Workshops to help Shropshire firms benefit from sustainable buildings revolution
A series of free workshops in March will support construction and property firms to access the business opportunities that the national transition to net zero buildings will bring.
The series comes as energy prices have gone through the roof and the UK Government continues to pass more ambitious net zero carbon legislation for the built environment. The UK needs to be net zero carbon by 2050 and buildings account for about 40 per cent of the UK's carbon emissions
The interactive workshops and networking events will be the first events held at the Pump House Knowledge Hub in central Shrewsbury.
The Knowledge Hub is a new venture designed to help accelerate progress on making local buildings more sustainable and energy efficient. It is a joint collaboration between Evora Edge and the University of Chester with additional funding provided by Invest in Shropshire.
This additional grant funding means that workshops that would normally cost £500 a ticket will be free for local businesses and organisations.
The workshop topics and dates that have been confirmed include 'sustainable retrofit in Shropshire – meet the buyer' on Tuesday, March 8, from 7.30am to 1pm, and 'sustainable retrofit in Shropshire – win the contract' on the same day from 12pm to 4pm.
Other workshops will be held on Friday, March 18 from 9.30am to 1pm, Wednesday, March 23 from 9.30am to 1pm and from 12.30pm to 4pm, and Thursday, March 31 from 7.30am to 1pm and 12pm to 4pm.
Local businesses will get the opportunity to hear from those organisations tendering for sustainable retrofitting contracts over the next year including Shropshire Council, Marches Energy Agency and local housing associations.
They will also get to hear from some of the UK’s leading experts in the sector including Mike Perry – an expert on innovative energy systems and residential buildings who has worked extensively at the UK’s Building Research Establishment (BRE) and Dr Phil Jones – one of the UK’s leading experts on heat network systems.
Neil Dady, Evora edge managing director, said part of the planning of the workshops had included commissioning extensive research to understand the challenges facing local businesses and organisations when it comes to transitioning buildings to net zero carbon.
“What we found was a real need for closer working relationships between local organisations and businesses and large knowledge gaps around areas of tendering, skills development and understanding new technology and systems.
“We’re hoping these workshops will go some way towards helping fill those gaps and accelerate progress on net zero carbon buildings in Shropshire.”
In-person spaces are limited to two people per organisation but online tickets will be available as sessions will be live streamed. Contact hchampion@evoraedge.com or book online at eventbrite.com/cc/sustainability-in-the-built-environment-150839
