Final Report

22nd INTERNATIONAL BUILDING AND BUILDING MATERIALS FAIR MEGRA EXPANDED CONSTRUCTION HORIZONS

“I estimate the 22nd International Building and Building Materials Fair - MEGRA 2009 to be a success, even exceeding exhibitors', visitors' and organisers' expectations. From March 31 to April 4, 2009, 460 exhibitors from 18 countries were represented at 20,800 m2 exhibition spaces, proving that Slovenia plays an important part in the modern European and global construction development. Domestic companies demonstrated at the fair that the Slovenian construction and building material industry are excellently qualified for the most challenging construction projects at home and abroad. The economy needs capable construction industry in order to build energy-saving and environmentally friendly buildings and infrastructure. The technical happening at the fair exposed also some issues regarding the organisation, legislation, human resources and, as a consequence, also regarding education. At the same time, numerous solutions of these issues became visible, together with a clearer view into the future. As the fair organiser, we were satisfied with the number of visitors which exceeded 24,000. During this week, Gornja Radgona, a region where four countries meet, was the best equipped construction site in Slovenia looking into sustainable development. Therefore, we'll start preparing for the 2010 MEGRA Fair already tomorrow with optimism!”

Janez Erjavec, Director of Pomurski sejem

MEGRA 2009 ID-CARD

Exhibition space total: 20,800 m2
Indoor exhibition area: 10,000 m2
Outdoor exhibition area: 10,800 m2
Number of exhibitors: 460
Domestic exhibitors: 340
Foreign exhibitors: 120
Participating countries: 18
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Croatia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, China, Hungary, Germany, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain, USA
Number of visitors: 24,200

EMPHASIZED CONTENT AND EXHIBITION PROGRAMME

The emphasized contents were renewable energy sources, energy-saving houses, tiling in the time of climatic changes, purification plants and protection of the environment. Traditionally, the Fair provided an integral overview of the construction, planning and designing of buildings and engineering constructions, renovation, refurbishing and modernisation, construction equipment, machines and instruments, protection of buildings, joinery and carpentry, interior equipment, craft work, landscaping, means for work protection and education.

ACCOMPANYING EXHIBITIONS AND HAPPENING

Suppliers and investors came into contact at numerous business and technical meetings, exhibitions and competitions. All fair visitors received a wide range of recommendations regarding low-energy construction techniques and saving of energy.

Novelties among exhibitions were the exhibition of energy-saving house and tiling in the time of climate changes.
The 10th jubilee competition of young tinsmith and roofers took place, organised by the Chamber of Craft, Section of Tinsmith and Roofers, accompanied by daily shows of their work. Also in this year, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia was very active at the fair. Within the frame of the 40th anniversary of the regional Murska Sobota Chamber of Craft and Small Business the Craft and Small Business Fair took place at which the list of shortage occupation was presented.

The yield of the cooperation between Pomurski sejem and the experts from the ZRMK Building Institute and ENSVET was the exhibition of low-energy construction, saving of energy and free consultation on energy for the visitors.
Traditionally, free consultations for construction were given, and the presentation of the Sign of Quality in Construction awarded by the ZRMK Building Institute took place.

The MEGRA Fair paid special attention to the construction education of the youth. The Slovenian construction schools were present at the special exhibition space where students demonstrated their knowledge in construction, and their mentors prepared workshops for the elementary school students who decide to become construction professionals. Young construction workers competed in building.

TECHNICAL EVENTS

Developmental project of the Slovenian Construction Technology Platform and the Slovenian Construction Cluster – GIZ were represented in the technical part of the happening, organised as a forum.

The Engineering Chamber of Slovenia and the Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia organised a roundtable with the title The Path to Efficient (Public) Construction.

The Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia and the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of the regions Pomurje and Podravje prepared a regional forum entitled Requirements of the Slovenian Craft and Entrepreneurship.

The company for road and traffic research of Slovenia (DRC - Družba za raziskave v cestni in prometni stroki Slovenije, d.o.o.) and Maribor Roads Association (Društvo za ceste Maribor) organised a consultation on the topic works on main and regional roads in 2009 and 2010.

The Institute for Construction of Slovenia reported on damages to buildings inflicted by the summer storms in 2008 and provided answers on the question how to avoid them in the future.

The Housing Association of Slovenia discussed energy-saving constructions at the consultation Apartments, Citizens, State while LEA Pomurje and the Smart House discussed sustainable energetic development of local communities.

Sustainable development was also the perspective of the consultation on good low-energy and passive houses organized by the Institute for Construction (ZRMK), UL, Faculty for Architecture, bio-constructions company Biogradnja Stojan Habjanič and the company Lumar IG d.o.o.

The Ministry of Economy, Directorate for Energy, Ecological Fund of the Republic of Slovenia, Inea d.o.o., Robotina d.o.o., Slovenian E-Forum, GZS – Associations ZISP and ZING, as well as investors provided clarity with examples of good practices on the issues of efficient energy and sustainable energy uses in the light of exacerbated economic circumstances.

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More information:
Mateja Jaklič, Head of Pomurski sejem Sales Department
Robi Fišer, Project Manager of the MEGRA fair
Vesna Komperšak, technical programme of the MEGRA fair
Miran Mate, public relations and presentation of construction education, tel.: 02/5642 116
fax: +386 2/5642 160
e-mail: info@pomurski-sejem.si
www.pomurski-sejem.si