Uniting over 9,000 industry professionals, 400+ leading brands and start-ups and 550+ inspiring speakers across eight CPD-accredited stages. Futurebuild 2026 is the UK’s most influential event for the built environment.
This year’s theme Connect, highlights the transformative power of collaboration linking people, ideas and technologies to drive real change. It’s about uniting the built environment to foster partnerships and solutions that shape a sustainable future.
Join architects, engineers, deveopers, tier 1 contractors, local authorities and sustainability leaders who are shaping a better, more resilient built environment.
SBID Members earn 2 x CPD points for attending!
On 9th October, Gaggenau hosted a highly successful women’s networking evening alongside Athena Stonecare where attendance far exceeded expectations. The event provided a fantastic opportunity for women from construction and design industry to come together, share experiences and build connections. It was inspiring to see attendees build new connections and catch up with existing contacts creating a mix of opportunities and enhanced networking. A highlight of the event was series of speeches given by: - Rachel Sargeant, Head of Projects, Gaggenau - Sharon Wallis, Managing Director, Poggenpohl - Beverley Walker, Head of Sales and Operations, Houseworks London - Becca Cranfield Director, Athena Stonecare
Each one of them shared their personal stories on how they managed to thrive in male dominated industries and offered powerful insight on leadership and overcoming unique challenges women face in their respective fields. Their insights on leadership and navigating challenges were both empowering and motivational.
“My initial plan was to organise event dedicated to honouring and promoting Women in Construction and Design Industry. The goal was to create a platform where women in these fields could connect, establish valuable connections and network. This idea stemmed from the fact that women currently only represent 14% of the construction industry. Reflecting on my own past as a female apprentice in a time when it was rare to see women on construction sites, I realised that there is a lack of substantial support for women in this industry.” - Rachel Sargeant
Rachel and Becca from Athena Stonecare (an expert in networking) together with the Gaggenau team planned an evening event in hope of generating some interest. The response was overwhelming with the event reaching full capacity just days after invitations were sent.
About Gaggenau
Gaggenau is a manufacturer of high-quality home appliances and is acknowledged as an innovation leader in design and technology “Made in Germany”. The company, with a history dating back to 1683, has revolutionised the domestic kitchen with its internationally acclaimed products. Gaggenau’s success is founded on technological innovation and a clear design language combined with high functionality. Gaggenau has been a subsidiary of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH in Munich since 1995 and is currently represented in more than 50 countries with 25 flagship showrooms in major cities around the world.
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Middle East Design & Build Week is a new networking and sourcing platform for the construction and design industries. The event is co-located with Middle East Manufacturing & Technology Expo, providing opportunities for the construction and design professionals to explore solutions in the manufacturing and technology sector. The event is expected to attract over 200 exhibiting companies and 3000 visitors from the UAE and across the world in the first edition and around 10 international pavilions. It covers a number of key areas in a region which continues to invest heavily in new infrastructure development offering huge potential to key UK creative supply chain sub-sectors.
Middle East Design & Build Week will be an event offering opportunities for companies across the construction (architecture), interior design, hospitality, and commercial industries to showcase their expertise and products to influencers, key decision-makers and buyers from across the region. The show is organised in partnership with Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Key themes include: building envelope & specialist construction; building interiors & finishes; interior design & interior furnishings and fittings.
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The UK Tradeshow Programme offers the industry support towards costs of affiliated events, available for both exhibitors and attendees.
There are limited spaces available on our NEC3: Preparing and Managing the ECC course in April 2022. This practical two-day training course introduces delegates to the philosophy of the NEC family of contracts and focuses on the provisions of the NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC).
The programme includes interactive workshops using a number of case studies to assist delegates' understanding of pre- and post-contract aspects of ECC.
Who should enrol?
It is ideal for anyone working with, or intending to work with, the NEC3 ECC including: project managers, contract managers, quantity surveyors, planners, clients, consultants, contractors and their supply chain.
At the end of the course participants should be able to:
Cumberland Group is a principal contractor working across all sectors of the fit out and refurbishment industry. Founded in 1977 by our MD Dave Park, and along with the second generation of Directors, Cumberland has built a reputation as the go-to contractor for the highest standard of finishes and bespoke joinery manufacture.
"We are an award-winning contractor and pride ourselves on our ability to deliver for our clients consistently, through our customer-focused friendly approach, high standard of finishes and always with an attention to detail that is second to none."
As a time served joiner with a wealth of knowledge and experience in crafting bespoke joinery pieces, Dave established the Joinery Workshop as an integral part of the services Cumberland Group offers. The company's Directors are all professionally qualified, traditional craftsmen who have over 100 years of combined experience in carpentry and joinery, so their clients can be ensured that their project is in very capable hands.
Cumberland Group have been manufacturing vast ranges of bespoke joinery throughout the years and they have many services available. State-of-the-art machinery keeps them up-to-date with modern joinery manufacturing methods and complements the traditional skills and knowledge that they have built up over the decades of experience in the joinery trade. Cumberland's exceptional traditionally trained craftspersons provide a unique, highly skilled and guaranteed service with an emphasis on attention to detail to their valued client base.
Cumberland Group offer a fully bespoke joinery manufacturing service including:
In 2018 Cumberland Group installed a new top of the range CNC machine which provides answers to all the problems associated with woodworking and with advanced materials processing. Just a few clicks to design and manufacture pieces of any shape, the machine is run by the Suite Maestro which has specific modules for every production cycle. Unique on the market in having an unrivalled price-performance ratio and it can be configured according to the clients needs.
This new machine provides the team with 60% time saving in drilling cycles and no downtimes for setup operations, while the exceptionally trained machinists and joiners provide a unique, highly skilled and guaranteed service with an emphasis on attention to detail.
Single-blade beam saw controlled by PC/PLC control system, designed to cut solid wood panels or panel stacks. This new machine has increased Cumberland's productivity by 30% and made a space saving of almost 20%. It is fast, precise and has powerful software to programme and create all panels imaginable.
Cumberland Group understand that adopting a sustainable stance is a critical element to their ability to operate effectively. Their sustainable ethics include accountability, transparency, ethical behaviour and respect for people. Internally they understand that fostering a healthy and safe working environment brings out the best in their staff. Cumberland Group also understand that they have a duty to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to the local community. They are committed to upholding their position as a leader within the industry, creating an environment where the principles of sustainability are understood, embraced and practised.
As a responsible company Cumberland have for many years taken their impact on the environment very seriously and make it their objective to get their manufacturing processes as green as possible. They do this by:
Cumberland Group's state of the art environmentally clean waste recovery facility at their Joinery Workshop has dramatically impacted their energy consumption. They ensure all their waste wood is recovered and used as fuel to heat their workshop, which diverts almost all of their production waste from landfill.
As well as the impressive performance and cost-saving benefits, the Group are burning one of the few remaining sustainable fuel sources, enabling them to operate a more environmentally responsible manufacturing facility.
Based on the same site as their joinery manufacturing workshop, is the fantastic purpose built spray finishing workshop where Cumberland's in-house team provide a professional and high-quality spray paint finish to all of their bespoke joinery.
The spray booths are equipped with the latest technology in spraying providing the team with a controlled environment monitoring airflow and temperature at all times allowing for them to have a dust and defect-free final result. Cumberland Group can guarantee that everything they produce is done to the highest standard by using the latest high-quality paints and lacquers. They only use the finest materials to guarantee a resilient, hardwearing finish.
Cumberland Group can now offer a new process - Liquid Metal coating that can be applied to almost any surface to produce a genuine metal finish. The trained sprayers use one of the toughest and fastest drying cold applied liquid metal coatings available today.
Whether it's subtle modernity, or statement-making decadence, the unique range of liquid metal coatings can help to create the finish you’re looking for. The coating is available in different metal finishes: from Copper to Gunsmoke, Bronze to Aluminium, the team is certain that this new technique will help bring your ideas to life.
The quality of Cumberland Group's work speaks for itself and everything they supply is guaranteed to be visually stunning, professional in appearance and painted in the most durable and reliable materials.
Because the company owns and operates both the joinery workshop and spray workshop, they are not let down by unpredictable supply chains. They are fully in control of their production process which means they can produce quality products on time, every time.
If you have any requirements for bespoke joinery or spraying works, please check out Cumberland Group's portfolio and get in touch with them.
Cover image: Cumberland project for Twinings
About Cumberland Group
Cumberland Group is a principal contractor working across all sectors of the fit out and refurbishment industry. Based in Greater London and working across the whole of the UK, they manufacturer their own bespoke joinery in their modern fully equipped joinery workshop.
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have been awarded £10m to launch a Product Safety & Standards division for testing and regulating products used in the construction industry following the deaths caused from cladding used on Grenfell Towers.
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Market expectations and perceived building standards are holding back the country's progress to construct net-zero buildings, according to the UK Green Building Council, UKGBC. The organisation would like to see developers adjusting investor and owner-occupier expectations about green buildings and this should be set out early in a development's narrative.
It is often said buildings were completely fitted out to maximize appeal during the leasing stage, resulting in over-provision and waste as typically incoming occupiers remove final fit-outs.
UKGBC head of business transformation Alastair Mant said: "Achieving the necessary reductions in embodied and operational carbon requires large scale changes to how buildings are designed, constructed, and operated. There are many barriers along the way and we must work quickly to identify them and the corresponding opportunities to overcome them."
SpeakEasy with Geoff Wilkinson
Following on from Geoff Wilkinson's first appearance on the SpeakEasy podcast, this episode revisits the topic of garage conversions with Building Inspector and managing director of Wilkinson Construction Consultants, as Vanessa Brady presents key questions submitted by SBID members.
Converting a garage into a usable home office sounds simple enough, but there are considerations you must bear in mind before you start picking up the power tools and knocking down walls! Geoff offers his wealth of expertise in the construction industry to answer a series of follow-up questions on the topic of garage conversions, addressing some of the more technical considerations from plaster boarding, air conditioning and effective energy supply, to window applications, security systems and insurance.
Tune in to the whole conversation to discover more.
In this episode of the SBID podcast series, SBID founder, Vanessa Brady, talks garage conversions with Geoff Wilkinson, Managing Director of Wilkinson Construction Consultants.
Despite the easing of lockdown measures, our daily lifestyles may never be the same. As lifestyle patterns continue to shift, and we've had plenty of time to re-assess our new working environments and re-consider what is important in our homes, the need for functional and comfortable home offices comes to the forefront.
Finding that all-important extra space can be a challenge, but construction specialist, Geoff Wilkinson shares his expert advice and outlines some of the important considerations to bear in mind if you're thinking of turning an old garage into a usable office space!
From discussing planning permission practicalities and insurance to ventilation and window fittings, Vanessa provides a unique, professional perspective on converting garages with respect to achieving effective interior design that is compliant and fit-for-purpose.
Following the government's relaxation of lockdown restrictions for construction workers, leading fit-out specialists and SBID Accredited practice Portview Fit-Out began re-opening sites in preparation for returning to business. Portview shares details of the strict new health and safety measures being rolled out to help them adapt to this ‘new normal’ in the construction industry, shedding some light on what this might mean for the contractors in practice.
Whilst for many industries throughout lockdown the blanket delegation of essential or non-essential work was clear, however the construction industry was somewhat left in limbo. Contractors were left to make the call themselves on whether they should continue operations and if so, how this could be done safely and in a regulatory compliant way.
From the moment we took the unprecedented decision to close our sites on 24 March, we have continued to support our clients with all technical aspects of our projects. During that time, we have also been busy preparing for our return to site, with a robust programme of new health and safety provisions. After much deliberation, planning and preparation throughout lockdown at all levels of the company, we took the careful decision on the 27 April to phase the opening of our sites from 11 May. We welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement, which gave further impetus for an active return to work for the construction and manufacturing industry.
The new health and safety measures we are implementing include:
A New COVID-19 Site Operating Procedure
We have developed a comprehensive COVID-19 Site Operating Procedure, alongside several site and task specific risk assessments. This was a collective effort by our entire team, who forensically examined construction tasks to see how they can safely operate whist maintaining physical distancing. Currently, we are supplying the updated documents to our contractors and are providing them with assistance to safely facilitate remobilisation.
Travel & Accommodation
We have made provisions to safeguard our team while commuting to and from London as much as feasibly possible. These include issuing all site staff with travel advice, FFP3 face masks and hand sanitisers, and providing hire cars and rental accommodation that is within walking distance of site. England-based Site Managers will also be remobilised ahead of those based in Northern Ireland as a means of reducing travel. In addition to our own safety precautions, we have checked to ensure airlines are stepping up to their responsibilities and improving their operating procedures to ensure the safety of all passengers who board their planes.
Cloud-based Induction
To help aid contactless induction training, we have invested in an online system to pre-induct contractors with key information before they arrive on site. The system is live 24/7, so people can log in remotely at a time that suits them and on any device.
Changes to inductions can be made instantly, with inductees being notified of any updates via the app and given their own unique site access code once they have passed training. Features will also include medical alerts, text notifications and document sharing.
Physical Distancing Marshals & Temperature Checks
Our Physical Distancing Marshals will be responsible for escorting and signing contractors on and off site, as well as ensuring everyone wears the correct PPE and is at least 2 meters apart. Where this distancing is essential, it will be controlled in accordance with an approved Risk Assessment / Method Statement and Permit to Work. We will also be rolling out daily temperature checks of anyone entering our sites before they are granted access.
Sanitation Stations & One-Way Systems
We have invested in mobile sanitation stations for each site. Contractors will be required to regularly wash their hands for a minimum of twenty seconds (such as on entry and exit) and to sanitise work tools and workstations. Each site will then be thoroughly cleaned and new distancing measures such as signage, floor markings, one-way systems, welfare and PPE storage areas will also be installed.
Staggered Start, Finish and Lunch Times
Start, finish and lunch times will be staggered to help avoid congestion on site and maintain distancing. This will be managed by our own Physical Distancing Marshals, who are responsible for monitoring numbers and coordinating schedules.
We know getting back to work is not going to be easy. It will be a new way of working for us all and we won’t be back to normal for a long time. However, with careful planning we can adapt to ‘the new normal’ and in a paradoxical twist - physical distancing will help to bring us together again, eventually.
About the Author
Established in 1975, Portview is a fit-out specialist that works with the world’s leading brands in retail, hospitality, sport and business to create award-wining interiors.
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