Sustainability takes centre stage at Futurebuild exhibition

Two of the highlights at Futurebuild 2008 will a giant steel recycling counter, ticking away on the Corus (F295) stand and the Steel Ideal stand, which will combine two innovative international programmes – Living Steel and ManuBuild.

The Corus steel recycling counter will be switched on at the beginning of the exhibition and will continue counting until the show’s end. The amount of steel that will be recycled globally during Futurebuild will be displayed in tonnes, and Corus hopes this will raise awareness of the material’s integral part in making construction more sustainable.

Roger Steeper, Corus Manager Construction Marketing, said: “There is no single answer to sustainable construction, instead the sustain- ability of a building is derived from a combination of factors during all phases of construction, from initial design through construction, occupation and end of life. This is driven by a desire to provide a better quality of life for people, while protecting the needs of future generations.

“Corus takes a whole life approach by looking at the material itself and the role it plays in the entire life cycle of a building. Only by looking at the construction process in this way can a truly accurate perspective be gained.”

A vision for sustainable housing will be presented on the Steel Ideal stand. This will include a full-scale ManuBuild prototype, which is a steel-framed, pre-serviced module with demountable and moveable walls. The stand will also have a gallery of entries and winning designs from the two Living Steel International Design competitions.

Futurebuild takes place from 26- 28 February at London’s Earls Court.