Construction industry gathers for The Big 5 in UAE

The Big 5, the largest and most influential construction industry event in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from December 5 to 8, 2022. The annual event brings together industry professionals, disruptors, innovators, suppliers, stakeholders, ESG advisors, and international policymakers, attracting 2,000 exhibitors and 55,000 global attendees from more than 150 countries.

According to ABiQ, the event’s Knowledge Partner, the total value of projects in the Middle East and Africa is US$6.5 trillion, with US$3.5 trillion already underway and another US$2.9 trillion in the pipeline. The amount is equivalent to 138% of the region’s GDP. According to ABiQ, the Middle East alone accounts for US$3.5 trillion of the total MEA value, while North Africa accounts for $879 billion.

The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, which supports the event, calls for industry collaboration as smart technology shapes the future of construction and aligns with the Government’s vision and mission of strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors. The Big 5 Global Construction Leaders’ Summit will return this year with key industry stakeholders and disruptors from outside the sector to discuss new ways forward during a busy day of knowledge-sharing to future-proof the industry. 

“The government is determined to develop policies, laws, and regulations to support and diversify the national economy by launching integrated investment projects, enabling innovative capabilities, and enhancing skills on the regional and international levels,” said His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy & Infrastructure. “The Big 5 Global Construction Leaders’ Summit brings into attention the critical role the construction sector plays in developing infrastructure and achieving the sustainability of the national economy. It also contributes to exploring prospects for cooperation with our partners to achieve more dependence on modern technologies in the various sectors of the construction sector that have the potential to keep pace with digital transformation, in line with the government’s ambitious vision to realize its future goals and global sector leadership.”

Ben Greenish, Senior Vice-President Construction of dmg events, organiser of The Big 5, added: “Attendees from across the region will be taking part in vital discussions at the event, where the sector’s global leaders will seek to future-proof the construction sector through collaboration, sustainability, and technology. We’re honoured to be partnering with the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure and to have its support.

The Big 5 will focus on eight major product segments, as well as host six specialized events addressing key construction sectors: Middle East Concrete and The Big 5 Heavy will bring together the concrete supply chain and heavy machinery players; Middle East Stone connects the stone industry in the region; the Urban Design & Landscape Expo will highlight new ground-breaking landscape, infrastructure, and urban development solutions; FM Expo connects facilities management professionals with new technologies to support them safely maintaining their assets; and the HVAC R Expo focuses on providing healthy air conditioning for new build, retrofit, or maintenance programmes. The events will be supported by a collection of CPD-certified talks and summits, providing attendees with insights on the latest market trends and actionable best practices. 

Aside from the six specialized construction events, Everything Architecture will consist of innovative and inspiring materials, services and products that are transforming the world’s architectural and design sectors. Exclusively created for architects, designers, specifiers, and property developers, the inaugural event will present revolutionary solutions that can rapidly transform the sector. 

“This portfolio of events aims at ensuring participants get to meet the people most appropriate to their specific area of business, and that visitors can make the most of their attendance by quickly accessing the exhibitors most relevant to their operations,” added Greenish.

The show will also host Digital Construction World with Start-up City, which will see technology disruptors from nine nations demo solutions in front of construction stakeholders and decision-makers. Competing start-ups will propose solutions for the contech, proptech, infratech, sustainability and energy sectors, while the FutureTech Construction Summit will encompass keynotes and discussions on the impact of technology for the future, embracing and implementing disruptive technology and people, collaboration, and inspiration.

The Big 5 Global Construction Impact Summit will debut at the event where disruptive thinkers, innovators, and ESG advisors assess the construction ecosystem and collaborate to support the achievement of ambitious regional net-zero targets.

Finally, The Big 5 Construction Impact Awards will honor the people, organizations, and projects that are driving sustainable development, innovation, and transformation in the region’s thriving construction industry. The awards, which span 17 categories, serve as a platform to recognize and celebrate the achievements and transformation of the construction industry that go beyond traditional project delivery metrics.

The Big 5 has confirmed over 2,000 exhibitors from 150 countries to date. The event is expected to draw up to 55,000 people. Visit https://www.thebig5.ae for more information.