, there will be guided visits of the demo house, the "Smart house of the present". On 11 April the speakers will be dealing with the topic "Basic building models as the foundation for optimised planning and data exchange."
- On 9 April the Association of Consultant Engineers (Verband Beratender Ingenieure – VBI) will be offering the "Forum: The Future for Real Estate". With the guiding principle "Visions become reality", this forum will present projects and concepts with future-oriented and sustainable solutions. The object is to demonstrate that architects and engineers working together with scientists, investors and building contractors will find their way with this vision to innovative solutions in terms of sustainability.
Building Performance Congress in brief:
- The full programme for the Building Performance Congress can be found at www.bp-congress.de as well as at www.light-building.messefrankfurt.com. The entire programme of lectures is recognised by the Chamber of Architects and Town Planners of the State of Hesse for purposes of accreditation as further professional training. The possibility of recognition by other, similar chambers is currently under investigation.
- Online registration and the possibility of online ticketing are particularly quick and easy. With prior registration up to and including 14 March there are special ‘early bird' concessionary rates and entrance to the trade fair is included with days booked at the congress. The ticket to the trade fair entitles the bearer to use the public transport network of the ‘Rhine-Main Verkehrsverbund' (RMV) free of charge. Reduced-price congress tickets are available for students.
- The following parts of the congress will attract an attendance fee: Light Focus, Energy Focus and IEECB Focus. Participation in the ACS Forum and the Building Forum as well as the Future for Real Estate Forum is free of charge – it is included in the price of the entrance ticket to Light+Building or ACS and no conference registration is required.
- Information, registration and entrance tickets for the Building Performance Congress are all available by telephone on: tel. +49 69 7575-5433 or by fax on: +49 69 7575-5737. For all visitors who prefer to defer decisions about attending, it is possible to register at the door.
- Entrance tickets to the Light+Building trade fair and further information can be obtained at: www.light-building.messefrankfurt.com.
