Addressing the need for water conservation as the current pressing topic for the building technology sector, Messe Frankfurt India’s first digital trade fair – ISH India powered by IPA Virtual Edition showcased 980 products from 48 brands, including 15 live product demonstrations and six knowledge sessions. Establishing itself as a focused B2B digital marketplace for buyers and sellers, the platform recorded 2,052 active attendees and serious business meetings over two days.
The premiere show for plumbing, sanitation, bathroom fitting and water management system marked its virtual launch on September 17-18, showcasing products by industry leaders like Birla HIL, Aquaviva India, Sekisui Speciality Chemicals, Watertec (India), Wilo Mather & Platt, Ebara Machinery India, Bradford White Water Heaters, Kirloskar Brothers, Zoloto Valves, Brilloca (HSIL), Astral Pipes, among others.
The first-ever virtual edition brought together the plumbing, real estate, architecture and design to discuss efficient usage of water conservation technologies in buildings of the future. The trade fair was officiated by Avinash Mishra, adviser, (Water & Land Resources, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Panchayati Raj, Tourism, Culture, Law & Justice, I&B) NITI Aayog, Government of India, together with the national presidents of the Indian Plumbing Association, CREDAI-MCHI, Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID).
Speaking at the inaugural session, Mishra stated: “Through the Jal Jeevan Mission, the government is committed to ensure that 18 crore households across all villages in India will have potable water supply by 2024. It is high time that we resort to measures to address the crisis and adopt solutions for water conservation, watershed management, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, modern and efficient irrigation methods such as micro irrigation and precision farming, and water saving technology in sanitation.”
Elaborating on the steps taken in the real estate sector, Deepak Garodia, president, CREDAI-MCHI, said: “Sewage treatment plants and recycling of water is our major concern. Every project above 20,000 sq-ft has a sewage treatment plant (STP) that recycles water to use in flushes, gardens and car washes. Although conservation of water is not easy, we are doing our bit by educating our consumers about the latest technologies available in the market to use water more efficiently.”
Highlighting the need for strong policies, Jabeen Zacharias, president, IIID, stated: “Being an architect, we have to balance between a customer’s demands and the need for water conservation. To make this a uniformed practise we need to institutionalise strong policies that highlight the importance of water as a resource. Once these policies are in place, builders, architects and associations can enforce it.”
Talking about the importance of right plumbing in any construction project, Gurmit Singh Arora, president, Indian Plumbing Association, said: “The plumbing industry today is pegged at INR 5 lakh crores in India. The corona virus onslaught has brought in an increase in the water demands with requirements of frequent hand washing, disinfection and hygiene. With water supply already facing acute shortage, this brings about a necessity for the construction industry to focus on reduction in use of water resources and enhance water supply by methods like rainwater harvesting and waste water management. Right plumbing mechanisms not only supplies fresh water but also takes away your waste water in a hygienic way.”
The online edition of the show reflected the paradigm shift witnessed by the industry with the live demo feature demonstrating smart and efficient technologies. Raj Manek, executive director and board member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings, shared: “The digital wave swept us into unchartered waters – and while the virtual trade fair was something very new and exciting for us, we knew we had to be equally focused on delivering business value to our exhibitors. The feedback from our customers has re-instilled confidence, both, in the trade fair brand and the need for a virtual platform for business to continue in any given situation. We now aim to strengthen these virtual connections and turn them into face-to-face business encounters through our physical edition of ISH India powered by IPA exhibition in May 2021.” ISH India powered by IPA will take place on May 20-22, 2021, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai.
For more details about other Messe Frankfurt India events, please visit: www.in.messefrankfurt.com
