The largest construction event in the Middle East, The Big 5, is returning with a new look to the Dubai World Trade Centre from November 26 to 29.
Under the theme “Shaping the Future of Construction”, the 39th edition of The Big 5 will “introduce never seen before technologies and innovative solutions,” organisers dmg events said.
Running from 11am to 7pm daily for four days from November 26 to 29, the event will shed light on rising entrepreneurs “who promise to disrupt the construction sector,” said dmg events. Among the shows highlights are sections that will address gender diversity in the workplace by supporting the women who are pushing the industry forward. The event is also expected to pave the way for new partnerships and investments, connecting professionals from around the world, in Dubai.
This year, five exhibitions will run as part of The Big 5, creating one mega event for the entire construction life-cycle: HVAC R Expo – the new event dedicated to the HVACR industry; The Big 5 Solar – bringing solar solutions for construction; the Urban Design & Landscaping Expo (UDLE) – the region’s only event dedicated to landscaping, infrastructure and urban development; The Big 5 Heavy – the leading event dedicated to infrastructure and heavy construction in the Middle East; and Middle East Concrete (MEC) – the region’s largest event dedicated to concrete.
In total, over 2,500 global exhibiting companies and 30-plus official country pavilions will display 360-degree building solutions and innovative products at the event, catering to the needs of the entire regional construction industry and showing a growing interest in the expanding UAE and GCC markets.
Also, more than 100 local and international industry experts will participate at The Big 5 2018, speaking at five high-level summits and 100-plus workshops across the four days of the show.
Key features of the mega construction event include:
The Big 5’s FutureTech Construction Summit, on November 26. Under the theme of “Empowering Innovation in the Construction Ecosystem”, the summit will explore future trends and technologies for the construction industry. Speakers from Virgin Hyperloop One, Microsoft, Saudi Aramco, Faithful+Gould, ASGC, AECOM, 3D Generation, Meraas and Mont Hill, just to name a few, will take part in panel discussions and thought-provoking presentations.
The Big 5 Solar’s Global Solar Leaders’ Summit, on November 27. Under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy & Industry, and themed “Solar Solutions for Construction”, the Summit will host H.E. Dr. Matar Al Neyadi, Undersecretary at Ministry of Energy (UAE), Turki Al Shehri, Head of Renewable Energy Project Development Office at Ministry Of Energy, Industry & Mineral Resources (Saudi Arabia), Rida Mulyana, Indonesian Ministry Of Energy And Mineral Resources – Director General Of New, Renewable Energy And Energy Conservation, and Rabia Ferroukhi, Head of Policy Unit And Deputy Director of Knowledge, Policy And Finance at International Renewable Energy Agency, among others.
The RTA Innovation in BIM Summit at The Big 5 Heavy, on November 27. Run by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and in partnership with the British Standards Institute (BSI), the RTA Innovation in BIM Summit will shed light on the adoption and future trends of BIM in the UAE.
The Big 5’s Women in Construction Seminar & Awards in association with Mott MacDonald, on November 28. The new Big 5 feature will offer an international stage to strong, powerful and successful women to share their experience on how they are changing the game and making an impact. Speakers include Cynthia Corby, Audit Partner & Middle East Construction Industry Leader at Deloitte & Touche Middle East, and Hind Alowais, Vice President International Participants at EXPO 2020. Awards for Women in Leadership, Next Generation Woman of the Year, and Employer of the Year Championing Inclusion & Diversity will be also announced at the end of the Seminar.
The Urban Design & Landscaping Summit at the Urban Design & Landscaping Expo, on November 28. Under the theme “Promoting greener, healthier and more sustainable built environments with best practices in urban design and landscaping”, the Urban Design & Landscaping Summit will host speakers from the City of Paris, the Dubai Creative Clusters Authority, the Sharjah Urban Planning Council, Al Ain Municipality, among others.
The Big 5’s How to do Business in the UAE Seminar, on November 28. The Seminar, in partnership with Dubai South Business Park, will provide terrific value and business intelligence to exhibitors and visitors interested in navigating the burgeoning UAE construction market. It will host speakers from Expo 2020 Dubai and Dubai Customs among others.
The Big 5 Start-Up City, on 26-29 November. Selected start-ups in the construction industry will display the technologies and solutions that will revolutionize tomorrow’s built environment. On November 28, the next tech disruptors will participate in The Big 5 Pitch Competition, where a panel of experts will award the most innovative Start-Up for 2018.
The Live Innovation Zone at The Big 5, on 26-29 November. New products and solutions will be presented throughout interactive live demonstrations on the show floor. A permanent display of all the most innovative products at The Big 5 2018 will also offer a glimpse of what is shaking up the construction industry today.
Furthermore, the popular CPD-Certified workshops, providing attendees with a certificate upon completing the first 30 minutes of each seminar session, will come back this year with an even wider educational agenda. This includes the following complimentary and CPD-certified seminars:
The BIM Talks, Architecture Talks, Project Management Talks, and Design Talks at The Big 5;
The Solar Talks presented by The Big 5 Solar;
The HVAC R Talks by the new HVACR Expo;
The Commercial and Autonomous Vehicles workshops, the Geotechnical & Engineering Conference, and the Tunneling in Construction Workshop by Herrenknecht at The Big 5 Heavy;
The Concrete Essentials Seminar Series in partnership with the American Concrete Institute (ACI) at Middle East Concrete (MEC).
Covering an area as big as 16 football fields one next to the other, The Big 5 will showcase thousands of construction products and solutions clustered in five dedicated sectors: MEP services, Building Interiors & Finishes, Building Envelope & Special Construction, Construction Tools & Building Materials, and Construction Technology & Innovation.
Visitors can attend the event for free registering online by November 25, at 5:00 pm at www.thebig5.ae/register.
