The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has signed a milestone agreement with Expo 2020 Dubai event to bring the fifth annual World Built Environment Forum (WBEF), to Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC).  

 

From January 24 to 25, 2022, a global community of senior leaders from the private, public, academic and not-for-profit sectors will convene to tackle key issues, challenges and opportunities in the built environment, said a statement from RICS.

 

Inaugurated in 2016, the WBEF is a global platform dedicated to shaping the future of the built environment by debating, discussing, sharing ideas and innovating to ensure we are creating sustainable places for all to live, work and play.

 

Through an online community, thought leadership, standards, guidance and series of summits, the Forum brings together built-environment professionals, innovators and global influencers to discuss how we can all harness the enormous potential of the 21st century’s people and places, it stated.

 

RICS said following the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the influential factors driving urbanisation are no longer applicable in a new world of social distancing and remote working.

 

If cities are to restate their centrality to global economic growth, they must prove that they have successfully adapted to emerging norms and expectations, it added.  

 

"Across the globe, cities are playing a greater role in the overall health, wealth and happiness of people, and innovative approaches are crucial to solve the challenges faced in the built environment," remarked Robert Jackson, the RICS managing director for AEMEA. 

 

"As with many cities across the Middle East region, Dubai has grown exponentially to become a key investment hub in the world, and we are excited to bring the Forum to the region, so together with global industry leaders and influencers, we can develop holistic solutions that create better communities," it stated. 

 

"WBEF is a unique forum where thought leadership can be translated by RICS into tangible actions and standards that make a positive difference in the World," he added.

 

Aligned with Expo 2020’s theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ – as well as its three subthemes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability – the World Built Environment Forum’s summit in Dubai in 2022 is designed to look at how global influencers can collaborate to create opportunity for a better future, tackle global sustainability issues and redefine mobility through innovation.

 

Sumathi Ramanathan, Director, Market Strategy and Sales, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: "The rapid rate of urbanisation around the world is leading to cities consuming energy and resources at a rate never previously seen."

 

"It is crucial for the habitats of the future to be smart, resilient and sustainable. Expo 2020’s mission is to highlight the unprecedented opportunities brought forward by the challenges that humanity now faces," noted Ramanathan. 

 

"By hosting the world’s brightest minds and harnessing the power of collaboration, and by welcoming events such as the RICS World Built Environment Forum at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo2020, we hope to unlock solutions that will inspire action and help shape a future where no one is left behind," she added.-TradeArabia News Service