The I International forum for structural engineers and builders "Geotechnics and High-rise Construction" took place in Minsk from October 10-11.

At the present time the Belarus and Minsk real estate market which is growin, becomes more open for the implementation of new, modern, economically and technologically efficient solutions. The current economic situation reinforces the state interest to invest in new solutions and innovative technologies to the accelerated implementation of national projects, the increase in housing construction, development of the market building industry. The forum was held with the participation of representatives of scientific and design organizations from Germany, France, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania.

For the first time in Belarus was held such a huge event. Leading international and national experts in the practice of geotechnics and structural engineering took a part to participate in the forum: Pr. Rolf Katzenbach (Germany), Jonas Scesnulevicius (Litva), Jezhi Mayer (France), Robert Dunaevskiy (Ukraine), Sergey Dvornik (Ukraine), Igor Bokov (Russia), Michail Nikitenko (Belarus), Gennadiy Pastushkov (Belarus), Oleg Semenkov (Belarus) and other.

The event was supported by the Ministry of Architecture and Construction of Belarus, RUE "Glavstroyekspertiza." The main organizers of the forum are the Technical University of Darmstadt (Germany), the Engineering Bureau of Professor Katzenbach (Germany, Ukraine) and "Yaros Story" (Belarus).

The key themes of the forum were:

• Foundations of tall buildings. Design. Technology. The economic component.
• Features of design and construction of excavations and foundations in the urban environment.
• Implementation of the computational ground base models in software systems for the calculation of building structures.
• Features of design and construction in Belarus in view of Germany's cutting-edge research in the area of structures and technologies. Problems of project adaptation in Belarus. The experience of Ukraine and Russia.
• Alternative Energy: Geothermal energy - a new trend in energetics.

The Forum brought together more than 80 professionals in the field of construction and designing of the different cities of Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Germany and France.

Participants have got the opportunity to share experience with representatives from other countries, find business partners and negotiate cooperation.

The forum marked the new ideas, designs aimed at developing the country's construction industry and improving the efficiency of the Belarusian economy.