The Italian Pavilion at Ecobuild 2012

LONDON, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

An outstanding symbol of the renewal of Italy

The Italian Chamber of Commerce for the UK is pleased to present the Italian Pavilion at Ecobuild 2012, taking place at ExCel from 20^th to 22^nd March. The Italian Pavilion involves more than 120 Italian companies and will occupy around 1,700 Sq m of net exhibiting space.

Ecobuild 2012

Ecobuild is the world's biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment and the UK's largest construction event of any kind, organised for the first time by UBM, a global leading event organiser that will bring Ecobuild to Shanghai from 9th to 12th April. Ecobuild combines a huge product showcase with over 1,500 suppliers of sustainable and innovative construction products, with an information programme comprising more than 130 conference and seminar sessions, delivered by 750 expert speakers, plus dozens of interactive and educational attractions.

The Italian Pavilion

The Italian presence at Ecobuild has increased to a total of 1,700 Sq m. Such a result demonstrates the determination of Italian companies to retain and develop their position in world markets despite the adverse economic conditions. It also confirms that companies from all over Italy are fundamentally optimistic about the future. They are willing to invest in foreign markets and are confident that they can maintain their leading position in product design and development for a sustainable future.

Significantly, 2012 sees a strong Southern Italian presence at Ecobuild. Almost 30 companies from Puglia, Basilicata and Campania will be exhibiting in more than 350 Sq m. It's a positive sign for the South that many of these companies are coming to London to showcase the excellent opportunities of investment recently made possible by the government policies in the renewable energies field.

The strong presence of solar panel producers is a sign that, despite the announced cuts on the FITs they still consider the UK as one of the most promising markets in the EU. As always Italy will have a leading position in flooring systems, generally considered to be among the best in the world. A new sector that our companies are promoting is the HVAC with two major Italian producers launching innovative heating systems in the UK.

The regions with most exhibitors are Veneto (21%), Lombardy (16%), Puglia (11%), Friuli and Emilia-Romagna, each with 10% of the exhibiting space and a very significant 9% from the small Basilicata. The main sectors represented are the Photovoltaic (27%), Flooring and Surface (12%), Chemical products for construction (11%), HVAC and other renewables with 8% of the total exhibiting space.

The Italian influence and authority in bio architecture and design is supported by the speeches of top architects Carlo Colombo and Carlo Ratti. Carlo Colombo is an award winning designer and architect, principal of the Carlo Colombo Studio, Art Director of Arflex and Stratex, the Italian leading company in bio architecture, lecturer at the faculty of architecture in Beijing and international ambassador for Italian design. Carlo Ratti is an architect, engineer and founding partner of Carlorattiassociati, Director of SENSEable City Lab at the MIT and member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council for Urban Management.

USB Use Sustainable Brains and the Italian lounge

Use Sustainable Brains is the 150 Sqm Main Attraction of the Italian Pavilion. The Project is an indoor-outdoor receptive structure built using eco-friendly architecture that symbolises a shift towards a Sustainable Society. Over 3500 visitors attended the Water Nest, last year's Main attraction. We are therefore expecting at least 4,000 visitors during the three days of this year's show.

Next to the Main Attraction we are organising an Italian lounge that will be used as a joint area by the Italian exhibitors. The media will be strongly represented and organised in collaboration with our press office and it will be used to welcome the special guests from Italy and from the UK that will visit the Italian companies.

Among the guests of the Italian pavilion there will be the Italian minister of the Environment, The Italian Ambassador and The President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce for the UK. We will also welcome many authoritative guests from all the regions present at EcoBuild and important representatives of the main research centers for sustainable building and for the protection of the environment.

VISIT THE ITALIAN PAVILION'S LOUNGE - STAND S561

ECOBUILD 2012 - ITALIAN PAVILION

PROGRAMME

Tuesday 20^th March

10,00        Opening to visitors

11,30        Opening Ceremony of the Main Attraction of The Italian Pavilion

17,00        Closing

Wednesday 21^st March

10,00        Opening to visitors

18,00        Closing

Thursday 22^nd March

10,00        Opening to visitors

16,00        Closing

For further information please contact:

Giuseppe Paoletti
Deputy Secretary General
gpaoletti@italchamind.org.uk

Luigi Fontana
Trade Fairs Promotion
lfontana@italchamind.org.uk

The Italian Chamber of Commerce for the UK
1 Princes Street
London W1B2AY

Tel: +44(0)20-7495-8191
Fax: +44(0)20-7495-8194

SOURCE Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the UK