It's been another busy few months for the SFE Hubs, with events taking place across the UK, Europe, North America and Australia and New Zealand. From factory visits and site tours to technical talks, panel discussions and networking events, there has been plenty going on across the network.
Here's a round-up of what the Hubs have been up to since May.
SFE West Midlands and North West
The West Midlands and North West Hubs have been getting out to see projects and manufacturing processes first-hand.
On 16 September, the West Midlands Hub visited Stone Yard in Digbeth, Birmingham. Nick Buxton from Caddick Construction led the visit, talking attendees through the development and the work taking place on site.
A week later, on 22 September, the West Midlands and North West Hubs visited Ibstock's Nostell Horizon Factory in Wakefield. The tour covered the different stages of brick manufacturing, from clay preparation and extrusion through to drying, firing and packing.
It was a useful insight into how façade materials are produced and the work involved in bringing products from the factory to site. The team also discussed quality control, sustainability and developments in manufacturing.
SFE Scotland
On 27 August, the Scotland Hub organised a Glasgow City Walk. Members explored buildings across the city, looking at different façade styles and discussing the architectural character of Glasgow.
As well as the buildings themselves, the walk was a good chance for local professionals to catch up and meet others working in the industry.
SFE Italy
The Italy Hub has also had a busy programme, combining project visits with technical discussions.
On 6 May, members took part in a Rome City Walk focusing on Torri dell'EUR. The visit looked at the project and its façade engineering, with discussions around the design and performance of the building envelope.
On 1 October, SFE Italy joined forces with Eurac Research for Le Prestazioni in Facciata – Façade Performance, held at NOI Techpark in Bolzano.
The event focused on how façade performance can be tested, simulated and monitored. Topics included experimental testing, building simulation, digital tools and digital twins. Attendees also visited the research laboratories at Eurac Research and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, giving them a closer look at the work being carried out in this area.
SFE Australia and New Zealand (ANZ)
The ANZ Hub has continued to build its network through local events and collaborations with other professional organisations.
On 7 August, the New Zealand Hub held a networking event at Babbage Consultants in Auckland, bringing together around 75 people from across the façade and building industry. The evening included presentations from Stephen McNeil of BRANZ on internal moisture and E3 requirements, and Rob Campion from the Window & Glass Association New Zealand, who introduced the organisation and its work.
On 3 September, CIOB, CIBSE and SFE came together for a joint event in Melbourne, The Updated NCC and its Impact on Façades, Building Services, and Builders. The session looked at the latest National Construction Code updates and what they mean for façade design, building services and construction, including thermal performance, fire safety and structural compliance.
The Hub has also been looking at ways to encourage more engineers into the profession through From Structural Engineering to Façade Engineering – Inspiring the Next Generation. The initiative highlights the links between the two disciplines and the opportunities available to engineers interested in developing a career in façade engineering.
SFE London
The London Hub has had a varied programme over the past few months, covering everything from industry challenges to project presentations.
On 10 June, the SFE held a panel discussion, Challenges Facing the Built Environment, at Schüco's London showroom. Bringing together speakers from across the industry, the discussion covered some of the issues currently facing the sector, including sustainability, artificial intelligence and the skills gap.
This was followed by a façade walk around Paddington Basin on 14 July. The walk gave members the chance to look more closely at the area's mix of contemporary buildings and explore how different façade systems had been used. Discussions covered materials, architectural detailing, the relationship between the façade and the building structure, and some of the practical challenges involved in delivering these designs. It was also a chance to share observations and experiences while looking at the buildings first-hand.
On 8 September, the Hub held its second annual Pecha Kucha evening as part of the SFE Awards 2026 programme. Shortlisted project teams gave short presentations about their projects, sharing the ideas, challenges and engineering behind them. UNESCO World Headquarters, presented by Eckersley O'Callaghan, and V&A East Museum, presented by Buro Happold, were joint audience favourites.
The Technical Committee also held a presentation and networking evening at CIBSE Headquarters on 14 October. The session looked at current technical topics, including the Glaser method and more detailed hygrothermal analysis for assessing moisture behaviour in external walls. The evening included presentations, a panel discussion and questions from the audience.
SFE North America
The North America Hub has continued to bring local façade professionals together through events in New York and Los Angeles.
Activities have included a façade walk in New York, exploring some of the city's buildings and the different approaches to façade design and engineering.
The Hub also hosted the LA Forum, bringing professionals together for technical discussions and networking. Both events offered a chance to share experiences and discuss the issues facing the façade industry across North America.
