University supporting industry’s preparations for the supply of sustainable construction

Coventry University greeted suppliers and clients from the sustainable construction sector last month as they met to discuss how small and medium sized enterprises in the West Midlands could be put on the map for supply to the industry.

The University is leading on the Sustainable Building Futures (SBF) project, which engages with eligible SMEs in the region for knowledge transfer, collaborative development and implementation of innovative environmental technology for use in sustainable construction. 

Funded by Coventry University and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the project provides fully funded support to West Midlands SMEs in the form of specialist advice and the development, testing and demonstration of new sustainable building technologies. It also offers access to state-of-the-art equipment in the University’s new Engineering and Computing building.

The ‘Get Ready to Supply’ event provided a platform for both suppliers’ and buyers’ views to be heard, and included one-to-one advice sessions with industry experts from Orbit, the Sustainable Housing Action Partnership (SHAP) and Coventry University’s Low Impact Buildings Centre.

Andrew Tonks, programme director for the SBF project, said:

The event provided a fantastic opportunity for us to engage with local industry and to listen to their needs. We are now planning on how we can develop the support services that the SBF project offers so we can help local industry compete in these challenging yet exciting times.

For further information, please contact Andy Tonks on 07974 984683 or email atonks@cad.coventry.ac.uk. Alternatively, contact Alex Roache, External Press & Media Relations Officer, Coventry University, on +44 (0)24 7679 5050 or email alex.roache@coventry.ac.uk.