With sustainability having become a necessity and green rating a requirement for key projects, this year’s Big 5 aims to provide an ideal platform for companies to raise their green profile.

01 October 2012

THE region’s premier and largest event for the building and construction industry continues to grow bigger and better every year: In addition to being a mega showcase covering more than 44,000 sq m of exhibition space and a key networking destination for the construction industry, The Big 5 has evolved into an educational platform and a forum for discussion.

This apart, the event now caters for the spectrum of building and construction requirements with a number of concurrent exhibitions set to be staged alongside at the Dubai World Trade Centre next month (November 5 to 8). These co-located exhibitions include Middle East Concrete, PMV Live and FM Expo.

With the current drive regionally and international being towards sustainable construction and environment-friendliness, The Big 5 puts the focus on “green” products and services with an educational programme comprising a conference, free seminars and workshops, and an awards programme.

One of the new attractions of this year’s event is the Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) workshops that focus on core concepts and implementation. The Leed workshops are scheduled for November 5 to 6, where Mario Seneviratne, Leed faculty member, Leed fellow and director of Green Technologies, will take participants through core concepts, strategies and implementation of sustainable building.

The show floor will also host daily free education seminars, showcasing the latest tools and technologies from the industry.

In addition, The Big 5 will feature a new live demonstration theatre located in the main concourse where 32 selected exhibitors will be able to showcase the practical application of their products to visitors. Visitors will be able to view the demonstrations on a large screen.

Sustainability

With the UAE having taken pole position in the region in having the highest number of sustainably certified developments, it is only natural that The Big 5 will respond to the heightened market interest in environment-friendly and sustainable products and services.

“Sustainability is no longer just a boardroom buzzword but a necessity in the current business landscape. Thanks to the support from the government and various associations in the UAE, we have seen how positive the economic impact of sustainability can be,” says Andy White, event director of The Big 5.

“More needs to be done in this matter and sustainability is very much at the forefront of The Big 5 2012; exhibitors, visitors and delegates have consistently fed back that this is an element that holds significant value for them.”

Both business and individual consumers today are demanding sustainable buildings, and regional developers and suppliers have risen to this challenge by providing leading solutions across all key pillars of sustainable building: air quality, water quality and energy usage.

“It has become impossible for contractors to lead within the market without embracing green building systems, and experts expect that sustainability will soon just become the norm,” he adds.

Thomas Bohlen, chief technical officer at the Middle East Centre for Sustainability – whose team of Leed AP professionals has certified to date 30 buildings in Dubai alone – and also a speaker at The Big 5’s upcoming Green Build Conference, says: “There has been a great amount of progress made in the region’s sustainable construction over the past two years specifically. Everyone within the industry has an understanding of what green building means now, and eventually we will see it become just a normal part of building practice.”

“The biggest myth to be dispelled is that green buildings are more expensive to build and maintain – something that has continually been disproven due to the savings that are quickly made on sustainable features,” says White. “This is just one topic being discussed during the two-day conference, with sessions encompassing subjects such as specifying sustainable materials, performance metrics, and a number of successful case studies being presented.”

The Green Build Conference will take place on November 7 and 8 and will be reserved exclusively for selected industry professionals. Delegates can apply for a place online at The Big 5 website  (www.thebig5.ae).

Another hallmark of The Big 5 is the Gaia Awards, already in their fourth year and which have continued to grow in popularity and reputation. Some 50 shortlisted companies will be competing for coveted green prizes.

Opportunities

While meeting current trends in the industry, participating companies will also be looking to cash in on the heavy investment being done in the region especially in infrastructure including rail by networking at The Big 5.

“With numerous multi-billion projects related to the GCC Rail under way, The Big 5 exhibition offers an ideal platform for global and local companies to tap into new regional business opportunities and benefit from specialised services, product offerings and partnerships,” says White.

Across the GCC, rail projects worth as much as $149 billion are in the planning or construction stages over the next decade, according to the Zawya report commissioned by The Big 5 2012.

Qatar leads with projects estimated at $41.8 billion in the pipeline, creating significant country growth, investment and job opportunities for nationals (see Drilling & Tunnelling feature).

Rail projects in the state include national and inner-city railway systems, some of which will ultimately converge to form part of the ambitious GCC Rail project, which aims to unify the region and enhance connectivity and freight movement.

A clear indicator of this impending expansion is the rise in participation from rail-related service providers and Qatar-based businesses at The Big 5, which will host some of Qatar’s key industry players, with a Qatar pavilion and exhibiting companies such as Qatar Steel Company, Qatar Development Bank and Qatar National Aluminum Panel Company.

“This year we have participation from more than 70 countries representing a wide range of sectors from across the building and construction industry, such as infrastructure which encompasses railways, making it easier to source products and network with global suppliers,” says White.

Product sectors

Following the positive feedback from having subdivided the exhibition into product sectors in 2011, this year’s Big 5 will see that focus further emphasised, with six main product sector areas: Kitchens, Bathrooms and Surfaces (inclusive of marble, stone and ceramic); HVAC (heating ventilation and air-conditioning); Steel; Water Technology; Coatings, Adhesives and Sealants; and Windows and Doors. The GCC’s HVAC industry, which is estimated to be worth around $6.4 billion, represents the largest sector at the exhibition with another key sector being kitchen and bathrooms.

The Big 5, with more than 30 years of history, has grown to become a truly international stage for the building and construction industry of the Middle East. Organised by international exhibition company dmg::events, the show attracts more than 2,500 exhibitors and is expected to feature pavilions from around 30 countries including Italy, Germany, US, Turkey, UK, Spain and France.

“The Big 5 is an opportunity for buyers and sellers of construction products and services from around the world to source an astounding array of the very latest technologies, innovations and techniques,” says White.

“More than an exhibition, the event provides attendees with unrivalled access to information, intelligence, contacts and hands-on experience. Experts from around the world engage in the industry’s most topical discussions, finding solutions, facing challenges and seizing opportunities. It is the gateway to the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) providing both exhibitors and visitors with the opportunity to conduct serious business with like-minded professionals,” he says.

The Big 5 2012 is supported by Gold Sponsors Massbetter and Rajhi Steel and Free Zone partner Jafza.

Link for the Make a Date:

• Bigger, better
• Big 5-Exibitor List
• Export drive
• Major presence
• Expansion focus
• In the limelight
• Aggressive strategy
• In command
• Sustainable future
• Designer boards
• High-volume solutions
• Opening doors
• Steeling the show
• Sensing the heat
• Maiden show
• Green panels
• Professional finish
• Green focus this year
• MEC adds volume as demand for concrete rises

Tags

Regional News UAE Focus Events Diary of Events Legally Bound Glass & Metal JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai Precast Concrete The Big 5 Drilling and Tunnelling Tenders

Gulf Construction is the undisputed leading trade journal for the building and construction industries of Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states. The magazine provides editorial coverage on a wide range of topics which are of interest to industry professionals. In addition, regular features highlight technological developments within specific industry fields. Launched 40 years ago, the magazine has established an enviable reputation as an authoritative, respected journal with unmatched coverage of the Gulf region. Gulf Construction is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in the region’s building and construction industry.