The season of exhibitions is once again upon us, but with a wealth of knowledge and information at our fi ngertips via the Internet, does the necessity to attend these events still exist? In years gone by, visiting the various design, architecture and construction shows was sacrosanct, written onto the wall planner every January. Attendance often spread over days rather than hours, but as workloads increased and access to information became instant, visitor numbers and exhibitors decreased and certain shows became unviable – obviously not helped by economic vagaries.

However, with Ecobuild rapidly approaching, I believe it is vitally important to put time aside to visit this worthwhile event and find out what’s really happening in the sustainability arena. Whilst viewing products and specification details online can help in our day-to-day work, actually seeing them for real and talking to their developers and manufacturers, really does make a difference. Add to that a seminar programme which addresses highly pertinent industry issues with renowned commentators – attendance is a must!

This issue of FC&A includes a preview of what you can expect to see at this year’s Ecobuild, plus we have three stunning projects with outstanding eco and regeneration credentials. A new vicarage in Dudley is the fi rst property in the UK to be built with combined Passivhaus and CSH Level 6 standards; The Triangle by Hab Oakus, takes sustainability onto a whole new level, and the amazing new Bournville College has risen out of the ashes of Longbridge becoming a beacon for urban regeneration. As always, if you would like to comment on any of the articles featured in this issue, or tell me about your own projects, then please do get in touch.