The Big 5: Mideast’s largest construction show opens in Dubai
Participation at 2015 edition of Dubai event set to rise 6% to 85,000 visitors
Participation at this year’s The Big 5 International Building & Construction Show, which kicks off on Monday, is set to rise 6% to 85,000 participants, organisers said.
The Middle East’s largest construction show is expected to include participants from across the world, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt and Pakistan the top countries by representation.
A strong European presence is also expected at the trade show, with Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, and the UK ranked among the top exhibitor countries.
TOPIC: The Big 5
READ MORE: Dubai construction shows ‘to offer free training worth $250k’
A total of about 3,000 exhibitors will demonstrate construction products at the 2015 edition of The Big 5, which runs from November 23 to 26 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
“While other events in the region may focus on real estate or property development, The Big 5 spans the entire construction industry, from inception to design and construction,” said Nathan Waugh, Event Director of the two co-located shows, Middle East Concrete and PMV Live.
“With tighter budgets and greater demand on profit margins, the chance to be able to witness products, technologies, heavy machinery, and other equipment is important,” he added.
Middle East Concrete and PMV Live will feature 75 free CPD-certified workshops focusing on a range of topics including green building certification, sustainability, business intelligence, design and architecture, affordable housing, and technology in construction.
Technology in focus
With nearly $3 trillion worth of projects in the pipeline in the GCC, contractors should look to adopting construction software to ensure swift delivery, industry experts said ahead of The Big 5.
Governments also seem to be realising the importance of technology in construction, as illustrated by the Dubai Municipality recently expanding the mandate for using building information modelling (BIM) for a wider range of projects, including all government buildings and projects of at least 20 storeys tall.
“The Middle East is seeing nationwide transformation in construction innovation, with projects for mega-events such as World Expo 2020 in Dubai and 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar stretching design boundaries. Advancing government BIM mandates further demonstrate the Middle East’s desire to be on par with global innovators in the construction field,” said Paul Wallett, Area Business Director, Tekla Middle East.
Other significant projects in the region using BIM include the Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal Building in the UAE; the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies and Lusail Multipurpose Sports Hall in Qatar; and the King Abdullah Financial District in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
