Leading regional decision makers and experts have called for the development of smart, safe and sustainable buildings across the Middle East region at a key industry event held in Dubai.

The Middle East Facades Summit was held on the sidelines of the third edition of Windows Doors & Facades (WDF), largest dedicated event for sector, which kicked off on September 23.

The three-day event was inaugurated by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).

On its first day, WDF gathered to its Middle East Facades Summit hundreds of high profile professionals from the private and government sectors involved in the planning and execution of some of the largest projects in the region.

More than 150 exhibitors from 14 different countries, including Germany, India, Italy, Korea, Spain, Turkey, UAE and United Kingdom showcased their innovative products at the event.

Themed “Future Forward: Revolutionizing the Next Generation Facades”, the summit unveiled the technological advancement at the core of the industry’s transformation.

Andy Dean, the head of Facades at WPS, Armin Buchbinder, head of Design at BSBG, and Douglas Sum, Associate – facades Services Group Leader at Aurecon, were some of the industry leaders who addressed the development of Smart, Safe and Sustainable façades – “The 3 S”.

Arvind Kumar, the manager of Architectural Advisory Technal Middle East, and Chairman of the Middle East Facades Summit, said: “I believe these are the most sought-after topics for Middle East industry stakeholders today as the buildings are getting taller, complex and cost driven.”

Buildings need to be economically viable without compromising the façade aesthetics and performance. Smart solutions are crucial to this end, he stated.

“Today, our speakers shared very interesting thoughts on the challenges and the many opportunities that technology offers to make smarter, cost-effective and viable facades of 2020,” added Kumar.

On the second “S”, the Safety issue - which was at the core of last year’s Middle East Facades Summit, Kumar said:
“The regional building codes for fire and life safety have evolved. The UAE has led by example and have implemented the right guidelines for the industry.”

A number of keynotes and panel sessions also debated what’s next for facades in terms of Sustainability, from capturing the abundant sun in the region to boosting façade performance.

With 40 per cent of global energy being consumed by buildings, Anoop Babu, Mena Regional Manager of the Architectural Solar Association, called for greater awareness, education and use of Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV).

More than 20 seminar sessions were held during the last two days to probe advancements and best practices in the industry at the Facades Seminar Series.

These complimentary CPD (Continuing Professional Development) accredited workshops focused on the most pressing industry challenges offering viable solutions to increase facades’ sustainability, energy efficiency and fire safety.-TradeArabia News Service