LE MONDIAL DU BÂTIMENT - Exclusive presentation of the nominees

82 technological innovations for sustainable, more cost-effective buildings that are a pleasure to live and work in

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The Innovation Awards are the highlight of the Mondial du Bâtiment which brings together the construction industry’s three flagship exhibitions – BATIMAT, INTERCLIMA+ELEC and IDEOBAIN. Below we present the 82 innovations shortlisted by the ten panels of experts which met this summer.

With just a few days to go before the winners are announced at the Mondial du Bâtiment Awards Ceremony at the Théâtre de Paris on 28 September – a major industry event – some key trends have already emerged.

82 INNOVATIONS REFLECTING THE SECTOR’S DYNAMISM

Of the 210 entries in the Innovation Awards, 82 were singled out by the panels of experts and were submitted to the Grand Jury in early September. The high standard of entries in this year’s competition is evidence once again of the huge effort put in by the companies presenting their groundbreaking innovations in ten categories. The 82 solutions have been developed by exhibitors from all over Europe and the USA.

The shortlisted and subsequently the winning innovations will be on display throughout the show on specially designed Innovation Towers. This year, images of 47 BATIMAT, 26 INTERCLIMA+ELEC and 9 IDÉOBAIN solutions will be projected onto giant screens on the Innovation Towers in the exhibition halls.

In the words of Guillaume Loizeaud, Director of the Construction Division of Reed Expositions France, the organiser of the Mondial du Bâtiment: “Innovation is cited as the primary reason for coming by 99% of our visitors. As well as anticipating developments in the industry, the Innovation Awards reveal and showcase new solutions, highlighting the latest technologies on the market that address the challenges of designing more sustainable, cost-effective buildings that are a pleasure to live and work in. The awards are a testament to the sector’s tremendous vitality and our manufacturers’ capacity for innovation. In 2015 the Mondial du Bâtiment Innovation Awards ceremony is being held in Paris, more than a month before the exhibition opens, and will be a high-profile innovation showcase for the entire industry. The winning innovations as well as all the shortlisted products will be spotlighted at the exhibition through “Innovation Towers” which will be seen by the 350,000 visitors expected at Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre from 2 to 6 November.”

FOCUS ON THIS YEAR’S KEY TRENDS, A MONTH BEFORE THE WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED

One noteworthy fact about the 2015 session is that several products and services entered in the Mondial du Bâtiment Innovation Awards are both breakthrough innovations and at the same time provide concrete solutions to the challenges of designing more sustainable, cost-effective buildings that are pleasant to live and work in. The innovations are also accessible to potential users, since they have either just been launched or will be immediately after the Mondial du Bâtiment.

>>> Tomorrow’s buildings will be above all more cost-effective due significantly lower construction costs

>> They will be quicker to design thanks to more integrated IT solutions enabling all those involved to share and design more efficiently: More collaborative open platforms (Abvent BIMoffice 3 multiproject system, Nemetschek open library), new thermal transmittance calculation software that communicates with traditional design applications (BBS Slama Clima-Win, Cypetherm open BIM thermal transmittance calculation). Plus, 3D or augmented reality (AR) technologies that will allow users to see the final effect with extraordinary realism (Abvent Twinmotion, SG Eurocoustic Plafond Designer).

>> They will be quicker to build thanks to more and more prefabricated solutions reducing on-site labour time: The traditional multilayer wall structure will gradually disappear, floors will be quicker to lay, all thanks to prefabrication (Innomur’s Isostal prefab blocks, Doka France’s Dokadek modular formwork system). Timber frame house building is becoming more industrialised and spreading to the non-residential and MDU sector (Rotho Blaas multi-storey CLT building fixing systems, Suteki Wood Systems).

>> Build quality and reliability will also improve: Due to the materials used (Metalgalante-Carmix Promix instant concrete quality control), software solutions will improve accuracy on the building site (Trimble MEP fast positioning system enabling MEP contractors to consult digital models in the field using a handheld device), Topcon LN 100 construction layout navigator) and for better fault diagnosis on renovation projects (FLIR Systems FLIR C2 pocket-sized thermal imaging camera).

>>> Tomorrow’s buildings will be more cost-effective because they will consume less and even produce their own energy

>> They will consume less energy: In new-build homes with integrated management systems that optimise energy use (Cardonnel Ingénierie Habitat Thermogène) or maximise heat recovery (Laufen Kartell shower tray with integrated heat exchanger), boiler systems and heat pumps incorporating groundbreaking new technology (boostHEAT and Aquanext by GrDf) and the widespread availability of LED technology (Gewiss GWL 2442 LED high bay luminaire for industrial environments).

>> Homes will start producing, storing and managing their own energy (Imerys with Stock’It and its photovoltaic roof tiles which store and redistribute energy, Solarwatt MyReserve which stores solar energy with 93% efficiency).

>> They will consume less water: Thanks to revolutionary new technologies in the bathroom (Hansgrohe with Axor designed by Philippe Starck) and on the roof (Le Prieuré’s connected hydroactive green roof).

>>> Tomorrow’s homes will also be more pleasant to live in

>> First of all they will be more aesthetically pleasing: With major innovations in new-build (Atlantem AM-X windows with concealed opening vent) and renovation of old windows (Rockwool’s Rockframe insulated profile, Forster Systèmes Unico XS steel profiles), roof windows for flat roofs that are completely safe to walk on (Fakro DXW Flat Roof) and innovative concrete products (Lumineo with Lumistone translucent concrete). New solutions for innovative architectures (Schüco with its parametric façade system).

>> They will be even more comfortable: With breakthroughs making it possible to open windows without being bothered by outside noise (Technal active acoustics concept) and innovative external blinds (Renson Panovista sun protection for glass-on-glass corner windows).

>> They will also be more accessible (Etna IzyDoor automatic door opener, Heroal door sill system) with space-saving solutions for renovation projects (SFA Wedi’s walk-in shower system requiring no structural work, and Jacob Delafon’s Smart Wall shower enclosure solution with integrated plumbing, lighting and storage).

>> They will also be healthier: With more powerful and energy-efficient air treatment systems (ebm-papst RadiPac centrifugal fan, Renson Healthbox) and highly innovative maintenance solutions (Mez-Technik’s technical spray for sealing leaky air ducts, Titapak quartz filter from Titanair).

>>> As the digital revolution enters the home, it will transform our approach to energy use. Tomorrow’s homes will be connected, for the benefit of users: With smart thermostats that can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet (Qivivo, Netatmo, Nest, Elm Touch) and smart heaters (Muller Smart ECOcontrol).

2015 JUDGES

The 2015 Innovation Awards judges reflect the international dimension of the Mondial du Bâtiment, with the participation of leading figures from Europe (Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK) and Africa (Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal) who are well-known in their own countries. The entries and subsequently the shortlisted innovations were judged by industry experts.

>>> The 2015 “Expert” juries drew up their shortlists in July:

Composed of renowned international professionals (who are independent and active in their field) and journalists, their role is to examine the 210 entries received and select the most promising innovations.

>>> The 2015 winners were decided by the Grand Jury:

With members representing France (AICVF, BatiActu, Verre & Protections, Qualitel, Qualibat, CSTB, FFB, Batiweb, OPPBTP, ADEME, CAPEB, Plan Durable dans le Bâtiment, PYC) and the international community (Sebastian Redecke from the German magazine Bauwelt; Fatou Cissé, Lead Technical Adviser to the Senegalese Ministry of Urban Renewal, Housing and the Living Environment; Sehinabou Yolande Doukouré, President of CNOA in the Ivorey Coast; Howard Chapman from the UK construction news organisation Building Talk, Peter de Winter from the Dutch magazine Bouwwereld and Ad Tissink from the Dutch newspaper Cobouw; and the Spanish architect Jose Maria TOMAS LLAVADOR).

The French-speaking judges of the Grand Jury met on 3 September, in Paris, France, to select up to three winners per category (Gold, Silver and Bronze).