“REBUILD
is the summit of innovation in construction and building in Spain and one of
the most important in Europe”
310
ENTREVISTA conducted by: Youcef MAALLEMI
(maallemi-youcef@lecourrierdafrique54.com )
Gema TRAVERIA : could say that REBUILD is the summit of innovation
in construction and building in Spain and one of the most important in Europe.
It is also the event that introduced and promoted industrialized construction
in Spain in a pioneering way, as well as urging the sector to be
environmentally sustainable.
REBUILD will take place from March 19 to 21, 2024 at
FIMA Madrid, what will be new compared to previous editions?
This year, as a novelty at Rebuild 2024, we are going
to give even more value to professional profiles that, although they are less
represented at the summit, also need their own meeting spaces so that they can
discover the innovations and trends in their segment. For this reason, we are
promoting forums dedicated to quantity surveyors, installers and interior
designers. In addition, this year we are inaugurating the Matter space in the
exhibition area, covering more than 300 m2, where designers and architects
alike will have the opportunity to see new materials and coverings for their
future projects. The aim will be to promote interior design and architecture
that is innovative, but also sustainable and focused on health. In addition,
within the framework of the National Congress of Advanced Architecture and
Construction 4.0, we will have, for the first time, workshops that bring
together techniques, strategies and methodologies in a dynamic way. The
Congress will therefore become a kind of laboratory to promote collaborative
work and enhance networking. Finally, I would like to highlight that in our
usual "Industrialization Challenge" we will hold the 'Great Morning
of Industrialization' with the intention of creating a high-level open platform
with executives of the category, who will share their point of view in a space
for debate.
What are your objectives for this show, your
expectations, particularly in terms of attendance (exhibitors and
participants)? And Why participate in REBUILD 2024?
Everything points to Rebuild 2024 being a success. We
can say that we have grown by more than 30% compared to the last edition. In
terms of attendance, we anticipate that we will have around 24,000 attendees. There
is great interest from the industry, especially from companies that offer
transformation and innovation solutions for new construction projects, in
joining the summit. And we encourage the rest of the industry to join us,
because it will be a unique three days of knowledge exchange and networking.
Tell us about the activities during the show…
Apart from the Congress and the exhibition area, we
also offer to the industry satellite events to network and create new business
opportunities. For example, the Advanced Architecture Awards, which is going to
celebrate its seventh edition will recognize the leadership and efforts of
those companies and professionals who are leading the transformation of the
sector towards a new, more automated, sustainable and digitized construction
model. Among other events that take place during these three days, we can find
the Construction Tech
Startup Forum.The forum is a competition in which the most innovative ConTech
startups meet with the aim of showing their technological solution or product
in front of investors, potential customers, business angels and venture capitals
in order to boost their initiative and make it scalable. Thus, the meeting will
bring together startups that are leading the construction revolution based on
digital tools such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, IoT, 3D printing,
Virtual Reality, Blockchain, or BIM, which also contribute to the acceleration
of the automated model. In addition ,we will also host the Industrialization Challenge, a forum for
innovation, business and networking to bring materials, solutions and systems
companies closer to developers and builders. And to mention one more event, we
will organize breakfast with real estate developers and high executives for
them to gather, share different points of view and, of course, network.
Can you tell us some of the names of experts who
will share their knowledge on sustainability at the REBUILD show?
Among the most prominent names, Benedetta Tagliabue,
Director of Estudio Miralles Tagliabue; Andrew Waugh, architect of Waugh
Thistleton Architects, a world reference in timber construction; Belén Moneo,
Architect at Moneobrock; Emilio Ortiz, Architect and Partner at Foster +
Partners; Francisco Pérez, CEO of Culmia; or Carlos Quindós, General Manager of
Visesa, among many others.
In one of your interviews given to the press, you
declared that “the great challenge facing our industry currently is to try to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible”. Is this still the
case?
No doubt. In fact, at the National Congress of
Advanced Architecture and Construction 4.0 will emphasize the rehabilitation,
from the extension of funding given by the Next Generation or the National Plan
for Building Rehabilitation, which has the purpose of transforming all existing
buildings into zero-emission buildings by 2050.Automation and biodegradable
materials are also issues that will be looked into with the sector to meet the
European Green Pact's 'Target 55', which aims to reduce emissions by at least
55% by 2050.
Who are the stakeholders in the organization of this
show?
The stakeholders of the event belong to each
professional profile (builders, developers, architects, technical architects,
installers, interior designers, engineers, facility management companies and
investors) and each industry segment (housing, hotel, healthcare, retail,
offices andinstitutional).
How is the construction sector in Spain currently?
We think the sector is in good shape. According to the
latest data from Nalanda, a document management platform for the coordination
of business activities in Spain, Construction sector activity grew by 7.2% in
Spain during 2023, up from the 5.5% increase a year earlier.
Can you say a little more about what we can discover
there?
We will have 587 exhibiting companies in our large
exhibition area, which will show the latest innovations in different fields,
and 628 experts of international relevance who will talk about trends in the
construction and building sector, as well as case studies of success within the
industry. In other words,REBUILD is one of the most important industry events
in Europe.
What was the impact of the increase in raw materials
for construction projects in Spain?
The impact was kind of significant. Actually, the rise
of pricing of raw materials has increased the costs of work by 22.2% according
to the National
Construction Confederation (CNC). In addition, they also point out that this
increase has caused that 4 out of 10 companies (39.5%) have been forced to
cancel or paralyze their works, according to the same study.
What do you think of the current state of the real
estate market in general in Spain?
In Spain the situation is good and the demand is significant.
For example, to give a concrete example, in Spain people have returned to
offices, so we do not have the problem of the United States in that segment. In
addition, we can say that the country's real estate developers are in good
economic health and can undertake new real estate projects.
What do you think will happen to architecture in the
next ten years? Where are we heading?
We think the industry will eventually land on the
promising land of Industrialized construction, which will also bring more
sustainable practices when building and a sector where technology and the
digital world take over. In addition, I think it is important to mention that
with all these changes that the sector is experimenting at last we can see more
women being part of the process. A remarkable transformation of an industry
that has a lot to offer.
Today, a construction must meet sustainability
requirements. What is your approach?
Sustainability is key for the future, not only for
this industry itself but for every sector and every person. I think in Europe
we are now realizing how important it is this challenge and initiatives like
“fit for 55”, which is a legal obligation set by the EU to reduce emissions by
at least 55% by 2030, are in the good direction.
What information should you
remember before the day?
The most important thing is that coming to REBUILD
means that you will see at first sight all the innovation that the industry is
showcasing to the entire value chain.
What message would you like to convey to the
participants of the REBUILD show?
Enjoy and try to learn as much as possible from the
content of the Congress and the exceptional experts who are coming to Madrid,
as well as network, because that is key for the growth of the industry and
businesses themselves.
