Feedback on AECB 2015 Conference

As usual, we ask all delegates to the AECB Annual Conference for their feedback and comments. Over the years this has helped us in designing the event, finding venues and speakers as well as themes to cover.

We now have the feedback from this year’s event held in Sheffield. The full results with most of the comments can be found here but for brevity we have prepared a synopsis of the results. Many thanks to all those who took the time to fill in the feedback questionnaire. Hopefully we will be able to use some of the information in planning next year’s event.

 

1) Please rate the booking process

Excellent Very Good Good OK Bad
 Rating 53.33% 37.78% 6.67% 2.22% 0.00%

 

2) How would you rate the information you were sent prior to the event?

What more information would have been useful?

Excellent Very Good Good OK Bad
 Rating 40.91% 36.36% 18.18% 4.55% 0.00%

A common comment was that more details of the workshops and their content would have been useful.

 

3)     Please rate the range of workshops and add any comments on workshops you attended and how they could have been improved.

Excellent Very Good Good OK Bad
 Rating 31.82% 50.00% 15.91% 2.27% 0.00%

A range of comments one common theme was the need for presenters to be kept to time as some over ran leaving little time for the second speaker or discussion.

  • Paul Jennings’s workshop needed more time to do the tasks, or less tasks
  • We need more laughs and fewer graphs
  • Still a bit chalk and talk/mini plenary sessions with participants in rows before an “expert”

4)     Do you have any suggestions for formats, themes and workshops you would like to see at future conferences

As always participants would like to see more practical workshops.

Other comments:

  • I always enjoy the reports from the real world and how things have worked in practice
  • Would prefer fewer workshops in parallel but all 60 mins not 90
  • The workshops I participated in could have been more interactive and participatory, most were simply a speaker or speakers and an audience in rows listening
  • Perhaps one or two longer, more detailed presentations rather than or in addition to the quick 15-20 minute “bullet-point” style presentations.

5)     Would you be interested in themed days so you could attend only 1 day to save money and time.

Yes 40%     No 60%

Many of the comments were more focused on possible areas for themed days. These were ventilation, airtightness, condensation,

6)     If you enjoyed it, what made this a good conference for you? If not why not?

The vast majority of the comments were very positive. Common themes were nice atmosphere, good networking, nice to meet up with friends, good food; the World Café idea was well liked.

7)     For many attendees, networking with like-minded persons seems to be a major benefit and pleasure of the conference. How might we improve this aspect of future conferences?

Again the comments were positive with several people saying the World Café idea worked well although the acoustics in the bar were a problem for some. Having everything in the same area (bar, food, workshops etc.) was well liked. Someone wanted a free bar. More chances to chat with the Trustees would have been good.

8)     Any general comments on this year’s conference or ideas for workshops and possible venues for future years.

In general comments were very positive.

·       A range of suggestions for venues and areas of the country to visit.

·       The venue was on the whole well liked as was the food.

·       A better gender balance of speakers some of the men spoke over the women.

9)     If the AECB were to plan some practical courses or include a practical session in the annual conference what would you like to see covered?

  • I would love to see some intros to software packages such as SAP, PHPP and Therm
  • Fitting new windows and doors in existing buildings.
  • Air tightness, water saving, do’s and don’ts of timber frame?
  • How about taster sessions on existing AECB courses
  • Messy things like straw bale are always enjoyable and lighten the atmosphere
  • I don’t think this is a good idea; there isn’t time as part of the main two day event.