2017 WPA Conference Programme Announced
Conference venue: Breadsall Priory Hotel, Derby 6 April 2017
- Impressive line-up of expert guest speakers
- Sustainability, construction and performance sessions
- Results of treatment industry survey announced
- Poster display session introduced
To make the most of wood it’s essential to make the most of wood protection technology. The WPA’s 2017 Conference is very much focused on this theme. The Programme includes an impressive line up of guest speakers who are the acknowledged experts in their subjects - subjects which have a strategic importance to the wood protection industry.
Currently WPA is conducting a survey of companies involved in the supply of treated wood in the UK and the results of this survey and how it is shaping WPA strategy will be revealed at the conference.
Alongside conference there will be ‘poster sessions’ where specific wood protection topics e.g. the UK durability field trial and incising technology can be discussed with those organisations taking space.
This is the third annual conference staged by the WPA and it is the most ambitious yet – we hope you will be there.
The Programme
10.00 Keynote Speech – Ed Suttie, Sustainable Materials Lead, BRE
10.30 The growing importance of home grown timber– Dougal Driver, CEO Grown in Britain
11.00 Morning break – poster session/networking
11.20 Sustainable Construction Timber – Ivor Davies, Napier University
12.00 Assessing the performance of treated wood -Jöran Jermer, SP Sweden & IRG Secretary General
12.30 Lunch - poster session and networking
13.30 Marketing and PR in the timber supply chain - Liz Male Consulting
13.55 Creosote – a future in infrastructure – WPA
14.10 Afternoon break – poster session/networking
14.30 WPA treatment industry survey results - Gordon Ewbank, survey facilitator
14.45 Driving demand for treated wood – WPA Priorities - WPA Drector, Steve Young
15.15 Conference Ends
About our 2017 Guest Speakers
Our keynote speaker, Ed Suttie, heads up sustainable materials research at the Building Research Establishment, the home of construction and sustainability innovation. Ed is a big believer in the potential of treated wood to meet sustainability objectives and is the perfect speaker to get our 2017 conference underway.
With the exchange rate uncertainty surrounding Brexit, interest in British timber has never been higher. Dougal Driver, Grown in Britain CEO will talk about the mission to meet this demand.
Ivor Davies is a research fellow at Edinburgh Napier University and recently authored a report for Forestry Commission Scotland called ‘Sustainable Construction Timber’. Ivor will discuss the highlights of this report and potential for wood as a building material.
The name of Jöran Jermer is well known wherever the durability performance of wood is discussed worldwide. He is leads the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden team involved in assessing the performance of treated wood and has held the role of Secretary General for the International Research Group on Wood Preservation (IRG) for over 20 years. Jöran will give delegates an update on current durability assessment work and the setting of performance expectations.
Liz Male MBE is a PR and Communications Consultant specialising in the construction industry. She is also chair of ‘Trustmark’ the Government endorsed operational standards scheme for tradesmen. Liz is well aware of the communication issues faced by our industry and will offer an insight into whats needed to better position treated wood in the construction sector.
BOOK YOUR PLACE
The WPA conference 2017 takes place at the Marriott Breadsall Priory Hotel, Derby on Thursday 6 April. For WPA Members the first delegate is free with any subsequent delegates charged at £50. The conference is open to non-members for which the attendance cost is £100 per delegate.
24-HOUR DELEGATE RATE - £185
Most WPA members attending the conference also attend the annual dinner and awards event the evening before. For this a special 24 hour delegate rate of £185 has been negotiated with the hotel. This is unchanged from 2016 and represents fantastic value. It includes, dinner with wine, bed, breakfast, participation in the conference, lunch and all break snacks and refreshments.
NB: all prices quoted are subject to VAT
Book your place now: Contact Caroline Hewison: Caroline@www.wood-protection.org
Posted at 2:45 pm on January 17th, 2017
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