About The Event

Zak World of Façades is a globally recognized conference series focusing on façade design and engineering. To date, it has successfully hosted over 200 editions, attracting more than 65,000 delegates worldwide. This one-day conference is held across 44 countries, including the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Europe, Australasia and North America.

The forthcoming event, marking its 220th global and 4th edition in Manchester, will focus on sustainable innovations and tackle construction industry challenges related to the building envelope. Attendees can expect to see the latest products & trends from renowned industry leaders.

For more information and a look at past events, visit www.zakwof.com.


Who Should Attend

The event is ideal for Architects, Developers, General/Main Contractors, Façade Consultants, Façade Contractors, Sustainability/ESD Consultants, Fire Consultants, Glass Processors, Structural Consultants, Cost Consultants, Quantity Surveyors, PMC’s and related building specifiers.

Insightful Dialogues & Networking

Hear from experts in the domain of façade design, engineering, procuring and execution on their views on constructing high-performance, safe, sustainable and long lasting façades with the latest techniques and tools available. Also, network with other industry peers and leading manufacturers & solution providers in the façade industry.


Key Numbers

220

Edition

24

Speakers and Panelists

3

Sessions

1

Day

Speakers

Our speakers and panelists are domain experts and will ensure that the content presented at the event is meaningful with key takeaways to ponder upon. Below is the initial list of speakers, more to be added as we progress.

Andrew Spinks

Andrew Spinks

Technical Director,
Hansen Group

Andrew Spinks

Technical Director, Hansen Group

Topic: Engineering Fire Safety in Complex Façades

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Camille Destres

Camille Destres

Director, Safer Building Design,
BB7

Camille Destres

Director, Safer Building Design, BB7

Topic: Engineering Fire Safety in Complex Façades

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Chiara Faliva

Chiara Faliva

Associate Director,
BuroHappold

Chiara Faliva

Associate Director, BuroHappold

Topic: Tate Liverpool: Reworking Heritage — How Can Facades Balance Preservation, Performance & Public Engagement?

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Craig L Renton

Craig L Renton

Associate Director and Building Regulations Technical Lead,
Anstey Horne

Craig L Renton

Associate Director and Building Regulations Technical Lead, Anstey Horne

Topic: Navigating Building Safety Regulator Gateways 2 & 3

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Daniel Onions

Daniel Onions

Senior Architectural Technologist,
Studio Egret West

Daniel Onions

Senior Architectural Technologist, Studio Egret West

Topic: Shaping Everyday Wonder

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Fabio Moretti

Fabio Moretti

Senior Facade Engineer,
Arup

Fabio Moretti

Senior Facade Engineer, Arup

Topic: Designing Identity Through Façades: Innovation, Performance, and Fan Experience at Hill Dickinson Stadium

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Ian Wilson

Ian Wilson

Group Chairman,
Benx

Ian Wilson

Group Chairman, Benx

Topic: The Psychology of Façades

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John Ross

John Ross

Directors,
6a architects

John Ross

Directors, 6a architects

Topic: Tate Liverpool: Reworking Heritage — How Can Facades Balance Preservation, Performance & Public Engagement?

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Lucy Head

Lucy Head

Associate Director,
Studio Egret West

Lucy Head

Associate Director, Studio Egret West

Topic: Shaping Everyday Wonder

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Nick Tyrer

Nick Tyrer

Associate Director and Design Lead,
BDP

Nick Tyrer

Associate Director and Design Lead, BDP

Topic: Designing Identity Through Façades: Innovation, Performance, and Fan Experience at Hill Dickinson Stadium

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Nico Klomp

Nico Klomp

CEO,
Kawneer

Nico Klomp

CEO, Kawneer

Topic: The Future and Façades in the Heart of Manchester

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Paul Crowther

Paul Crowther

Associate Director,
Sheppard Robson

Paul Crowther

Associate Director, Sheppard Robson

Topic: Heritage at Height: Façade Design and Manchester's Historic Context

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Peter Webbon

Peter Webbon

Commercial and Development Director,
Kawneer

Peter Webbon

Commercial and Development Director, Kawneer

Topic: The Future and Façades in the Heart of Manchester

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Sean Robbinson

Sean Robbinson

Head of Building Safety,
Anstey Horne

Sean Robbinson

Head of Building Safety, Anstey Horne

Topic: Navigating Building Safety Regulator Gateways 2 & 3

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Shahram Sabery

Shahram Sabery

Senior Associate,
Populous

Shahram Sabery

Senior Associate, Populous

Topic: Topic to be Announced

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Simone Miriana

Simone Miriana

Head of Façade Engineering,
AKT II

Simone Miriana

Head of Façade Engineering, AKT II

Topic: Heritage at Height: Façade Design and Manchester's Historic Context

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Schedule

The event agenda is split into multiple sessions separated by networking break-out sessions.

Session 1
(09.20 - 11.10)

08.30 - 09.20
Delegate Registration & Networking
Event Convenor & Host
09.20 - 09.30
Welcome Address
09.30 - 09.55
Topic to be Announced
09.55 - 10.20
Shaping Everyday Wonder

Daniel Onions
Senior Architectural Technologist, Studio Egret West
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Lucy Head
Associate Director, Studio Egret West
View Profile
10.20 - 10.35
The Psychology of Façades

Ian Wilson
Group Chairman, Benx
View Profile
10.35 - 10.45
Condensation and Airtight Solutions for Façades

  • The problem
  • The theory
  • The solution
10.45 - 11.10
Tate Liverpool: Reworking Heritage — How Can Facades Balance Preservation, Performance & Public Engagement?

  • Opening Up vs Preserving Identity: How the façade strategy reveals the original Victorian warehouse while carefully upgrading a Grade I-listed structure — balancing conservation with contemporary intervention
  • Façade as an Interface with the Waterfront: The role of opening up the envelope to increase visibility, daylight, and connection to the dock — transforming the building into a more inviting civic destination
  • Retrofit, Reuse & Performance Upgrades: Integrating new curtain walling, insulation, and window systems while reusing existing fabric — delivering improved thermal performance with minimal carbon impact

Chiara Faliva
Associate Director, BuroHappold
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John Ross
Directors, 6a architects
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11.10 - 11.50
Networking Tea / Coffee Break

Session 2
(11.50 - 13.40)

11.50 - 12.15
Heritage at Height: Façade Design and Manchester's Historic Context

  • Terracotta and rhythm at tower scale
  • Performance in constraint - Acoustics, Part L, and tight-site delivery
  • Design intent realised through a unitised façade

Paul Crowther
Associate Director, Sheppard Robson
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Simone Miriana
Head of Façade Engineering, AKT II
View Profile
12.15 - 12.35
The Future and Façades in the Heart of Manchester

Nico Klomp
CEO, Kawneer
View Profile

Peter Webbon
Commercial and Development Director, Kawneer
View Profile
12.35 - 13.00
Topic to be Announced

Shahram Sabery
Senior Associate, Populous
View Profile
13.00 - 13.40
Designing Identity Through Façades: Innovation, Performance, and Fan Experience at Hill Dickinson Stadium

  • Architectural Vision & Identity: Translating club heritage and fan culture into a distinctive façade design language
  • Engineering Complexity: Addressing structural, environmental, and performance challenges in large-scale stadium façades
  • Material Innovation & Sustainability: Selection of materials and systems to achieve durability, energy efficiency, and low carbon impact
  • Fan Experience & Urban Integration: Enhancing spectator engagement while ensuring the stadium façade contributes positively to the cityscape

Panelist
Fabio Moretti
Senior Facade Engineer, Arup
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Panelist
Nick Tyrer
Associate Director and Design Lead, BDP
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13.40 - 14.25
Networking Lunch Break

Session 3
(14.25 - 16.25)

14.25 - 14.50
Engineering Fire Safety in Complex Façades

  • Case study on the North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) for Northumbria University Project

Andrew Spinks
Technical Director, Hansen Group
View Profile

Camille Destres
Director, Safer Building Design, BB7
View Profile
14.50 - 15.10
Navigating Building Safety Regulator Gateways 2 & 3

  • Lessons learned and best practice

Craig L Renton
Associate Director and Building Regulations Technical Lead, Anstey Horne
View Profile

Sean Robbinson
Head of Building Safety, Anstey Horne
View Profile
15.10 - 15.20
Innovating the Architectural Terra Cotta Industry for Sustainable, High-Performance Façades

  • Addressing global issues in the built environment and realizing the potential of terra cotta solutions
  • Materiality and performance benefits of terra cotta façades in modern architecture
  • Terra cotta façade innovations that address global challenges and enhance building performance
15.20 - 15.40
Topic to be Announced
15.40 - 16.20
Topic to be Announced

16.20 - 16.25
Vote of Thanks & End of the Conference
16.25 - 17.00
Post Event Networking Reception

The programme is correct at time of publishing. However, given the seniority of our speakers and the nature of their roles, speakers may subsequently substitute or excuse themselves from the programme. This is always regrettable, and we will always try to replace the speaker with a speaker with equivalent insight. You can find the most up-to-date programme on this website.

Partners

Meet our industry leading suppliers who play a key role in this event. Visit their booths to know more about their products & solutions and how they can help play a role in defining your projects.
Presenting Partner
Associate Partners

Event Registration

Register for in-person attendance below. All our registrations are subject to validation from our team. More details in the FAQ section.


TERMS & CONDITIONS FOR COMPLIMENTARY SEATS: Complimentary seats are reserved exclusively for Architects, Consultants, Contractors, Developers, Fabricators, Government Officials & PMC's. The organizers reserve the right to allocate these complimentary seats at their discretion.

Image Gallery

Images from a select previous global editions of Zak World of Façades

Video Gallery

Watch the full video recording from the Zak World of Façades Manchester 2024 edition

Full Event Recording

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about the event.

A limited number of complimentary seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis for select professionals, including architects, façade consultants, developers, project management consultants, main contractors, sustainability consultants, fire consultants, façade contractors, cost consultants, government officials and other related stakeholders. To secure your entry pass, we kindly request you to complete the official online registration process. Allocation of complimentary seats will be evaluated based on the professional nature of your organization.

For product/material suppliers & testing firms, a delegate fee of GBP 500 + UK VAT per person will apply, subject to availability. Please note that registrations from organizations that have participated in previous editions of the event will not be processed.

All registrations are subject to review and approval by the event organizers, whose decisions shall be considered final.

The online registration acts as an “Interest” for attending the conference. An internal system evaluates the registrations received and issues the confirmation/entry pass accordingly. The online registration alone DOES NOT stand confirmed without a confirmation/entry pass email from the organizers.

If successfully approved, the confirmation number/pass is sent within 3-4 working days of registration or earlier. It is advisable to check your spam/junk folders as there maybe chances of the email landing in those folders. If you have not received your confirmation within the stipulated timeframe, please write to the organisers/reply on the acknowledgment email to check on the status.

It is highly recommended that you use your company/official email id for registration to avoid any confirmation delay. If you use your personal email id, we will not be able to verify the same always.

No. All registrations are pre-approved online and no on-spot registrations are encouraged.

The invitation copy from the sponsors DOES NOT qualify as the entry pass. The invite mentions the registration process at the last page. All the recipients of these invitation copies are advised to follow the online registration process to attain their passes to be able to attend the event.

No. Please note, this event pass is non-transferable. Valid ID is required for event access.

The registrations start at 0830 hrs. The team at the registration desk will be fully equipped with the details of those confirmed to attend. If your registration is confirmed, you will only be asked to quote your registration number and drop your visiting cards at the registration desk to collect your badge and kit.

Post the event, the organisers will share a link to the HD video recording of the conference.

The full-day conference will include access to the conference hall, exhibit area, lunch and networking session, delegate kits and HD video recording of the conference.

Please inform us if you have any dietary restrictions at least 15 days in advance of the event.

If your firm is on our guest list or pre-qualified, then a maximum of 1-4 delegates passes per firm are allocated depending on the firm size. However, the seat allocation is on first come first serve basis and is on the discretion of the organiser.

As the seats are allocated on a first come first serve basis, the registration will close once the hall seating capacity is reached.

No. The event will be 100% in-person only.

Venue


Registrations start at 8:30 am

Address

The Manchester Deansgate Hotel (The Deansgate Suite - 1st Floor),303 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ, United Kingdom.

Contact Us

Get in touch with us if you have any query regarding the event, registration, sponsorship or any other general query.





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