The Big 5, a leading international building and construction event, will ring in a new era this year under the theme “Shaping the Future of Construction”, following Dubai's 10X Initiative and Happiness Agenda, said the organiser.

Dubai is rolling out its plan to be 10 years ahead of any other city and become the happiest in the world. But the vital question is how will the construction community respond to the government’s call?, dmg events pointed out.

The new mandate for the building industry is arduous. New developments will need to improve the existing standards of living while addressing the challenges cities in the Gulf region face today, said the organiser of The Big 5 expo..

These span from booming population and energy consumption, to extreme weather events and climate change in an arid environment, it added.

“Developing a city that leads and sets the example for the rest of the world also means rethinking its built environment,” remarked Josine Heijmans, the portfolio event director at dmg events.

"The Big 5, turning 40 next year, has decided to fully embrace the vision of the Dubai Future Foundation and its Dubai 10X initiative to put Dubai 10 years ahead of any other city,” stated Heijmans.

The show has helped to bring much of the building materials and technologies that developed Dubai, the UAE and the broader Gulf Region over the past four decades. In 2018, Middle East’s largest event dedicated to construction turns to the future, she added.

Under the theme “Shaping the future of construction”, organiser of The Big 5 has reworked the event focusing on innovation. Its goal is to respond to the government’s call and help the industry address the challenges of today and tomorrow by presenting and promoting innovative solutions across all stages of the construction lifecycle.

The exhibition, which draws thousands of companies and construction professionals from around the globe every year to Dubai in November, is introducing features and co-located events to provide a brand new platform to move the building industry forward. These include:

*Innovation Corner and the Start-Up District – Aimed at bringing together the brightest ideas, minds and initiatives in construction
*Women in Construction by The Big 5 – An initiative to shed light on, and empower women in the industry.
*The Urban Design & Landscaping Expo – a new event on landscaping, infrastructure and urban development.
*The HVAC-R Expo – a dedicated exhibition for the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration sector, with a focus on energy efficient and innovative solutions.
*The Big 5 Solar – showcasing solar solutions for construction.
*Excellence in Construction Summit – The Big 5’s high-level summit that explores current and future trends in construction. This year is its third edition.
*The Big 5 Innovation in Precast Summit – A two-day event dedicated to innovative and efficient precast solutions.

According to the organiser, there has been an increased international participation at The Big 5 with more countries displaying what is new and best in the global construction sector.

The 39th edition of the top construction expo takes place from November 26 to 29 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Last year's show welcomed over 65,000 participants and more than 2,600 exhibitors from 64 countries.-TradeArabia News Service