Regional show elicits strong response
01 April 2008
Building Futures Gulf by Batimat, the first regional edition of the Batimat international exhibition, has already elicited a strong response from the market with more than 200 exhibitors from 20 countries expected to take part in the show in Abu Dhabi.
The exhibitors will include some of the leading industry names such as Siemens Building Technologies, Knauf, Saint Gobain Glass, Afico – Owens Corning, KME, Technal, Emirates Iron and Steel, Unibeton, Tabreed, Siplast-AMC Protection, Dow Corning, Somfy, Kingspan, Corus, Emirates International Investment Company, Giesse, Gulf Extrusions and Econosto.
The show is set to open this month (April 20 to 23) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Organised by Reed Exhibitions Middle East in partnership with International Union of Architects (UIA), the show marks the Middle East debut of the world-famous Batimat building show and will consist of four co-located events devoted to high-performance buildings, says a spokesman for the organiser.
The events will include: Structure Gulf Exhibition – structural technologies and implementation techniques; Envelope Gulf Exhibition – solutions for cladding, façade, joinery and shutters; Intelligent Building Gulf Exhibition – solutions, systems and networks to improve user comfort inside a building; and HVAC Gulf Exhibition – thermal comfort solutions focusing on temperature and air control, energy, plumbing and water treatment.
The show will also feature a dedicated services area for companies offering solutions to the building sector, says the spokesman.
“Building Futures Gulf by Batimat’s debut edition comes at just the right time for the market in the Middle East,” says Leonard Lecoq, show manager, Building Futures Gulf by Batimat. “The building sector in the region is maturing quickly with emphasis shifting from completing construction in the quickest and cheapest possible manner to a focus on ensuring building performance and we are pleased to present this show to the market.”
“The events under umbrella of the show will focus on key aspects of modern building construction encompassing the technical, energy-related, economic, environmental and safety aspects of construction and are aimed at property developers and owners, architects, engineers, consultants, dealers and contractors,” adds Lecoq.
He continues: “Designed to provide a comprehensive look at the building sector via the specialised platform of the four shows, the show’s format has been well appreciated by the market and we have received excellent exhibitor interest despite the show being in its inaugural edition."
"We believe that Abu Dhabi is the ideal venue in the Middle East for the show. Apart from the mega projects in the pipeline such as the Warner Bros and Ferrari theme parks, the Louvre and Guggenheim museums, The Central Market and Capital Centre property developments are under way. A report from Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) states that more than Dh850 billion ($231.6 billion) will be invested in the Abu Dhabi construction market in the coming years."
China will host country pavilions in the Structure Gulf Exhibition focused primarily on marble and stone, besides other sectors, while a pavilion showcasing Italian expertise in the HVAC sector will be organised in collaboration with Mostra Convegno Expocomfort – the biennial international exhibition that is the world's largest in the HVAC sector. A Turkish pavilion focusing on the Structural and Envelope elements of buildings will also be organised by Istanbul Mineral and Metals Exporters Association (IMMIB). Pavilions from Kuwait and Taiwan will present general construction solutions.
Exhibitions
As part of the Intelligent Building Gulf Exhibition, a variety of networking and digital systems, security management and control solutions, climate management and renewable energy systems, electrical equipment and lighting, lifts, elevators and facility management and centralised vacuum systems and ducts will be on display, says the spokesman.
Structure Gulf will showcase metal, concrete and ceramic construction systems, roofing equipment, waterproofing and waste water treatment systems, water networks, insulation systems and other structural materials and technologies.
Envelope Gulf will focus on the latest cladding and glazing products, joinery systems, solar protection systems, architectural facades, access control systems and doors and shutters.
Optimising opportunities
To optimise business opportunities at the show, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, has launched the Business Meeting Programme (BMP), which will enable visitors to the show to log on to the event website and set up meetings with exhibitors.
Prospective visitors who are decision-makers on construction projects and interested in a specific product or service can log onto www.buildingfuturesgulf.com, register as a visitor and provide brief information on their project and solutions they are looking at, says the spokesman.
They will receive a confirmatory email to access the BMP Zone where they can browse through the exhibitor list and review solutions on offer and propose a time for a meeting with a specific exhibitor at the show. The online date and time management system will process the request and generate a mutually convenient meeting schedule for the exhibitor and visitor, he adds.
Elaborating on the Business Meeting Programme, Lecoq says: “The BMP was first introduced in Europe a few years ago and has proven to be a very useful tool. Visitors can optimise their time at the show while exhibitors are able to maximise their return on investment from our events.
The exhibition will also have a series of conferences and working seminars running in parallel with the show. These presentations focus on the themes of the exhibition and will be organised with the participation of experts.
Conferences & seminars
The UIA will organise The International Architects Conference, in association with Reed Exhibitions at the show. The conference will focus on fair practices in the building sector and serve as a discussion platform for architects, contractors, owners and manufacturers.
Besides the architects conference, Structure Gulf Exhibition will feature ecosmart seminars with local and international speakers who will focus on the use of high-quality concrete called Ecosmart Concrete to improve concrete durability, especially under extreme conditions typical in the region. It will also discuss how concrete can contribute to constructing a ‘greener building.
Ecosmart Foundation, the co-organiser of this seminar, is a Canadian non-profit organisation that develops and manages activities and projects promoting technical solutions and innovations for a sustainable economy.
The Envelope Gulf Exhibition will host TBC seminars featuring presentations focusing on the building envelope and joinery. TBC is a leading French consultant with expertise in technology and management of the building sector.
At the Intelligent Building Gulf and HVAC Gulf exhibitions, the Intelligent Building Group (IBG) will organise presentations about intelligent building solutions and energy performance as part of the Intelligent Living Forum. The conference sessions will focus on how the application of the intelligent building concept can enhance the user experience in malls, retail outlets, hotels and residences. Speakers will also shed light on the Eco Data Centre concept, the impact buildings have on the carbon footprint and the complex factors at play in the building of Intelligent Cities.
The other highlights of the show will include a seminar on Turkish solutions in the construction sector by the IMMIB; a presentation by Carrier, a leading air-conditioning company, on its latest solutions and technology in the air-conditioning sector. In addition, seminars will also be presented by IFEMA (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Ventilation and Refrigeration Exhibition – Madrid, Spain) and AFEC (Association of Manufacturers of Air Conditioning Equipment) focusing on the HVAC industry in Spain and the evolution in the Spanish market.
Industry platform
“Efficiency of buildings is emerging as a key theme in the rapidly growing Gulf construction industry and all four areas of Building Futures Gulf by Batimat are focused on promoting elements that when combined optimally result in a high-performance building. We welcome all participants to the show and I am convinced that the exhibition and the parallel seminars and conferences will enjoy strong participation from stakeholders in the region’s building sector. We are also certain that people who are environmentally-conscious, particularly investors, will find the show very interesting,” Lecoq concludes.
