Benn and Bernstein headline Think event

The Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, and Manchester City Council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein will headline next month's Think event.

The conference and exhibition, which takes place on 7 and 8 May, will also include presentations from Ché Wall, managing director of sustainability engineers Lincolne Scott and Dr David Strong, chief executive of Inbuilt Consulting. Wall said he was looking forward to the event: "I am delighted to participate in an event that will be discussing sustainable best practice, both within and beyond the UK and with the broadest demographic of participants.”

Over 80 speakers have been confirmed for the conference and range from architects such as Sir Richard MacCormac, Bill Taylor from Hopkins Architects and Anders Svensson, chief executive of one of Sweden's biggest and most influential architects, White Arkiteker as well as clients, renewable energy suppliers and product manufacturers.

I am delighted to participate in an event that will be discussing sustainable best practice, both within and beyond the UK and with the broadest demographic of participants

Ché Wall, Lincolne Scott

UKGBC chief, Paul King, will conclude this year’s event as well as chairing the two-day conference. The event builds on last year’s inaugural event, which featured a video link with Al Gore, Prince Charles and London 2012 head, Lord Coe.

The conference will be divided into three streams, property, regeneration and construction and will tackle questions such as how sustainability is measured, the battle of the different international sustainability codes, how to balance the UK’s north/south divide and how to get rid of the construction industry’s waste mountain.

Over 100 exhibitors are booked to display alongside the conference. This year's exhibition will be free to attend.