Trade fair and congress for sustainable building, investment, operations and maintenance in Stuttgart growing once again
Enhanced international character, an overall increase in the number of visitors and more exhibitors from abroad – the results from Consense 2012 are impressive. In its fifth year the international trade fair and congress for sustainable building, investment, operations and maintenance experienced further growth. Over two days Messe Stuttgart provided an important platform for the exchange of information and ideas among specialists and experts on the topic of sustainability.
This year 2,376 visitors from over 50 countries took the opportunity at Consense to obtain first-hand information on current developments and new concepts. In its anniversary year the organisers Messe Stuttgart and the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) also appeared satisfied.
Over 50 percent of visitors belong to the top decision-makers of the industry, every third person is active on the Executive Committee or in management. Traditionally the group of architects, planners and engineers, as well as consulting firms and service providers, are strongly represented, followed by experts from the industry and manufacturers of construction products. An upward trend can be discerned in the interest from project developers and managers.
Consense once again recorded strong growth in the number of visitors from abroad. The number of visitors increased by 11 percent overall, which was noticeable both in the congress and at the trade fair. In addition to participants from the German-speaking countries Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the large majority of visitors came from Brazil, Russia, Italy and France, as well as the USA, Australia and China. Overall visitors from 57 countries were registered, there was also an increase in interest from foreign exhibitors.
The largest majority of visitors coming from within Germany hailed from Baden-Wrttemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westfalia and Hesse, and visitors from the central real estate locations Berlin and Hamburg also travelled to Consense. Their interest was primarily in the areas of building materials and building products, but the visitors were also happy to discover trends in and obtain valuable information on architecture, planning and renewable energies. A large number classify the significance of the specialist event as important, almost 60 percent expect it to even gain in significance in the future. At the same time the trade fair is becoming more and more popular also among the congress visitors – for 70 percent it represents an important component of Consense.
Overall the ratings from exhibitors are positive. Over 80 percent saw their objectives met mainly with regard to raising their profile and in terms of their own image cultivation. The expectations in terms of information about the product range and the presentation of innovations were also satisfied: "This here is a really important platform. We have seen how Consense has developed in recent years and decided to present our new product here. We meet many visitors from Germany and also from abroad", summarises Laura Cremer, Internal Communication and Sustainability Manager Europe, Interface Deutschland GmbH. Joerg Nitzsche, CEO, TONI Bird Control Solutions GmbH & Co. KG, is also convinced: "We are looking for contacts with customers to whom sustainability is important. At Consense we were able to make good connections and obtain good feedback."
The evaluation of the business success and the post-trade fair business is significantly better than in the previous year – a large majority of exhibitors are optimistic about the economic development of the industry as a whole, as well as the post-trade fair business. They also want to recommend the trade fair. Bright prospects for Consense: Over 90 percent see the international trade fair and congress as a central meeting point, almost half assume that the event will increase in importance in the future.
The next Consense, the international trade fair and congress for sustainable building, investment, operations and maintenance, will be taking place on 18 and 19 June 2013 in the ICS International Congress Center Stuttgart.
Further information about the trade fair
Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH
Melanie Bachmann
Messepiazza 1
70629 Stuttgart, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)711 18560 – 2631
Fax: +49 (0)711 18560 – 2657
melanie.bachmann@messe-stuttgart.de
Further information about the congress
German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB)
Tanja Dieterle
Kronprinzstrasse 11
70173 Stuttgart, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)711 72 23 22 – 0
Fax: +49 (0)711 72 23 22 – 99
info@dgnb.de
