Big 5, MEP Awards 2009 just around the corner

Gerhard Hope , November 15th, 2009

Good news for the MEP industry looking forward to 2010 is the latest pronouncement by market researcher Proleads that 1,845 projects worth a combined US$657 billion are still active in the UAE (see the full article in the news section of this e-newsletter).

The largest of the sectors – by number of projects, as well as by budget – is the commercial and civils sector. This is in line with recent comments from major MEP players that the infrastructure sector represents a sustained and viable future market.

It is also good news for exhibitors at The Big 5, to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 23 to 26 November. The 2009 expo is 15% larger by exhibition space than in 2008, reflecting the confidence and optimism of exhibitors in the region’s construction industry.

Also coming up on the evening of Wednesday 9 December at The Westin is the gala awards banquet of the 2009 MEP Awards. Even if you did not enter, you can still be involved in this prestigious event by either booking a table (contact Annie Chinoy on 04 435 6252) or sponsoring a category (contact Atif Majid on 04 435 6328).

Another sign of the growing confidence and optimism in the construction industry is the plethora of entries we received for the 2009 MEP Awards. Interestingly, there is a wider spread of projects and entrants than in 2008, which is a good indication of the depth of the industry, its resilience in the face of tough market conditions, and its continued flexibility in being able to offer specialised services and expand into new markets and territories regionally.

This year’s judges – Ducab MD Andrew Shaw, ASHRAE Falcon Chapter president Yousef Alshaer, Arup associate director Ian Neale and Gifford Middle East director Colin Morris – had their work cut out for them in assessing the wide range of entries. By the time you are reading this, the shortlist will already have been determined for what promises to be the event highlight of the year for the MEP sector.

Looking forward to seeing you there!