the environmentalist highlights what's on at this year's event
One of the UK’s leading events for the environment, water, land, energy and sustainable business sectors, Sustainabilitylive!, is again being held at the NEC in Birmingham. This year’s event runs from 24 to 26 May and, as in previous years, is made up of five shows:
- The International Water and Effluent Exhibition (IWEX);
- the Environmental Technology Exhibition (ET);
- the National Energy Management Exhibition (NEMEX);
- Brownfield Expo (BEX); and
- Sustainable Business – The Event (SB).
Each show has its own extensive seminar programme.
IWEX
There are more than 35 seminars at this year’s IWEX event. Topics include legislation and policy, flood management and sustainable drainage systems (SUDs), water and wastewater treatment, industrial water treatment and smart metering.
Day one opens with Jim Marshall, policy and business adviser at Water UK, giving an overview of the latest legislation and policy. Other highlights include: Russell Knight, water resources manager at Heathrow Airport, outlining how the airport, the busiest in the world, is acting to reduce its environmental impact at the same time as increasing its use of chemicals, such as glycol and potassium-based de-icing solutions, which affect its wastewater treatment systems.
ET
Environment Technology 2011 is the 20th such event and includes a wide range of technology suppliers, covering everything from air pollution control to waste minimisation. Seminar topics at ET 2011 include: air pollution, business continuity, energy to waste, “green” transport, the low-carbon transition, MCERTs, recycling, resource efficiency and zero waste.
NEMEX
NEMEX is the UK’s leading energy and renewable event. Seminar themes range from government policy and carbon-reduction strategies to energy management in buildings, and grants and financing. There are several sessions on energy management standards, including a progress report on ISO 50001 – the international standard for energy management, which is expected to be published shortly – and the EU energy audits standard by Martin Fry from ESTA, while Viki Bell from BSI will reveal how the BSI Kitemark and Energy Reduction Verification scheme is faring, following its launch in 2010.
BEX
The Brownfield Expo is the UK’s main event for contaminated land solutions. Its seminar sessions this year are grouped around 12 themes, including liability and risk assessment, land regeneration, soil stabilisation and spill control.
Seminar sessions include: Andrew Barton, business development manager at QDS Environmental, on how surfactant flushing provided a breakthrough at the UK’ first carbon-neutral remediation project; Ian Heasman, associate director of brownfield and sustainability at Taylor Wimpey, on the research work of the NICOLE Brownfield Working Group into liability transfer from industrial land holders to brownfield users; and Mark Prout, associate director at TCM, on how to sustainably and practically deal with Japanese knotweed growing in contaminated land.
Sustainable Business – The Event
There is a complete three-day conference programme on the main stage at SB – The Event. The Tuesday programme includes a session examining the coalition government’s plans, and a joint presentation by Dr Paul Taylor, from the Carbon Trust, and Simon Houghton-Dodd, head of quality and sustainability at Tate & Lyle, on footprinting and measurement.
Day two includes a session on integrated reporting from Mike Nightingale, head of sustainability at British American Tobacco, and Richard Ellis, director of corporate social responsibility at the Alliance Boots Group.
In addition to the conference and seminar programmes, Sustainabilitylive!, which is free to attend, also has more than 400 exhibitors. Come and visit the environmentalist team at stand U51.
