Top 10 moments from The Big 5 2018

1) The 39th edition of Middle East’s leading international building and construction show was officially opened by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance and Industry of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

2) Over 2,500 global exhibiting companies and more than 30 official country pavilions displayed the latest building solutions and innovative products at the event. 

3) The Big 5 hosted its first ever FutureTech Construction Summit under the theme “Empowering Innovation in the Construction Ecosystem” on November 26. Speakers from Virgin Hyperloop One, Microsoft, Saudi Aramco and many more presented some of the latest and most promising technologies, which will help the construction industry achieve higher productivity, greater sustainability and enhanced affordability.

4) Under the Patronage of the Ministry of Energy & Industry, The Big 5 Solar hosted the Global Solar Leaders’ Summit on November 27. Following the topical theme ‘Solar Solutions for Construction’, the summit featured the GSLS Award Ceremony to celebrate achievements towards a more sustainable and efficient footprint through solar solutions.

5) Held at The Big 5 Heavy, The Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai (RTA) in partnership with British Standards Institution (BSI) awarded BIM standard certification to major clients at the RTA Innovation in BIM Summit. Running on November 27, the summit focused on pushing forward the adoption of BIM technology in the UAE.

6) The first HVAC R Expo by The Big 5, the leading event dedicated to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry in the region, launched hosting over 200 exhibitors from around the globe. These, presented a wide range of products including Air Conditioning and Ventilation, Heating and Refrigeration Systems, as well as increasingly popular measuring technology and climate control solutions.

7) Whether it was product sourcing, making new contacts, networking with industry peers or keeping up with the latest trends, the launch edition of the Urban Design and Landscaping Expo (UDLE) proved to be the premier platform to explore the growing role of urban design in the development of this region. On November 28, UDLE also hosted the first Urban Design & Landscaping Summit, under the theme “Promoting greener, healthier and more sustainable built environments with best practices in urban design and landscaping”.

8) In partnership with Dubai South Business Park, The Big 5’s ‘How to do Business in the UAE’ seminar provided business intelligence to exhibitors and visitors interested in navigating the burgeoning UAE construction market. Members from Expo 2020 Dubai and Dubai Customs were amongst some of the eminent speakers who participated in the event on November 28. 

9) The first Women in Construction Seminar & Awards at The Big 5, organised in association with Mott MacDonald, addressed the challenges that women face in terms of equal opportunities in construction, a traditionally male dominated sector. Leading women in the industry were also awarded by a panel of industry experts on November 28.

10) At The Big 5 this year, the most promising tech innovations for the construction sector were on show at the dedicated Start-up City. Competing against a pool of 14 start-ups from around the globe, WakeCap was awarded a prize worth USD 25,000 by a panel of experts at the Start-up City Pitch Competition on November 28.