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The much anticipated industry expo, DesignBUILD opened in Melbourne yesterday to an overwhelming response from the industry, with exhibitors, visitors, organisers and a panel of industry judges already impressed by this year’s expo.
The panel of Selector judges were impressed by the quality of innovations on show while determining the Selector Best New Product Award, while exhibition organisers had a tough job deciding on which stand should be crowned ‘best on show’.
Exhibition Manager, Frank Matus, said he knew it would be a tough call for Selector judges in determining the Selector Best New Product Award because Innovation Alley had already set such a high standard.
“Walking through the FrameCAD Innovation Alley, where there is a selection of industry-leading products on show, you can seriously consider the intelligence behind every innovation and the implications for real life application.
“Innovation Alley has by far been one of the busiest features in the expo as industry trades and professionals browse the latest ideas and decide which exhibitors they should visit for more information,” he said.
The Selector Best New Product Award encourages innovation, development and improved products for specifiers to use in architectural products, with an expert judging panel including Rachel Nolan, Director of Kennedy Nolan Architects, Callum Fraser, Director of Elenberg Fraser and Byron George, Director of Russell & George.
The winner of the Selector Best New Product Award as judged and announced at DesignBUILD was Vacuum Toilets Australia for the product’s capabilities to save hundreds-of-millions of litres of water, as well as cutting back on sewage pumped back into municipal treatment plants.
With applications available for solar powered vacuum pumps, onsite treatment options and reuse of grey water, the judges deemed Vacuum Toilets Australia to be the overall winner of the Selector Best New Product Award.
At 2pm today, Vacuum Toilets Australia Managing Director, John Neskudia, addressed DesignBUILD delegates in a seminar titled “Water water everywhere – but not a drop to drink”, highlighting the benefits of reusing grey water.
Power Tracker were a worthy finalist for their easy to use electricity consumption and solar generation monitoring systems, whilst Clinka were commended for their innovative expanded clay aggregate insulation product ‘clinkaFILL’.
Mr Matus added that choosing the Best DesignBUILD Stand was just as tough and competitive with Austral Australia, LouvreTec, QAQ Architecture and Metro Solar + Power Tracker all receiving an award.
“We’ve worked with exhibitors to create stands that don’t just showcase new tools, equipment, software and construction concepts, but engage with the visitor and we’ve seen a really positive result of that in the high level of stand appeal across the expo.
“Visiting DesignBUILD is not a static walk-by experience as we’ve continued to move away from basic shell stands to create interactive and engaging supplier areas that really demonstrate new products and ideas, so that visitors can walk by and be instantly inspired and understand what’s actually on show and how it works,” he said.
DesignBUILD is open until 8pm tonight with CPD accredited seminars continuing throughout Thursday and Friday. Attendance to the expo, which is open at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 27 – 29 June, is free for industry trades and professionals, whilst seminar bookings are open at www.designbuildexpo.com.au
