Building Expo opens its gates today

The stage is set for Guyana’s biggest showcase of innovation and construction ingenuity as the International Building Expo 2025 opens today at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, at 5:00 pm.

The expo will be running from Thursday, August 14, until Sunday, August 17, under the theme: “The Road to Success, Guyana 2030 and Beyond.”

Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal has spent the past few weeks emphasising that this year’s edition is more than just an exhibition; it is the launch of a national conversation about the country’s future.

With almost 400 booths on display, the minister is calling it “the largest, most inclusive, and transformative Building Expo yet.”

History of building expo
The Building Expo was first launched in 2010 by His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, while he served as the Minister of Housing.

It quickly became a magnet for industry players, drawing a wide array of participants – from hardware suppliers to banks, insurance companies, and contractors.

But after the change of government in 2015, the APNU+AFC Coalition suspended the event, promising a revamp that never materialised.

It was not until 2022 that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government revived the expo, restoring it as a key fixture on the national events calendar.

What does Building Expo do for Guyana?
Over the years, Building Expo has done more than fill the stadium with booths.

It has accelerated the shift to green construction practices, introduced prefabricated homes made from recycled materials, and demonstrated the possibilities of 3D printing in housing.

It has facilitated trade with partners as distant as Ghana, which purchased 120 housing units from Guyana and served as the launchpad for the ambitious urban initiative ‘Silica City’ – a sustainable, low-carbon, climate-resilient city of the future.

The expo also delivers essential services from the Ministry of Housing and Water directly to the public, including the distribution of house lots.

In 2024 alone, 2,000 house lots and 1,500 land titles were distributed at the expo. This year, an additional 2,000 land titles will be handed over to beneficiaries across Guyana.

Many of Guyana’s popular banks will also be on-site, providing the public with opportunities to access financing.

Minister Croal says the heart of the expo is investment in people, especially in preparing the next generation of architects, planners, technicians, and innovators who will carry Guyana confidently into 2030 and beyond.