Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London are to join forces in 2026 in a move that will reshape the UK’s exhibition landscape and, organisers say, better mirror the way the construction industry actually works.

From 12–14 May 2026, the two shows will be co-located at Excel London, creating a new national platform for the built environment. Between them, they will bring together an audience of around 25,000 professionals, more than 600 exhibitors and some 700 speakers across 14 stages, making it the largest and most wide-ranging construction event in the UK calendar.

The ambition is scale, but not at the expense of identity. Both brands will keep their own curations, communities and content, while benefiting from the footfall and cross-pollination that comes with being under one roof. As Martin Hurn, Event Director at Futurebuild, puts it: “This is about creating one connected platform that reflects how the industry actually works – from vision to specification to delivery.”

Futurebuild will continue to anchor the sustainability, Net Zero and innovation agenda, with its CPD-accredited programme and its established audience of architects, designers, local authorities and developers. Low-carbon construction, circular materials and large-scale retrofit remain central, supported by The National Retrofit Conference, which has become a key forum for policymakers, housing providers and Net Zero leaders.

Alongside it, UK Construction Week London will stay focused on the practical realities of delivery. Its hands-on, solutions-led format brings contractors, housebuilders, trades and engineers into contact with the tools, systems and skills they need on site, backed up by live demonstrations, immersive features and CPD content rooted in real-world build challenges.

Hurn says the collaboration is about extending influence beyond theory and into practice. “Futurebuild will continue to lead on sustainability and long-term systems thinking, and collaborating with UK Construction Week London enables us to extend that influence into the practical, on-site world, turning ideas into real impact across the supply chain.”

For those in the materials and finishes world, there is a particularly strong hook. As we’ve reported, the Stone & Surfaces Show will also take place at Excel London alongside the two major shows, bringing a dedicated focus on natural stone, surfaces, finishes and materials. Its inclusion strengthens the event’s interiors and materials offer and opens up fresh opportunities for crossover between design, specification and installation – a sweet spot for anyone working with stone.

Sam Patel, Divisional Director at UK Construction Week London, sees that breadth as a strategic win. “UK Construction Week London has always championed scale, experience and solutions that matter to those delivering projects on the ground,” he says. “Collaborating with Futurebuild and The Stone & Surfaces Show unlocks new depth and strategic value, creating a destination that is richer, more relevant and more valuable to every part of the built environment.”

The timing is no accident. The industry is under pressure to decarbonise, modernise skills and meet increasingly ambitious Net Zero targets, and organisers say the co-location responds directly to calls for greater cohesion and clearer leadership. By combining Futurebuild’s sustainability leadership and systems-level thinking, UK Construction Week London’s delivery focus and The Stone & Surfaces Show’s specialist materials expertise, the new format promises a genuinely 360-degree experience – from big-picture vision through to specification, materials choice and on-site implementation.

For exhibitors, the commercial case is just as strong. Bringing specifiers, consultants and sustainability leaders into the same space as contractors, housebuilders and engineers creates a step change in opportunity. The benefits including: expanded reach and cross-sector visibility, longer dwell time, more connected visitor journeys and stronger alignment between specification, materials and delivery. There is also a clear focus on fast-growth markets such as retrofit, digital construction, offsite and sustainable materials.

“This is where the future of the built environment connects,” says Patel – a neat summary of what could become the industry’s most important annual meeting point.