Deck the halls

Behind the debates and policy shaping discussions, CIH’s annual gathering also brings together contractors, suppliers, housing providers and support organisations to share their knowledge and information, and peddle their wares in the exhibition halls

Visitors to this year’s exhibition will also be able to pick up the latest ideas and learn from the success stories of other organisations in a series of product and procurement focused seminars, running throughout the three days of the exhibition. Called the ‘Ideas Exchange’, these seminars are open to all and do not need to be pre-booked (see below).

These free seminars take a case study approach, so delegates can find out what’s working for other organisations in the sector, along with the pitfalls to avoid. The seminars provide a chance for delegates to learn from the experiences of those that have been involved at the sharp end.

The conference and exhibition is the biggest and best attended event in the U K’s housing events calendar as it brings together more than 5,000 housing professionals, together with over 300 key suppliers all under one roof. This year’s exhibition will once again bring together leading product and service suppliers with housing professionals, where visitors will be able to discover the latest, most innovative, eco-friendly solutions, source new products and suppliers and catch up with current partners.

It’s a critical time for the industry, of course, adding a whole new sense of urgency to the gathering. As a CIH spokesperson said: “The post-election timing of the conference and exhibition promises anevent that will be at the very top of the agenda, highly topical and interesting to everyone involved in the housing sector. It will be the first time the whole industry congregates post election, providing an ideal platform for debate, networking, exploration of new policy initiatives and product showcasing and we expect the event to be buzzing as a result. Both the conference and the exhibition provide
an ideal opportunity for the housing sector to explore their industry and the issues that affect them.”

The exhibition features a wide spectrum of the UK’s leading providers of products and services for and to the social housing sector and includes: developers and contractors; building products and services suppliers; IT & smart technology; solicitors; architects and planners; modern methods of construction; maintenance, repair and facilities management; and much more.

Exchanging ideas

The ‘Ideas Exchange’ seminars focus on a range of topical and critical issues for the housing sector. The following provide a telling foretaste of what is available:

• Innovation and efficiency stream: doing more with less. Looking at sustainability and energy efficiency for new homes and refurbishments, this session will feature practical examples from housing associations that have made a real difference to energy efficiency and the use of sustainable
resources.

• Safe and secure: Best practice in health & safety and fire safety. With the spotlight fixed firmly on reducing the risk of fire and overall H&S initiatives, this session will provide an update on the key initiatives and highlight best practice in deploying products for fire safety and H&S.

• Innovating for efficiency: reducing costs and improving results for new builds and refurbishments. With pressure mounting on public expenditure, the perennial issues of trying to do more with less are becoming even more acute. This session will show how deploying innovative products and processes can help get the most from resources.

• Caring for elderly and vulnerable tenants. This session will focus on how the services that can make a real difference to the lives of elderly and vulnerable tenants, how to get tenants involved in the development and selection of services and how to make them feel safe and secure.