The conference which kicked off on Monday, will highlight the exodus of experienced professionals in the built environment and recruitment strategies to curb the declining pool of aging professionals in the industry.

The two-day event, jointly hosted by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) and the Association of Schools of Construction of Southern Africa (Asocsa), is aimed at providing an international platform to discuss problems, challenges and constraints affecting the built environment.

The conference will see speakers from the government, the private sector and educational institutions all discussing issues affecting the construction industry.

Monday's speakers included Ronnie Khoza, CEO of the Construction Industry Development Board, who focused on increasing the effectiveness of the regulatory environment.

Issues to be discussed today include the shortage of engineering skills, built environment education and investment in golf estates.