The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and it partners will be hosting South Africa’s first Off-the-Wall Technology Showcase. The purpose of the event is to provide innovators, entrepreneurs and industry with an opportunity to showcase emerging new ideas, products or processes for our future houses and neighbourhoods. The exhibition is scheduled for 8 and 9 February 2019, at the CSIR campus in Pretoria.
CSIR project leader and senior researcher, Peta de Jager, says: “The event will feature a two-day open-air fair environment at which technologies can be demonstrated and discussed with human settlement stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.”
“In addition, we will host public lectures, which will feature innovative building technology procurement and intellectual property protection. This will be of interest to implementers in the human settlements sector, innovators and built environment professionals. The event also aims to initiate discussions with potential investors and collaborators for the Science Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Human Settlements (STI 4 SHS) Roadmap project,” she says.
The event will feature pitching sessions. Selected projects will be featured in an STI 4 SHS casebook and all exhibited innovations will be documented in the STI 4 SHS innovations register, which forms part of the broader STI 4 SHS Road mapping initiative.
The Off-the-Wall Human Settlements Showcase forms part of the STI 4 SHS Roadmap project, a flagship initiative sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology.
The purpose of the STI 4 SHS roadmap is to unlock the potential of South Africa’s human settlements for a decent standard of living; as well as safe, resilient and sustainable households and neighbourhoods via the smart uptake of science, technology and innovation.
The Roadmap sets out a 10-year plan for a coordinated investment and collaboration among key stakeholders. The Off-the-Wall Human Settlements Showcase provides a critical moment in this flagship projects where industry, science and the public meet. The two-day exhibition will be free and open to the public; however registration is compulsory.
