Construction trade fair aims to build for the future

Around 120,000 architects, builders, home owners and other interested parties are expected to flock to Swissbau 2010 over the next five days, after the biggest specialist fair for the construction industry in Switzerland opened on Tuesday morning.

The five halls at the MCH Messe Schweiz in Basel cover every stage in the construction process from “concept and planning” to “interior finishing”.

And with the global magnifying glass increasingly focused on the question of climate change and adaptation, the trade fair has seen fit to train its attention on environmental solutions and energy saving under the theme "Building a Future for Switzerland".

“It’s a growing strategy and a very one important for Switzerland which is a small market but a very developed one,” Swissbau communications manager, Muriel Lehmann told Swisster.

“Swiss tech can really grow if it’s exported because we have very high standards on that issue. We’re not the world leaders, but one of the leaders,” she said.

Based on the green theme, this year’s major highlights are divided into three sections: “Woostock” features a three-story building, constructed entirely of Swiss wood with a prefabricated façade offering the latest thermal insulation and solar energy panels.

Six sections at the exhibition are devoted to “Global Building” which "provides an insight into sustainable building where the public can learn about it from planning to demolition and recycling,” said Lehmann.

“EnergieSchweiz” places the emphasis on training and home owners can receive free advice on how to insulate their building or replace old oil heating appliances with modern alternatives such as heat pumps or wood pellets.

With the environmental issue still in mind, Swissbau has also chosen 2010 to launch a new real estate platform.

“This is the first time we have offered this for the real estate industry,” explained Lehmann.

“Swissbau used to just be about construction, but if we want to be sustainable then we have to follow the entire life-cycle of construction. All these people have to work together if we want to say that sustainability has reached its possibilities,” she added.

Elsewhere, visitors will be able to wander around what Lehmann calls a “shopping mall” of bathrooms and wet rooms at this year’s event.

“It’s not only a bathroom nowadays,” she said. “Sizes have increased and they have become very important for our well-being.”

If lectures in the German language pose no fear, philosopher Peter Sloterdijk and futurist Mattias Hork will discuss what the future may hold in terms of urban planning.

Other attractions include the SANAA stand of renowned architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa from Japan, or the Swiss carpentry championships.

Several prizes are scheduled for award during the event, including one of 50,000 francs for the best Swiss environmental construction solution or design.

Swissbau 2010, January 12-16

Messeplatz 1, 4058 Basel

Tel: 058 200 20 20‎

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