• The Big 5 in Dubai presented an action-packed second day with four high-level summits
• 2,500+ local and international exhibitors showcase the latest technologies and solutions for the construction industry

After a successful opening, The Big 5 mega-event demonstrated its credentials as a global hub for the entire construction industry with the launch of four high-level summits and hundreds of CPD-certified workshops and practical seminars on its second day.

The event continues until 28 November hosting 2,500+ local and international exhibitors from 60 countries showcasing over 20,000 building solutions and products from more than 130 countries over the four days of the event.

Vice President Construction – dmg events, Josine Heijmans, said:

“These high-level summits have been carefully designed to equip the industry professionals with the necessary tools to be able to meet the ever-changing needs of the construction community and to make a positive impact in the sector. The Big 5’s strong focus on education and networking will foster collaboration, support best practices, and provide effective solutions to today’s industry challenges.”

The full scope of the educational component of the region’s largest and most influential event for the construction industry was on show today as the morning kicked off with The RTA Innovation in BIM Summit at The Big 5 Heavy, in partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The one-day summit shed light on the adoption and future trends of BIM in the UAE as the audience heard from expert matter specialists on critical subjects such as readiness for BMI market implementation, building resilience through digital transformation, as well as a keynote presentation on the RTA’s journey to BMI.

Similarly, the Geotechnical and Engineering Summit, held in conjunction with the Deep Foundations Institute and Total Foundations Solutions, hosted a broad range of industry professionals who were aiming to broaden their knowledge on geotechnical issues specific to the Middle East such as ground improvement solutions and grouting methods.

New for this year was the launch of the one-day HVAC R Pioneers’ Summit held at HVAC R Expo featuring projects and case studies across the MEP and HVAC R sectors. It examined opportunities and challenges in the industry across topics such as air quality, distributed pumping systems, innovative HVAC strategies, and green and efficient HVAC technologies.

“Given the tremendous growth opportunities and rising demand for cooling technologies, the Middle East has recently attracted several global players of the HVAC R industry. The regulators are profoundly focusing on quality and energy-efficient products. To cope up with the demand from regulators and consumers, industry experts are finding new and innovative technologies,” Heijmans added.

Meanwhile, participants at The RIBA Talks at The Big 5 were offered an insight into the big issues affecting practices in today’s challenging environment such as the global impact of the June 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in West London delivered by OBE Jane Duncan at PPRIBA.

Tomorrow’s educational agenda at the 40th edition of The Big 5 continues with the second edition of the The FutureTech Construction Summit that will run with a brand new programme focused on five trending topics including Digital Asset Management and Digital Twins, Smart Home, Smart Buildings and IoT, 3D printing, and Trending Technology (BIM, VR, AR and drones).

Delivering tomorrow’s keynote on ‘The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Construction’, Naji Atallah, Head of Architecture, Engineering, Construction & Manufacturing at Autodesk, said:

“During the session at The Big 5, we will focus on the different emerging technologies that will shape the future of construction project execution. Things like generative design, digitalisation of everything, and machine learning have made their way to some flagship projects in the region, and we are excited to help make them norm for the industry.”

Participants can also look forward to The Big 5’s Women in Construction Forum & Awards and the Urban Design & Landscape Summit at UDLE bringing the industry together to reflect on the interaction between urban development, landscape design, and green spaces. At the Start-up City, participating start-ups challenge one another at the exciting Start-up City Pitch Competition to win a prize worth US$ 25,000 donated by The Big 5.

Organised by dmg events, The Big 5 covers the full construction cycle alongside six co-located shows: The Big 5 Heavy, Middle East Concrete, HVAC R Expo, Middle East Stone, The Big 5 Solar, and the Urban Design & Landscape Expo.

To know more, visit www.thebig5.ae.