With more and more developers in the region opting for green construction materials for their Expo 2020 projects, the use of glass as a prominent building material is becoming popular, said experts ahead of Gulf Glass expo in Dubai, UAE.

One of the largest flat and container glass event in the region, Gulf Glass 2017 will see leading companies showcase their latest manufacturing and processing technology from September 25 to 27 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

More than 140 regional and international exhibiting brands will be featured, face-to-face business interactions facilitated, and a consistent customer-centric focus localizing operations and relationships to keep businesses informed and connecting them with relevant consumers, according to organisers dmg events Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Gulf Glass is co-located with The Outdoor, Design & Build Show, FM Expo, and Windows, Doors & Façades, which will bring even more decision makers from the glass community together under one roof, said the organisers.

In the lead up to Expo 2020 Dubai and in the face of on-the-ground implementation of sustainable building practices in the UAE, Gulf Glass 2017 brings the fully recyclable material to the forefront of trading, they stated.

With Moblik, the Telecommunications Authority (TRA) in Abu Dhabi, being awarded Gold Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) committing to maximise reliance on clean energy by Expo 2020, there’s an increased demand by the construction sector for innovative and green construction materials, remarked Muhammed Kazi, the Gulf Glass event director.
 
"The glass industry is no exception to this request,” he added.

According to experts, the construction glass market, which was worth $81.9 billion in 2015, has been forecasted by Cision Research and Markets to grow at a 7.6 per cent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) till 2022.

The opportunities are galore in this sector stretching from the solar energy sector (where glass is a principle material for panel builds), to the increasing demand for value-added architectural considerations such as acoustics and utility reduction, they added.
 
It’s clear to see that these opportunities are truly being grasped by global construction and architectural contractors alike.

Canadian Solar has just committed to supplying Dewa with 268MW solar modules aimed to power the massive Expo 2020 event.

Also, local architectural firm Foster + Partners in collaboration with Apple in Dubai has been making headlines highlighting the use of glass as a prominent building material, said the experts.
 
According to them, the future of the construction glass industry is pinned against the unification of two themes; the contractor’s commitment towards sustainability and the efficient use of glass materials by them.

Innovative processes within the glass industry pave the way for more buildings with energy efficient cooling, heating and lighting solutions, they added.
 
The Gulf Glass event takes place once every two years, and in 2015 welcomed an impressive 4,381 visitors, bringing together 127 exhibiting brands from 20 countries, all displaying the latest products and solutions for industry professionals in the Middle East.

Featuring technical workshops and a dedicated glass conference, the event provides free access to learning, unparalleled networking with regional and international leaders, as well as an opportunity to source both products and services.-TradeArabia News Service