23 November 2016, 10:00
Over 13,000 visitors attended The Big 5 2016 on its opening day, event organiser, dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa revealed. The largest, most influential and renowned construction industry event in the Middle East kicked off yesterday (21 November), bringing to Dubai over 3,100 construction companies from around the globe.
On the second day of the event, the Excellence in Construction Summit unveiled current and future trends of the construction sector in Dubai, the GCC region and beyond. Organised with the strategic support of the Dubai Economic Council (DEC), the Summit gathered over 500 industry leaders. Among these, H.E. Hani Rashid Al Hamli, Secretary General of the DEC, delivered a keynote speech on the construction industry in the current global economic framework.
“Dubai is currently witnessing a new momentum of growth, thanks to the critical initiatives launched by Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” H.E. Al Hamli said. “Several crucial plans are being developed to make that vision a reality; construction will be a key element of this strategy. Dubai Plan 2021, EXPO Dubai 2020, and the massive number of projects launched by the Government will definitely strengthen the contribution of the construction sector to Dubai’s economic growth.”
On its third day (23 November), The Big 5 will put sustainability in the spotlight. At 3:00 pm a panel of industry experts will announce the winner of the eight edition of the Gaia Awards, which honors those construction equipment and products that help the industry move towards a more sustainable built environment. The ten products shortlisted by the Gaia Awards judging panel that will revolutionise Middle East’s construction industry are: ABLOY EL560L Low Energy Lock by ASSA ABLOY; Diathonite Evolution by DIASEN SRL; EcoPower Hybrid Hurricane Ventilator by Synergy United Co; Modulo & Elevator Raised Floors by Cobiax Middle East; OWC - One-Way-Container by INOTEC GmbH; Pladur Gypsum board by Yesos Ibéricos; Photovoltaic Glass for Buildings by Onyx Solar Energy SL; SageGlass by SageGlass; solidian GRID by Solidian GmbH; and TORO WATT Dual Path – Dedicated Outdoor Air System by JUMBO ENGINEERING LLC.
At The Big 5 this year, visitors can also source thousands of innovative products that effectively integrate green, sustainable, energy efficient features. “In many countries, moving towards zero ozone depletion is the environmental priority but looking to the future, the air conditioning industry must also work towards lowering the carbon footprint of air conditioning use, looking at both efficiency improvement as well as refrigerant GWP”, Stuart Corr, Commercial Director of exhibitor Mexichem, said.
The UK based BRE Global launched a dedicated resource for the delivery of BREEAM, the internationally recognised measure of sustainability for master planning, infrastructure and built environment, at the event. Used in more than 70 countries, BREEAM is the leading standard for sustainability. More than 551,000 buildings have been certified under BREEAM on more than 24,000 projects around the world with over 2.2 million registered for assessment over the last 25 years.
Technological innovation, energy efficiency and reliability are the key features of the products showcased by the Italian DAB Pump at The Big 5 2016. With its high efficiency water-cooled brushless motor, DAB Pump’s new swimming pool solution ‘e.swim’, promises to reduce energy consumption by 90%. Sandro Stramare, CEO of the group, said: “Our 2020 strategic plan, implemented at international level in 2016, entails important investments in the Middle East and Africa. This is the reason why attending The Big 5 is for us a necessary step to strengthen our position in the region and confirm the reputation of the brand as a strong, reliable and competitive market player.”
More than just an exhibition, The Big 5 2016 also offers over 80 free to attend and CPD-certified workshops delivered by industry experts on a wide variety of topics, from BIM to LEED and PMI. Co-located with Middle East Concrete (MEC) and PMV Live 2016, the event runs at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 11:00 to 19:00 daily, until November 24.
Source: DMG EVENTS MIDDLE EAST, ASIA & AFRICA