The Stone Show 2025
Seminar Theatre
in partnership with
The Stone Show is committed to providing a conference experience to educate, enrich and engage the visitor.
The Stone Show Seminar Theatre features around 30, free-to-attend seminars.
Three sessions each day will give insights into the key developments that will shape and transform the stone industry over the next decade, as speakers and panels explore decarbonization, sustainable design, digitalization and much more.
At the end of each seminar the audience will have the opportunity to put their questions to the speaker, whilst a panel will discuss the most salient issues at the end of each session.
Located on the show floor, the first two days will be hosted by Susannah Streeter, a leading broadcaster and sustainability commentator.
Susannah Streeter
As a senior investment and markets analyst, commentator and former business journalist, Susannah is a knowledgeable and highly-skilled interviewer who has quizzed leading business figures, politicians, entrepreneurs and economists on radio and TV, over 17 years at the BBC, and at live events.
Wednesday 7 May
11:00 – 12:00
Natural stone: the low carbon solution
This brings together some of the leading voices around the topic of using natural stone to decarbonise the built environment and explore some of the resources and studies that demonstrate the impressive sustainability credentials of natural stone.
11:00 – 11:25
Delivering structural stone projects
Stirling-prize shortlisted architect, Amin Taha has become one of the leading advocates for the adoption of natural stone by the construction sector as a principal tool in its decarbonising aims. His 15 Clerkenwell Close project has been instrumental in showcasing just how low the embodied carbon of a stone building can be. This session will explore the next chapter of his efforts to deliver low-carbon load-bearing stone projects, including his latest endeavour, Finchley Road, a 10-storey, loadbearing stone structure in Hampstead.
Amin Taha, architect & Chairperson at GROUPWORK
11:25 – 11:45
Brick from a stone: the lower carbon choice
This seminar will explore how British stone bricks are helping the construction industry to deliver projects with a 75% lower embodied carbon impact than traditionally used clay-fired bricks. Hear from Marcus Paine of Hutton Stone, one of the innovators is this sustainable shift about how they have invested and in and helped to grow this exciting new market.
Marcus Paine, Managing Director, Hutton Stone
11:45 – 12:00
Panel session
Panel with Susannah Streeter, Amin Taha and Marcus Paine
12:30 – 13:30
Natural Stone Awards: The Industry Choice
Each of the 2024 Natural Stone Awards category winners have gone into a public vote to find the industry’s favourite project. This session will feature presentations from the architects behind some of these award-winning schemes as well as the Natural Stone Awards: The Industry Choice presentation.
12:30 – 12:45
Rhodes House, Oxford
Rhodes House is a grade II* listed building designed and built between 1926 and 1929 by Sir Herbert Baker. The building has undergone a significant redevelopment to restore and conserve the existing 1920s architecture while creating a mix of convening and working spaces and featuring a spectacular spiral stone stair. Come and hear from the architects behind this award-winning scheme, Stanton Williams.
Tom Fotheringham, Associate, Stanton Williams
12:45 – 13:05
Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire
This seminar, presented by Izaak Hudson, Director at Dittrich Hudson Vasetti Architects, explores the final phase of a 38-year, £30 million restoration of Salisbury Cathedral—home to the Magna Carta and one of the UK’s most iconic landmarks. The project focuses on the East Gable and Gable Pinnacles, securing the Cathedral’s future. Using original Chicksgrove Limestone, the restoration reflects decades of craftsmanship and dedication, celebrating the legacy of those like Clerk of Works Gary Price who brought it to completion.
Izaak Hudson, Director, Dittrich Hudson Vasetti Architects
13:05 – 13:20
Auckland Castle Faith Museum, Co. Durham
Presented by Anne Schroell, Associate at Niall McLaughlin Architects, this seminar explores a new museum extension to the Grade I listed Durham Castle. Delivered in partnership with Durham County Council and Historic England, and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project houses a faith-focused exhibition and climate-controlled art store. Clad entirely in locally quarried Cop Crag sandstone, the building’s monolithic form and sacred character reflect its contents, with varied stone treatments enhancing its expressive, site-specific architectural identity.
Anne Schroell, Associate, Niall McLaughlin Architects
13:20 – 13:30
Presentation of award
Presented by George Clarke, with summary from Susannah Streeter
14:00 – 15:00
Stone Federation Student Architect Prize
Stone Federation are passionate about inspiring the next generation of architectural talent to utilise the beauty, sustainability and versatility of natural stone. The Stone Federation Student Architect Prize will celebrate those designs which demonstrate the use of natural stone to deliver a sustainable project, grounded in its locale that addresses a current challenge faced by the built environment.
14:00 – 14:45
Reviewing the entries and exploring stone opportunities for young architects
Come and celebrate the next generation of Stone architects with the Stone Federation student architect prize. Hear about some of the exciting projects being developed by architectural students and the growing number of architectural degrees that are exploring the carbon savings of natural stone.
Closing date for entry is 21st April. Information on the finalists will be available at www.stoneshow.co.uk/seminars at the end of the month.
14:45 – 15:00
Presentation of award
Presented by George Clarke
Thursday 8 May
11:00 – 12:00
Using the new standards to deliver sustainable projects
This will look at the how the latest updates to the British Standards and industry best practice guidelines can help architects, designers and specifiers deliver more sustainable projects, and will cover recent revisions to paving design and internal cladding guidelines.
11:00 – 11:20
Using BS 7533 to deliver sustainable landscapes
This presentation will explore how landscape architects and designers can use BS 7533 to deliver more durable and therefore more sustainable landscape projects.
Steven Burton (GMICE), Technical Director, Steintec
11:20 – 11:40
BS 8298 part 5: shaping your interior project
Raul discusses the new code of practice for the design and installation of natural stone cladding & lining. He covers the selection of stone, it's testing requirements, the typical fixing details, and the influence of loadings and impact on the stone's thickness.
Raul Moura da Silva, Operations Manager, EDM London
11:40 – 12:00
Panel discussion
Panel with Susannah Streeter, Steven Burton and Raul Moura da Silva
12:30 – 13:30
The changing face of UK quarrying
Exploring how modern technologies and efficiencies have enabled the UK quarrying operation to deliver some of the lowest carbon products available globally. It will ‘myth bust’ some of the preconceptions that people might have about the practice of quarrying and UK quarrying and introduce some of the new products being produced by the quarries.
12:30 – 12:45
Investments and changing dialogues in UK quarrying
Marcus Paine, Managing Director of Hutton Stone Co, discusses how his company is using new technologies and innovative ways of talking about their stone to open up new markets.
Marcus Paine, Managing Director, Hutton Stone
12:45 – 13:00
More than expected: changing perceptions about the breadth of choice in UK stone
Simon Hart, Managing Director of Lovell Stone Group explains how his company is shifting perceptions about the breadth of tones and textures found in British stone.
Simon Hart, Managing Director, Lovell Stone Group
13:00 – 13:15
UK stone: the environmentally friendly choice
Hear from Managing Director of Albion Stone PLC, Michael Poultney about how his company is investing in making their mining operation as environmentally friendly as possible, and how to demonstrate this to architects.
Michael Poultney, Managing Director, Albion Stone PLC
13:15 – 13:30
Panel discussion
Panel with Susannah Streeter, Simon Hart, Michael Poultney and Marcus Paine
14:00 – 15:00
Structural stone: the new horizon
Over the past few years there has been an increased interest in the impressive sustainability credentials of load-bearing or structural stone projects. Amin Taha’s 15 Clerkenwell Close project undoubtedly brought this way of using stone to the headlines. This session will unpack some of the exciting developments around this conversation and introduces the new Stone Federation Structural Stone Guide.
14:00 – 14:30
Introducing the new Stone Federation Structural Stone Guide
As the trade body for the natural stone industry, Stone Federation are at the forefront of the shift within architecture to engage with the structural or load-bearing potential of natural stone, and, in particular, the impressive carbon savings that can be made by building in this way.
At present there is no guide for architects, structural engineers, and clients looking to use natural stone in this way.
In light of this, Stone Federation have formed a Structural Stone Code Working Party that has brought together some of the leading experts on this use of stone. Find out more about how this group is exploring the design typologies, systems and testing required to bring this use of stone into a more mainstream acceptance.
David Richardson, Director, FMDC Ltd
David Ellis, Partner, Sandberg
14:30 – 15:00
Panel discussion
Following the presentation about Stone Federation’s work to develop a structural stone code of practice, this panel discussion will gather some of the leading voices from architecture, structural engineering and quarrying to discuss these developments.
Panel with Susannah Streeter, David Richardson, David Ellis and Michael Poultney
Friday 9 May
11:00 – 12:00
Uncovering the UK’s forgotten stones
The UK is home to a rich and diverse geology, and this session looks at a selection of existing and proposed schemes designed to maximise the potential of this valuable resource. It also examines the commercial challenges which indigenous stone producers need to overcome to grow the UK stone market.
Chair: Jane Buxey, CEO, Stone Federation Great Britain
11:00 – 11:15
Stone sourcing challenges for historic building repair: current and future projects
Clara Willett, Senior Building Conservation Advisor, Historic England
11:15 – 11:30
Exploring the business challenges and future opportunities of bringing some of the UK’s forgotten stones back to the commercial market
Giles Heap, Managing Director, CED
11:30 – 11:45
Sourcing building stone in Scotland: developing potential for indigenous stone
Imogen Shaw, Building Stone Scientist, British Geological Survey
11:45 – 12:00
Panel discussion
Panel with Jane Buxey, Clara Willett, Giles Heap and Imogen Shaw
12:30 – 13:30
Retrofit for the future: how heritage plays a key role in achieving net zero
As part of the efforts to reduce the carbon impacts of the built environment, there is a fresh drive for clients to prioritise the retrofitting of existing buildings over demolition and rebuild. This session will explore some of the key topic around this conversation.
Chair: Clara Willett, Senior Building Conservation Advisor, Historic England
12:30 – 12:45
How traditional approaches using stone are relevant in the modern, low carbon conservation
Edward Lewis, Practice Director, Donald Insall Associates
12:45 – 13:00
The use of indigenous stone: researching embodied carbon of slate
Soki Rhee-Duverne, Building Conservation Advisor, Historic England
13:00 – 13:15
The Birkin Building: a net zero retrofit exemplar
Originally the headquarters of a leading lace manufacturer, these buildings now provide quality office space to Nottingham’s Creative Quarter. The Birkin Building’s 30,000 square feet are fully let with every floor refurbished. The developer received a £50,000 grant from Historic England’s Heritage Action Zone fund, the first award of the maximum figure in the country. Find out more from Becky Valentine.
Becky Valentine, Co-owner, Sustainability & Building Health Consultant, Spenbeck Ltd
13:15 – 13:30
Panel discussion
Panel with Clara Willett, Edward Lewis, Soki Rhee-Duverne and Becky Valentine
14:00 – 15:00
Emerging Talent Award: celebrating and inspiring the next generation of stone industry talent
Alongside the presentation of the Emerging Talent Award, this session will explore what the industry is doing to invest in the next generation.
14:00 – 14:40
Panel
How businesses can attract, train, and retain the next generation of natural stone professionals is essential for the future health of the sector. Panellists provide an industry perspective on the training and qualification pathways available for career progression – including apprenticeships, specialist courses and the Stone Federation Stone Academy.
Adrian Attwood, Chairman, DBR Ltd & President, SFGB
Nigel Gilkison, Senior Manager, Head of Construction & Stonemasonry, Building Crafts College
Bernard Burns, Director Of Business Development, Szerelmey
14:40 – 15:00
Awards presentation
