Constructing Excellence in Northern Ireland (CEni) has organised a one-day conference in Belfast on 25 September, titled 'Building without Costing the Earth', in association with Tesco Property Services.

The conference is expected to address the challenges the construction industry in Northern Ireland currently faces, including carbon reduction.

Delegates will hear how modern methods can contribute to meeting those targets, as well as the benefits and added value that are delivered in the process, according to organisers.

Chair of the Construction Industry Group (CIG), Gordon Best, will open the conference, at the Stormont Hotel, leaving the BBC's Donna Traynor to guide the programme for the rest of the day.

The morning session will include the wider issues facing the construction industry highlighted by a senior spokesperson from the Department of Finance and Personnel, where the discussion will look at the current issues affecting construction such as planning, procurement, design quality, capacity and capability.

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This session will be followed by a presentation by Jim Kitchen, Head of the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) in Northern Ireland, where he will provide the context of the challenges the industry faces in terms of reducing carbon footprint by 25% by 2025.

The morning session will also include presentations focusing on the Health and Education sectors, as well as looking at The Principal Supply Chain Partner's Perspective.

Added to this, the programme will include an Offsite Supplier Showcase, where local suppliers will present current cutting edge products serving the modern methods of construction industry.

Showcase companies will include McAvoy Group, Kingspan Off-Site, Bowen Group and The Energy Saving Trust.

The showcase will be followed by a session on The Northern Ireland Eco Village and The Barratt Green Home.

The conference is essential to the full spectrum of the Northern Ireland construction industry from both the public and private sectors including contractors and developers, architects and designers, quantity surveyors, civil engineers and the client community.

The conference is aimed at individuals and groups who are interested in applying modern methods of construction products and solutions within the design and construction of building projects.

(PR/JM)