Grand Designs Live Premieres The Innovation Trail at NEC

Grand Designs Live, proudly sponsored by Anglian Home Improvements, will return to Birmingham’s NEC from 9 – 13 October 2019, including, for the first time, The Innovation Trail. This all-new feature will showcase the most pioneering products and brands in the home sector, across the five day event.

Making it easier for visitors to find the most innovative products for all aspect for the home, The Innovation Trail is comprised of ten ground-breaking brands that are changing the landscape and nature of home building and renovation.

The trail incorporates the world’s first milk-BottleHouse, by Six Miles Across London Limited (SMALL), which demonstrates the kind of green-minded and design-friendly innovation that Kevin McCloud, and Grand Designs Live choose to champion.

Modern Method of Construction (MMC) specialists Built & Spaces, who will showcase their innovative, adaptable and sustainable approach to construction through a 200 square-metre interactive space that has been custom created for Grand Designs Live.

Green&Blue design an award-winning range of products for wildlife, creating nesting, resting and feeding spaces for birds, bats, and bees; using recycled materials and inventive methods, to encourage biodiversity within builds.

Graven Hill’s pioneering advances in the self-build industry, make it easier and more affordable for aspiring self-builders to get the land they need to get started.

As both a design enthusiast and eco-warrior, Kevin McCloud has a prodigious insight into the latest technologies, materials and ground-breaking sustainable practices at work across the construction, lifestyle and interiors markets. Kevin McCloud’s Green Heroes came about as a result of his passion for state-of-the-art eco-friendly products, green building products, and beautiful design. This year the list includes:

BIOFASE Avocado Seed Cutlery & Straws, by 4eco Limited
Design-led products for the interior and exterior made in England from recycled coffee from That’s Caffeine, By Atticus Durnell
Headphones made from fungus and yeast-based bioplastics, from Korvaa, by Avian
A sustainable alternative to MDF; Chip Board, by AIVAN
Noise-cancelling interior material based on spruce needles by EO Acoustic
Sustainable 100% recycled plastic furniture by ecoBirdy
Disposable Biodegradable Cups from HyO Cup
The world’s first active sound system made of clay by Mapuguaquen
Design solutions that improve cities and create a healthier environment by Poppy Pippin
Environmentally sustainable carpets by Vlisco Recycled Carpet Studio
Smarthaus specialises in creating beautiful, practical and innovative contemporary German kitchens. Using the latest products, cutting edge design, excellent service across designs and installation, combined with reasonable prices (starting from £15,000), Smarthhaus is a revelation for this looking to renovate.

Composite Garden Buildings create high-performance, low maintenance garden rooms. Their use of composite wood means that insulation is built in allowing you to utilise your garden space all year round. Beautiful finishes to the composite looks and feels just like real timber; with just a fraction of the maintenance.

BORA extractors are integrated into worktops and draw vapours downwards, providing optimal extraction performance with the lowest possible noise level and a minimalistic design. BORA stops cooking vapours and odours from rising in the first place by extracting them from the place they are created. Steam and odours rise at a maximum speed of one metre per second. However, the BORA cooktop extractor instantly draws these off in a downward direction at approx. four metres per second. The result: vapours are fully extracted, while odour and grease particles are trapped in the filter and are unable to spread around the room.

Lutron presents RA2 Select; a new whole-home lighting control wireless solution, allowing personalised smart lighting and blind control for any home and any budget.

Solutions by Jigsaw’s ultra-thin (0.48mm) graphite Nanotech Carbon heating mats can be installed easily; virtually vanishing under the floor, behind wallpaper or in ceilings; providing diffused warmth throughout the home, without disrupting interior style.