Dubai - 20 November, 2010. APCOR, the Portuguese Cork Association, are proud supporters of the 2010 Big 5 Gaia awards and will be represented at this year's event for the first time.

APCOR's mission is to promote cork - a 100% recyclable and sustainable material of great durability which, as a construction material, is increasingly in demand. By being present at the Big 5 awards this year, APCOR aims to increase its focus on the Middle East construction market.

Carlos de Jesus, Operational Director of APCOR's Intercork Campaign, says "We are very proud to be supporting this years Gaia awards. Like the Gaia awards, APCOR has the shared desire of providing a new generation of eco-friendly products of excellence.  While traditionally only considered as a bottle stopper, in a world that is turning to green building solutions, cork is an increasingly popular alternative for flooring, insulation and interior decoration materials. Many people don't realise, but cork has unparalleled environmental credentials. We hope to inform visitors at the Big 5 Green Stand of the beauty, diversity and technological innovation of this material and raise awareness of the importance of sustainable materials in construction." 

A large percentage of the world's cork comes from Portugal, where harvesting of this natural product has been protected by law for centuries. The cork oak tree is never cut down but rather the raw material is harvested by stripping the outer bark of the tree, a harmless process which can be carried out many times throughout the cork oak's lifetime.

While it has been around for centuries, the use of cork in flooring, wall coverings and insulation has expanded worldwide due to the development of new and exciting cork-derived materials and the demand for green alternatives in the construction world - something the Middle East in particular is at the forefront of supporting.

 No other natural product can match cork's green qualities and no natural or man-made substitute material can match cork's unique properties. Cork's thermal, vibration and sound insulation capabilities, combined with its comfort, hypoallergenic properties, beauty and infinite design possibilities make it the ideal environmental material solution for both residential and commercial applications.

Visit APCOR at the Green Stand (stand D51), Sheikh Saeed Hall, Dubai World Trade Centre, from 22-25 November.

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About APCOR - Portuguese Cork Association
APCOR's mission is to represent and promote the Portuguese Cork Industry, with around 250 members, representing around 80 percent of the total national cork production and 85 percent of all cork exports. APCOR is also responsible for promotional activities, with added value to cork, on both a national and international scale, providing, in addition, an extensive Information Resource Centre on cork.

For more information visit www.realcork.org

About the Gaia awards 2010
After a hugely successful debut in 2008, the Gaia Awards are now in their third year. Products and services showcased at this year's Big 5 exhibition that reduce the impact on the environment are eligible for the awards. The awards are designed with two simple objectives in mind:

1. To raise the profile of green or environmentally sound building products and services in the GCC region, reflecting the desire to 'build green'.

2. To enable visitors at The Big 5 exhibition to easily locate and evaluate these products on the exhibition floor. The judging panel will be assembled with the support of EcoVentures, ecospecifier International and featured senior experts from local developers, contractors and government, each of whom will apply strict selection criteria to decide on the medal winner.   

For Further information:
Katy Polley
katy@graylingmomentum.com
+971 (0)50 714 3885

© Press Release 2010