An estimated 3,813 projects worth in excess of $3.4 trillion are now under way in the Gulf region and the majority of them are being carried out in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, said a report as the biggest construction and building sector exhibition opened in Dubai today.

More than 3,200 companies are showcasing their products and services at the five-day The Big-5 exhibition which has taken up the entire space of the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The Big 5 PMV, the region’s leading exhibition dedicated to plant, construction vehicles, machinery and equipment, is held together with The Big 5 this year.

As the shows got under way, there were few signs that the global economic slowdown has seriously impacted the regional industry.

Thousands of visitors flocked to event, which was officially opened by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai who spent over an hour visiting stands and talking with exhibitors.

“Demand for space at this year’s show has exceeded our expectations,” said Simon Mellor, vice president construction of dmg world media Dubai, the organisers of The Big 5. “While construction may retract due to the global climate, the fact remains that Arabian Gulf is still one of the few regions of the world where growth is forecast to continue.”

“Without doubt, this region continues to offer the greatest concentration of construction work in today’s changing world,” Bernard Walsh, managing director of dmg world media Dubai, added. 

“There are still in excess of 5,200 individual projects worth more than $4 trillion underway across the Middle East. More than 980 of these are in the UAE alone with a total value in excess of $800 billion.'

Projects like Dubailand, Mohammed Bin Rashid Gardens City and Jumeirah Gardens Development are indicative of the scope of construction in the UAE, with these three developments alone valued at $203 billion, said a statement. 

According to leading Dubai-based market research by Proleads, which monitors regional construction projects across all industry sectors, expansion of this kind is not limited to the UAE.  

The biggest construction project currently under way in the region is Kuwait’s Silk City valued at $132 billion, followed by the UAE’s Jumeirah Gardens Development valued at $95billion, and the $93 billion King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia.

“As the construction industry in many other regions contracts, supply companies from every corner of the world have descended on The Big 5 in pursuit of contracts. They are crucially aware that regional governments are committed to giving continued priority to infrastructure projects in the development of their economies,” said Walsh.

The organisers are expecting 50,000 people to visit the show, which concludes on November 27. Nearly 14,000 visitors have registered online to attend.

A special conference on energy efficient green building solutions and environmentally friendly technologies is taking place as part of The Big 5.

The Big 5 Technical Conference takes at the Monarch Hotel tomorrow (November 24) in response to the introduction by the Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, of a green building directive underscoring Dubai's support for efforts to address global environmental challenges.

Compiled in conjunction with Ecospecifier International, the conference is also a complete sell-out with speakers on green issues such as sustainable communities; district cooling; the design of carbon critical buildings; eco-profiling of buildings; sustainability assessments; and green architecture.

Alongside The Big 5 exhibition is The Big 5 PMV - The Middle East's premier construction plant, machinery and vehicles at the same venue.

The Big 5 PM