Visitors flocked to Excel in London last week as three key shows came together to form the UK’s ‘built environment super event’.
UK Construction Week (UKCW) London ran alongside both Futurebuild and the Stone & Surfaces Show across three-packed days full of conversations, innovation and networking.
Sponsored by Sage, Wyre, HotelPlanner, Zurich Resilience Solutions, Build Warranty, SolarEdge and HRT Spedition, UKCW London featured over 300 leading brands; over 25 trade bodies and associations, including the Federation of Master Builders, CIBSE, and the National Association Of Air Duct-Cleaners UK.
Show highlights included:
- Three shows in one - Running alongside Futurebuild and the Stone & Surfaces Show for the first time, UKCW London gave visitors access to an even broader range of exhibitors, CPD-accredited content, networking opportunities and cross-sector insight all under one roof. The co-location brought together professionals from across the construction, sustainability, materials and surface design sectors, creating added value for attendees.
- Visitors heard from key construction business leaders and those driving the industry forward, including Rt Hon Sir James Cleverly MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government; Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development; Mark Reynolds – Group Executive Chairman, Mace Group; Renee Preston – CEO, Gallaway Construction; George Clarke – Architect and TV presenter.
- Making its debut at UKCW London, the Live Demonstration Zone showcased a programme of hands-on sessions designed to be practical, varied, and genuinely engaging. Visitors experienced everything from live dust-free drilling with Hilti’s Nuron platform, to heavy-duty cordless demonstrations moving large concrete blocks, proving real on-site capability.
- Now in its ninth year, the Role Models Awards recognised exceptional talent and commitment across the sector, with shortlists revealed in three new categories: rising star, pioneer and icon. The winners will be announced at UKCW Birmingham in September.
- The Stone & Surfaces Show, the UK’s only trade exhibition with a section devoted entirely to natural stone, featured its very own Surfaces Cinema showcasing architectural photography and documentary film exploring the cultural and environmental narratives of stone. It included the UK Premiere of Milestone, a feature length documentary from renowned Portuguese director Frederico Miranda.
Sam Patel, Divisional Director, UK Construction Week London, commented: “Bringing UKCW London, Futurebuild and The Stone & Surfaces Show together under one roof created an unrivalled opportunity for the industry to connect across the entire built environment. The response from visitors and exhibitors has exceeded our expectations and reflects the appetite for a more joined-up event experience that encourages collaboration, innovations and new business opportunities.”
UKCW Birmingham will return to the NEC from 29 September to 1 October 2026.
A new era of connection across the built environment
Futurebuild 2026 closed on a remarkable high after delivering one of the most vibrant, energetic and connected gatherings the built environment industry has ever seen, with overall visitor numbers across the co-located shows doubling year-on-year.
For the first time, Futurebuild co-located with UK Construction Week (UKCW) and Stones & Surfaces at Excel London (12–14 May), transforming the venue into a thriving hub of innovation, collaboration and opportunity.
The scale and energy across the halls created a genuine sense of momentum throughout the three days, with packed seminar theatres, crowded exhibition stands and constant movement between the connected events creating one of the busiest and most dynamic industry gatherings of the year.
The seamless connection between the three shows unlocked a completely new visitor experience, dramatically increasing cross-show discovery, networking opportunities and access to innovation across the entire built environment supply chain.
Architects, specifiers, contractors, developers, manufacturers, policymakers and innovators explored the events side-by-side, creating a level of collaboration and cross-sector interaction rarely seen within the industry.
The connected format brought together every corner of the built environment in one destination, allowing visitors to discover new technologies, exchange ideas and make valuable business connections at every turn.
“Three hours at Excel gave me more insights into the trends affecting the UK building sector than I could’ve gathered in days of calls and site visits,” said Luke Vargas, Podcast host at the Wall Street Journal, who attended in search of transferable technologies to help tackle the U.S. housing shortage.
Across the three days, Futurebuild’s Main Conference and National Retrofit Arena delivered a packed programme of thought-provoking discussion and industry insight. Keynote speakers included Rt Hon Chris Skidmore OBE, MP Martin McCluskey, Minister for Energy Consumers at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, while James Cleverly, the Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government, also appeared on stage at UKCW.
“As ever, our curators have done a phenomenal job of delivering a highly acclaimed knowledge programme that is truly for the industry, by the industry,” said Futurebuild Event Director Martin Hurn.
“The decision to connect Futurebuild, UKCW and Stones & Surfaces delivered something far bigger than three co-located events. Together they transformed Excel London into a single destination for the entire built environment industry, creating new opportunities for collaboration, innovation and commercial connection across every corner of the sector.
“The energy across the halls over the three days was incredible. Every theatre was full, every networking space was active and there was a genuine sense that the industry had come together with purpose, optimism and ambition.
“We continue to invest heavily in our conferences, seminar stages and networking opportunities because meaningful connection and knowledge sharing are at the heart of what Futurebuild stands for.”
Throughout the event, attendees repeatedly pointed to the ingenuity on display and the industry’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and collaboration as reasons for optimism about the future.
