Dubai Big 5 starts

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HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum cut the ribbon on The Big 5 as the biggest construction show in the Middle East this year just got bigger.

The main concourse and adjacent halls thronged with delegates as thousands look to market products, make contacts and learn of new innovations over 14 halls and almost 2,000 exhibitors. Around 30,000 products and 35,000 visitors will be present as the show reinforces its status as a one-stop centre for the region's construction industry. This new show includes extra exhibitions: the PMV Live show and Middle East Concrete, the latter a section just for concrete professionals showing the innovations available for construction's biggest man-made material.

This year the show is also reinforcing its commitment to sustainability with the Green Build Congress, which will run for three days. The opening address will be from HE Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, minister of water and environment for the UAE, followed by a keynote address from Adrian Smith, designer of Burj Khalifa, Masdar's headquarters, and what will be the world's tallest tower north of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the 1km-high Kingdom Tower. The Big Five also incorporates the FM Expo, which is expected to attract more than 14,000 visitors through the four day event. Seminars kicked off on Monday and continue throughout the show.

An estimated $915bn worth of construction projects are expected to be undertaken in the GCC over the next two years, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE expected to account for more than 75 percent of that figure, a recent study by Ventures Middle East has found. As business continues to increase, the region’s building and construction industry has had continuously evolve to keep pace with the rapid changes in demand. As a result, events like the Big 5 become crucial in shaping the direction of the region's construction industry.

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