Smart Cities and mega-projects will help boost the GCC construction sector to $2 trillion by 2020, driving strong demand for professional audiovisual solutions, from interactive digital signage to massive back-end control rooms, said industry experts.

As complex mega-projects such as Expo 2020 Dubai and the technology-infused Neom City in Saudi Arabia come to life, the developers are increasingly investing in professional audiovisual solutions across airports, hotels and resorts, and mega-event sites, they stated.

"Expo 2020 Dubai will be the Middle East’s showcase event for how professional lighting, audio visual, digital signage, and back-end control systems can optimise the guest, visitor, and citizen experience," stated Jacob Thomas, the general manager at Dutco Tennant, one of the UAE’s largest engineering conglomerates, which has helped to develop a wide range of UAE mega-projects.
 
Middle East smart cities are posting strong demand for the same kinds of technologies to direct traffic, "optimize costs and sustainability, and ultimately drive citizen happiness," he added.

Regionally, in the Middle East and Africa, professional audiovisual spend will grow 50 per cent to $12 billion by 2022, according to a new report from the professional audiovisual industry association Avixa, the co-organisers of InfoComm MEA 2017 expo.

One of the region’s largest industry events, InfoComm MEA will run from December 5 to 7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

"From smart streetlights to a fully-immersive screen experience in cinemas or stadia, LED displays are transforming citizen and guest experiences across the Middle East," said Christopher Danley, the executive vice-president of sales at Unilumin, a leading US-based LED manufacturer.

"LED displays are cost-effective, support sustainability, and can provide a crystal-clear viewing experience," he explained.

Unliumin will be showcasing its novel product 'UpanelS' at the upcoming expo. The US group had won the best digital signage award for 'UpanelS at the recent InfoComm global event in Las Vegas.

Behind the scenes, Smart City authorities and mega-event organisers increasingly need the oversight delivered by the sophisticated city-wide or event-wide real-time dashboard of services found in modern control rooms, said the experts.

At the Dubai event, global electronics manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric will be unveiling its lineup of control room videowall display technologies.

Mitsubishi Electric’s participation will be led by its latest innovation, the direct view narrow pixel pitch LED display screen VS-15NP160 - the only system designed specifically for command and control applications.

"In the Middle East and around the world, control rooms provide the essential infrastructure to enable Smart Cities or mega-events to run smoothly. Control room displays face high demands – they need to be crisp, clear, readable, and 100 per cent reliable but also comfortable to view all day long," remarked Steve Simpson, the business development manager at Mitsubishi Electric Dubai.

A key highhlight at the event will be the InfoComm MEA summit which is likely to draw more than 500 exhibitors who will be there to gain industry-leading insights about industry trends and global best practices, said the organisers.

Industry associations will lead conversations on how professional audiovisual and experiential communications can transform every business, with each partner hosting a half-day conference, they added.-TradeArabia News Service