The Big 5 Global Construction Impact Summit Launch

• Sustainability leaders, Innovators, disruptors, and ESG advisors will attend the inaugural Global Construction Impact Summit at Dubai World Trade Centre on 7 December 2022
• Carbon net-zero initiative of the year joins The Big 5 Construction Impact Awards’ line-up.

Global and regional construction industry leaders will meet in Dubai this December to explore how the industry can collaborate to meet the Middle East’s ambitious net-zero targets.

The industry’s brightest minds, disruptive thinkers, most exciting innovators, and advisors from ESG-focused construction businesses will gather at The Big 5, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 5-8 December. Taking place on day three of the event (7 December), the inaugural Global Construction Impact Summit will help push a coordinated approach to meet local and global emission and waste reduction targets.

“According to the recent WGBC Beyond Buildings Report, the macro urban built environment is responsible for 75% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, with buildings alone accounting for 37%” said Ben Greenish, Senior Vice-President of Construction at dmg events, organizer of The Big 5. “The industry must demonstrate a willingness to make changes if we are to meet the World Green Building Council’s (WGBC) targets for the sector which include achieving at least 40 percent less embodied carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving 100 percent net zero emissions by 2050. By driving the shift from high-emission products for example to near-zero emission products, the industry can take a significant step forward.”

Greenish added, “The sustainability spotlight on the Middle East and Africa is shining brighter than ever courtesy of the next two editions of COP taking place in the region. As world leaders meet in Egypt this week for COP27, ahead of the UAE hosting COP28 next year, it is critical that the construction sector does its part to help both nations realise their commitments on net-zero ambitions. The Global Construction Impact Summit will emerge as a green pathway for the regional industry, which has the chance to demonstrate international leadership by highlighting commitment to national net-zero visions.”

Discussion topics throughout the day will include how to advance net zero throughout the industry, ESG leadership in construction, the acceleration of change by scaling up solutions and collaboration, achieving zero waste through substitute materials use, and ESG metrics reporting - all focused on applications for the construction industry.

“Having the opportunity to bring the Race to Zero campaign to the upcoming Global Construction Impact Summit is both exciting and timely. Our campaign, backed by the United Nations, is in full swing, but lacking representation from the UAE. We need to continue to drive action and ambition in the region as we look ahead to COP 28 in Dubai,” said Bex Porter, Built Environment Lead, Climate Champions Team. “We are rallying non-state actors – including companies, cities, regions, financial and educational institutions – to take rigorous and immediate action to halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a healthier, fairer zero-carbon world in time. In joining the Race to Zero, non-state actors can drive the ambition loop to show policymakers that the sector is stepping up to the needed transformation. On behalf of the team, we look forward to updating the industry on how we are progressing through our plan and hope to find partners to help us deliver our goals.”

Covering several pressing topics, speakers, delegates, and partners committed to integrating sustainability and net zero into their core businesses will attend and look for collaboration on how the construction ecosystem will support the region’s ambitious net-zero targets.

Campbell Gray, CEO, Middle East and Africa at Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group and the headline sponsors of the Summit, said;

“As one of the world’s leading professional services and project management organizations, we’ve set Engineering Net Zero as our north star and have been working closely with governments and the private sector to help them meet their Net Zero targets, manage their climate risk, and build climate resiliency into their portfolios. This year, we have also published our Engineering Net Zero in the GCC report that outlines key challenges, opportunities, and recommendations to decarbonize the built environment, energy, and transport sectors. The Global Construction Impact Summit provides a strategic platform to connect with key stakeholders and be a part of thought leadership industry discussions that will help the region achieve its low-carbon future. We’re also excited to see what discussions happen around both COP27 and COP 28, as any new insights will help us deliver informed strategies to support our clients on their net zero targets that will benefit the UAE and the broader region.”

Also sponsored by France-based Lafarge, the Global Construction Impact Summit will hear from speakers such as Sarah El Battouty, Chairman Founder of ECOnsult & Global Ambassador, UNFCCC High Level Climate Champions, Matthew Tribe, Managing Director, Planning, Design, and Engineering, Middle East, Majd Fayyad, DSM Strategy & Policy Lead, Supreme Council of Energy, Farah Naz, Sustainability & Innovation Lead, AECOM & Chair, CIBSE UAE and Ivano Iannelli, Board of Directors, ESG Foundation.

“Post-pandemic ESG strategies are being prioritized by public and private sector leadership,” added Greenish. “From solar energy retrofits to resource-saving technologies, the industry is realizing there’s also a strong business case for sustainability, with the WGBC estimating circular economy shifts could generate trillions of dollars in additional economic output by 2030.”

Meanwhile, dmg events have also added a new ‘Carbon Net-Zero Initiative of the Year category to The Big 5 Construction Impact Awards, which champion net zero initiatives and recognize sustainable development and technological and digital achievements in the construction industry. The finalists include ‘AEDAS Project: ENOC Future Mobility Station - Dubai Expo 2020’; ‘AESG Project: AESG championing carbon reduction across the built industry’; ‘GENSLER Project: Gensler Cities Climate Challenge (GC3)’ and ‘MILLENIUM Project: MINDCA Green Homes’.

This year, 17 awards judged by an independent and international panel of experts will be presented at a ceremony taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre on December 5. Other ‘of the year’ Awards categories include Sustainable Construction Organization, Sustainability Leader, Sustainability Champion, Sustainable Construction Project, and Sustainable Initiative.

To date, The Big 5 2022 has confirmed more than 2,000 exhibitors from 60 countries and 20 national pavilions. The event is expected to attract upwards of 55,000 visitors. For more information, visit: https://www.thebig5.ae

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