The building sector in the Middle East is set to receive a significant boost when the Intelligent Building Gulf Exhibition and Conference will be held in Abu Dhabi next year.

Intelligent Building Gulf will be held from April 20 to 23, 2008, simultaneously with three other building shows under the umbrella of the Building Futures Gulf  by Batimat Exhibition and Conferences.

They are organised by Reed Exhibitions Middle East and will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

The umbrella event will consist of four shows devoted to high performance buildings and will include besides Intelligent Building Gulf, HVAC Gulf (Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning), Structure Gulf (structural products and components), Envelope Gulf (façade systems and joinery).

The four shows under the Building Futures Gulf by Batimat umbrella target architects and designers, consultants, engineers, property developers, equipment distributors, contractors and industry associations.  Reed is partnering with the International Union of Architects (UIA) to organise the show.
 
Show Manager, Building Futures Gulf by Batimat, Leonard Lecoq noted that the market had responded very positively to the specialised shows. “Key stakeholders in the building sector have been genuinely appreciative of the show’s format and we are pleased to offer this networking, knowledge-gathering and business platform for the building industry,” he said.

“Our research has shown that decision makers in the building sector give little or no importance to integrating advanced technology solutions into their building projects at the initial stage. We think there are two reasons for this: firstly, there is a lack of awareness of new technologies in the sector and secondly because service providers have focused excessively on the technological aspects rather than on the value their solutions can bring to the end user,” he said.

A variety of networking and digital systems, security management and control solutions, climate management and renewable energy systems, electrical equipment and lighting, lifts, elevators and systems providing access for persons with reduced mobility, facility management and centralized vacuum systems and ducts will be on display at the exhibition.

In parallel with the show, a leading industry conference will be conducted by IBG (Intelligent Building Group) to share information and insights on the growth of intelligent buildings worldwide and how the region can benefit from the global experience.

The IBG is an international association of leading professionals from all sectors of the industry, striving to strengthen contacts, share knowledge and propose solutions for the "sustainable advancement of the built environment".

The conference sessions by IBG will focus on how the application of the intelligent building concept can enhance the user experience in malls, retail outlets, hotels and residences.

Speakers will also shed light on the Eco Data Centre concept, the impact buildings have on the carbon footprint and the complex factors at play in the building of Intelligent Cities.

According to a study conducted by AMR International for Reed Exhibitions, the building construction market in the Middle East is worth over $272 billion and is set to grow more than 10 per cent annually until 2009. – TradeArabia News Service