Futurebuild 2026 (3-5 March at Excel London) will be a platform for amplifying the innovation that’s being spurred to support the sector in addressing its sustainability ambitions.

Leading with the theme ‘Connect’, a series of new show features are being introduced to enhance purposeful collaboration – bringing together thousands of decision-makers dedicated to finding viable solutions that can help surmount the implications of tightening design and safety standards, while driving down whole life carbon costs.

Connecting decision-makers

As attendees navigate how to successfully deliver on initiatives including the London Plan, Awaab’s Law, ever stringent safety regulations and the impending construction products reform, the calibre of 2026 exhibitors – combined with a carefully curated conference and knowledge programme – is paving the way for the next instalment to be Futurebuild’s most inspirational yet.

“Each year, Futurebuild explores the big themes shaping our future. In 2026, we’re calling time on business as usual,” says Martin Hurn, Futurebuild Event Director. “Our industry doesn’t just need new ideas. It needs to build resilience, prioritise reuse and embrace regenerative design. These ‘three Rs’ will define the conversations at Futurebuild and support decision-makers in striving for long-term systems change, alongside dealing with more immediate regulatory reform.”

Supporting cross-sector collaboration

The reimagined format and floorplan includes a new Local Authority Collaboration hub alongside the National Retrofit Conference. This will be a dedicated area for representatives across the public and private sectors to connect and better understand how the built environment can enhance projects for both people and place. The focus will be on advances being made in the delivery of healthier, more efficient homes – in tandem with the continuing commitment to decarbonisation.

Wider environmental and resource concerns will also be major talking points on Futurebuild’s main conference arena as industry representatives champion the sector’s growing recycling and reuse momentum – exploring how circularity can be embedded and sharing pioneering examples in action.

Achieving resilience through regenerative design and reuse

This year, ‘The 3Rs’ is an overarching theme for the event’s esteemed knowledge programme. The Futurebuild Arena Conference will see industry bodies, government figures and high profile change makers take to the stage to rally for the three fundamentals for the future of the built environment: reuse, resilience and regenerative design.

Futurebuild partners, including The Circular Economy Task Force, ACAN!, The Circular Economy Institute and Architects Declare are involved in shaping these conversations. Alongside the architect, academic and authority on circular economy thinking, Duncan Baker-Brown, who will be a headline key speaker reinforcing that critical resilience will only come by taking a circular economy approach with reuse at its heart.

Pushing boundaries with heavyweight partners 

Several leading trade bodies including RIBA, CIBSE, CIOB and UKGBC are also instrumental in pulling together a knowledge programme that promises to be as provocative and informative as ever.

Featuring 550+ speakers, 133 hours of CPD-accredited content and sessions compiled by over 60 industry partners and associations, Futurebuild’s Arena Conference, National Retrofit Conference and seminar stages attract audiences invested in making genuine progress happen.

With several influential supply chain associations – including the Heat Pumps Association (HPA), UK District Energy Association (UKDEA), The Concrete Centre, 540 World and PassivHaus Trust – also invited to execute a series of practical seminar ‘stage takeovers’, Futurebuild 2026 is continuing to deliver content brought together by the industry, for the industry – bringing fresh thinking to the fore with a particular emphasis on dissecting the role of innovation.

Spotlighting innovation

“Innovation will inevitably be central to the discussion but we’ll be flipping the script to explore how we can better use existing knowledge and the need for social transformation, rather than solely exploring novel technical solutions,” adds Martin Hurn.

“Futurebuild is where mission meets market. We’re not just a conference or a showcase. We’re a platform for delivery. We connect people, ideas and solutions in ways that accelerate the shift to a more sustainable, resilient and regenerative future.”

By uniting the entire supply chain, Futurebuild is uniquely placed to engage representatives ranging from senior specifiers and architects through to major contractors and developers – all actively looking for innovative ideas to secure and successfully deliver their projects.

Connecting ideas and impact

To this end, the Innovation Trail, a curated path showcasing products and systems with measurable sustainability impact, will be spotlighting the biggest breakthroughs, featuring brands including Dimplex, Anzen Walls, The Concrete Centre, 7 Steel UK and ZapCarbon.

The return of the Big Innovation Pitch and Big Retrofit Challenge are also hotly anticipated to highlight transformative thinking as shortlisted nominees present ingenious solutions designed to support the transition to a more sustainable built environment.

For further information  visit futurebuild.co.uk