The “Big Five” exhibition discusses reducing construction emissions in Dubai, December 4 – 7 | Al Khaleej newspaper

Dubai: “The Gulf”

The forty-fourth edition of the “Big Five Global” exhibition, which is being held with the support of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in the UAE, from 4 to 7 December 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Center, will host an elite group of the most prominent global leaders. In the field of construction, innovators, specialists and policy makers, to shed light on the most important ways to guide the construction sector towards a sustainable future.

The exhibition will attract more than 68,000 participants from more than 150 countries and more than 2,200 exhibitors displaying more than 50,000 products.

Josine Heijmans, Vice President of Construction Events at DMG Events, the organizer of the exhibition, said: The “Big Five” exhibition aims to promote effective dialogues about the most prominent initiatives that can effectively transform the construction industry, in conjunction with the “Year of… Sustainability” in the UAE, which confirms the country’s commitment to strengthening global cooperation to support climate action, and is also embodied in its hosting of the Conference of the Parties “COP 28”.

This event, which brings together all stakeholders in the construction sector, includes a comprehensive program of dialogue sessions, keynote speeches and workshops over four days within the activities of the Big 5 Global Leaders Summit and the Big 5 FutureTech Summit, in addition to the Big 5 Talks and (Everything Architecture), where more than 230 speakers participate in more than 130 sessions from all over the world.

• Carbon removal

The “Big Five Leaders” Summit is an exclusive platform that facilitates cooperation between the government and private sectors. The summit will be held on December 5, and will focus on the topics of leadership, decarbonization, cooperation, and the next generation, which will contribute to enabling the future of construction.

Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, former Minister of Climate Change and Environment in the UAE, will participate in this summit to highlight the main strategies for the future of sustainable construction. The list of speakers also includes Dr. Ali Al Jassim, Chairman of the Emirates Green Building Council; Engineer Maryam Obaid Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the Building Regulation and Licensing Agency in Dubai Municipality; Dr. Antonio Nanni, President of the American Concrete Institute, and Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi, Board Member and Chief Sustainability Officer at Al Bawani Holding; Alaa Abu Siam, CEO of Egis for the Middle East and South Asia, and many others.

Kathleen McGrail, General Manager of Advisory Services at WSB Middle East, who will participate as a speaker at the exhibition, said: As the race towards climate neutrality intensifies amid the global shift towards green practices, the importance of creating an enabling work environment that attracts the younger generation is heightened. I am happy to participate and talk about ways to make the construction and engineering sectors more attractive to future generations.”

• Project planning

One of the opening sessions will witness the participation of Engineer Abdul Rahman Al-Khouli, Senior Principal Engineer – Project Planning and Design Department at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, who will review the main achievements in the Ministry’s digital transformation journey. Many leaders and experts will also participate in the summit sessions, such as Abdul Qader Attia from the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park; Ayman Mohammed, Chairman of the Future Foresight Committee in the Municipality of Ras Al Khaimah; And Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Director of Building Information Modeling at Red Sea Global.

The events include a series of discussions that provide in-depth insights into ten areas: project management, concrete, geotechnical, architecture, solar energy, facilities management, retrofit and facades, HVAC systems, electrical and mechanical engineering, outdoor units, technology, and urban design.

The exhibition will bring together the most prominent architects, designers, urban planners and artificial intelligence experts, where discussions will revolve around three main topics: the future of urbanization, zero-carbon design, and the impact of artificial intelligence in architecture.

Muyiwa Aoki, President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), said: Architects will gather at the exhibition, to highlight the critical role they play in creating zero-emission buildings and urban areas that embrace sustainable design, which requires the integration of local expertise with global knowledge in a way that… Inclusive and empowering.

It is worth noting that 70% of the speakers at the exhibition are participating for the first time. Speakers from the government sector will participate in the exhibition sessions, including Dubai Municipality, Qatar Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Dubai Development Authority, Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, Abu Dhabi Municipality, and others.

The exhibition will witness the announcement of the winners of the third cycle of the Big 5 Global Impact Awards, which aim to honor the most prominent achievements in the fields of innovation, sustainable development, technology and digital achievements. This year, 100 finalists will compete in 19 categories.

Fakher Al Shawaf, CEO of Al Bawani Group, the gold sponsor of the event, said: Al Bawani Group confirms its commitment to leading sustainable practices in the construction industry, and our participation in these awards reflects our continuous pursuit of achieving this goal, and we are proud to be part of this prominent global event and learn about the wonderful achievements. Which will be honored.