The 44th edition of Big 5 Global, one of the largest and the most influential construction events, concluded in Dubai, recording a staggering attendance of over 81,000 high-quality visitors from 166 countries from December 4 to 7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

“This year, Big 5 Global surpassed expectations, attracting the highest ever number of construction professionals from various corners of the world, fostering an environment conducive to sharing expertise, developing global partnerships and showcasing new advancements in construction technology and practices,” said Josine Heijmans, Vice President – Construction at dmg events, the organisers of Big 5 Global.

“This milestone reaffirms our commitment to delivering unparalleled value to our attendees, exhibitors and partners, who are looking to engage in business activities in the MEASA region’s construction landscape.”

Partnerships and Launches

Bringing together the biggest names in construction in Dubai for four days, Big 5 Global served as a hub for major deals and partnerships, further solidifying the importance of exhibitions in facilitating strong business relations.

In one such partnership, Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (Adafz), an exhibitor at Big 5 Global, signed a deal with Grand Move, to develop a $17.8 million (AED65.3 million) community mall spanning 35,000 sqm in the new Al Falah district.

Maureen Bannerman, Chief Commercial Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “We are pleased to announce this Musataha Agreement will contribute to the development of the new Al Falah district, bringing communities together.”

Floors & Walls secured distribution partners for their brands, namely Richmond and Sintrich, in India, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The distribution deals will yield in more than $20 million annually.

“We are so pleased to have exhibited at Big 5 Global this year and have already booked our stand for the 2024 edition,” said Valy Ossman, CEO, Floors & Walls.

In addition to new partnerships, this year the event also witnessed many product launches.

UAE-based United Motors & Heavy Equipment Company launched three Wacker Neuson Zero Emission products including ACBe modular battery-powered internal vibrator, battery-powered vibratory plates which redefine sustainability and efficiency in construction.

Launching in the UAE for the first time through the event was the RD8200 SG, a survey grade mapping and utility locator by Radiodetection (a Partner of SIGMA Enterprises, a Big 5 Global exhibitor).

Key Features

During the four days, Big 5 Global became an important platform for thought leaders, innovators, decision makers and construction enthusiasts to discuss the future of the sector. A series of insightful dialogues and discussions took shape at the Big 5 Global Leaders’ Summit where the industry’s call for transforming the construction blueprint was addressed.

Also at the event, speakers at the Big 5 FutureTech Summit highlighted critical dialogues on future-proofing the sector for a tech-enabled future. The content programme at Big 5 Global also hosted a day of conversations around the impact of artificial intelligence on design and architecture at Everything Architecture.

Supported by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE), construction innovation also came to life at Start-up City, where the pitch competition crowned winners for their pivotal role in reshaping traditional practices in the sector.

Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of DCDE, said: “Start-up City creates a valuable platform for engagement that brings together emerging industry players to showcase their innovative ideas and shape the future of construction.

“The chamber’s support for this timely event comes as part of our drive to nurture promising technology companies and advance the emirate’s digital transformation agenda. We remain committed to cementing Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for the digital economy in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).”

In-depth CPD-certified Big 5 Talks

Covering a broad range of pertinent topics across 130+ CPD-certified Big 5 Talks were held under 10 streams including concrete, facades, facilities management, geotechnical, HVAC & MEP, offsite and modular, project management, solar, technology and urban design and landscape.

Speakers highlighted technology adoption, sustainable building methods, geothermal energy adoption and urgent industry needs to efficiently improve materials to reduce the impact of climate change.

“We all know about the climate emergency; we need to be able to make good material selections to reduce the impact. And for all of this, digital tools are going to be very helpful,” said Belarmino Cordero, Managing Director of Eumada, who spoke at Facade Talks.

Echoing the common sentiment on the adoption of BIM at the Technology Talks, Dr Ing Ali Ismail, BIM expert at Dubai Municipality, noted: “We do our best to build a community, an interesting group of people and companies who believe in the value of using open BIM standards and believe in improving our industry by deepening collaboration as individuals and companies.”

Building on Support from Public and Private Sectors

As it concluded this year, Big 5 Global was supported by main Supporting Partner the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure; supporting partners Dubai Municipality and Dubai Civil Defense; Platinum Sponsor, Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA); Gold Sponsor, NG Khutaya; Windows Doors & Facades Event Diamond Sponsor, Schüco Middle East; Windows Doors & Facades Event Platinum Sponsor, Alumil Middle East; Windows Doors & Facades Event Gold Sponsor, Sykon; Silver Sponsors, ECE Marble, Italian Trade Agency and Fresh; Sustainable Development Sponsor, Dubai Investment Park; and Bronze Sponsors, Al Waseef, Rubber World and RAK Bank.

“We’re already anticipating next year’s Big 5 Global, bringing together regional and international exhibitors from November 26-29, 2024 to facilitate business activities and foster partnerships in the MEASA region’s construction landscape. As our portfolio expands at the Dubai World Trade Centre, we’ll soon be unveiling some exciting announcements for the event,” concluded Heijmans.