The construction fairs have ended in Brno, attended by 80,000 people

Brno - The five-day construction fairs ended today at the Brno Exhibition Centre. About 80,000 people visited the five fairs focused on construction, housing, investment opportunities, and municipal technologies and services, roughly the same as last year. Attendance has remained at the same level for the past three years, Jana Tyrichová from Veletrhy Brno told ČTK today. Among the awarded exhibits were several products of energy-efficient construction.
    Compared to last year, the number of exhibitors has slightly increased to around 1,000. However, experts say it is still too early to say that the sector is expecting a rapid recovery after the economic crisis. For example, in public contracts, the Union of Entrepreneurs in Construction expects a forty percent year-on-year decline this year. "We are not big optimists until 2013," said President Václav Matyáš.
    The organizers of the fairs awarded the most successful exhibits, highlighting products of energy-efficient construction in particular. Most of the medals went to foreign manufacturers. The Czech company ATREA succeeded with an energy center for family homes, providing warm air heating, controlled ventilation with heat recovery from exhaust air, cooling, and other services. The gold medal was also awarded to the passive house from the company Josef Dvořák - IZOPOL.
    Among furniture manufacturers, the Merano armchair from TON received an award for progressive design. In the progressive materials category, La modula from Jelínek won, which presents it on their website as furniture that grows with the child.
    At the fairs, the organizers also announced the winners of the Construction of the South Moravian Region 2010 competition. Successful projects included the new construction of a pig disease clinic at the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, a wellness center in Kuřim, and the first phase of the railway station layover in Brno.