Building on the success of COP26, the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum has announced it will be holding a dedicated eco homes festival in 2022, delivering practical assistance and advice to help Scotland become a net zero nation.

Running from 8-12 August, the Green Home Festival will engage the public and businesses in the global challenge, offering demonstrations and hands-on guidance to help everyone reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient.

The week-long experience will be part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe and will be organised by members of the CICV Forum, who are aiming to build it into an annual event.

One of the event’s organisers, John McKinney, Secretary of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, said: “The event will show and highlight the important role that construction will play for Scotland to achieve its net zero target in the years ahead.

“Delivered via collaboration across the Scottish construction industry through the CICV Forum, we are aiming to make this inaugural event an annual occasion that will help to build a long-term legacy and demonstrate our commitment to greener, low-carbon solutions.”

The Green Home Festival will host around 15 shows across five days, targeting homeowners, professionals, local authorities, housing associations and local authorities.

The sessions will be delivered via a hybrid of in-person and virtual shows, with in-person presentations hosted in Edinburgh and also live streamed to a global online audience.

On offer will be practical advice on how to carry out effective retrofit work on older homes as well as the latest technology for new homes. The sessions will also show how the construction industry can work together to make green home living a reality for everyone.

The range of topics will cover:
• Traditional buildings, e.g. tenements
• Commercial building and facilities management
• Solid and cavity wall buildings
• New developments
• Heat sources and renewable technology
• Choosing the right products to minimise the carbon footprint of existing and new buildings.

Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Through its practical demonstrations, the Green Home Festival will also show what we can all do to save energy and become a more efficient, low-carbon society.

“For homeowners, the demonstrations will include step-by-step examples of how to get your building ready and energy efficient.

“It will also give us the opportunity to share good examples of larger projects and the exciting new developments already demonstrated across Scotland, such as the Resource Efficient House in Ravenscraig.”

Fellow organiser David Logue, Partner at Gardiner & Theobald LLP, said: “Just like the Forum itself, the Green Home Festival will demonstrate collaboration and cooperation. There will be expert input from a range of designers, consultants and contractors, who will share their journey towards carbon reduction to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

“We are particularly looking forward to discussing the technology of heat sources, how they work, where they’re appropriate and how solar and wind power could be used to power them, including use of batteries.”

Further details about the festival are available by emailing info@greenhomefestival.co.uk and a more detailed schedule will be revealed next year.

The event is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the Forum since its creation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Made up of 29 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.