Big 5: Big just got bigger

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.

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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.

Dubai's Deputy Ruler and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry was present to officially open the show at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre on Monday morning and took time to look at the products and technologies on offer from the global range of companies positioning themselves.

This included a stop at Emirates Steel, one of the country's primary producers of the material and one of the most progressive as the country moves forward as a regional industrial hub.

This year is the seventh Big 5 show and comes as Dubai continues its recovery with the completion of further developments.

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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 - starting Tuesday. 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.

Also speaking will be Jean-Michel Cousteau, marine explorer and environmental activist and son of the late Jacques Cousteau.

The Big Five also incorporates the FM Expo, which is expected to attract more that 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% of that figure, a recent study by Ventures Middle East has found.

The figuresreflect the continued growth in the construction sector within the region. According the Business Monitor International, Saudi Arabia's construction sector is to grow 4% annually, from 2011 to 2015 - fuelled by a contnued spend on housing, infrastructure, education and health projects.

In February 2011, a study by Ventures found that in Abu Dhabi alone, there were an estimated $563bn worth of construction projects. The expected value of construction contracts to be awarded in 2011 will reach $39.8bn, up 12% from 2010.

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.

Middle East Concrete, PMV Live and FM Expo are now operating under The Big 5 portfolio of events, and run alongside the main event at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre from 21 to 24 November.