Sustainability and fire safety topped the agenda at Intersec Saudi Arabia’s Fire Protection and Technology Summit on the exhibition's opening day (October 1) when leading experts from the region outlined the future of sustainable practices in fire safety.
A three-day event, Intersec Saudi Arabia is being organised by 1st Arabia and licensed by Messe Frankfurt in capital Riyadh.
During the session, ‘Green Technologies for Fire Prevention and Control: Promoting Sustainable Practices in Fire Safety’ industry experts - including Mohammed Al Saeefan, Fire Protection Engineering Specialist, Saudi Aramco; Abdulaziz Alkhuder, Senior Project Manager, Rua Al Madinah Holding; Dr Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, VP - Health, Safety and Environment, International Maritime Industries; and Khalid Al Mandil, Deputy Fire Commissioner, Red Sea Global - outlined many of the sustainable building practices in giga project developments that prioritise fire safety, including non-combustible materials, energy-efficient design, and sustainable fire suppression systems.
Moderated by Hani Adnan Abdel Razeq, Director of Sustainability, AESG, the panel outlined the trends impacting the industry.
According to Abdulaziz Alkhuder, the growing prominence of AI is leading to the development of integrated fire and life safety systems, enabling the earlier detection and differentiation of fire-related hazards.
"Sustainability is also a key focus, with projects showcased today emphasising environmental impact alongside fire and life safety. By combining sustainable practices with advanced safety systems, we can enhance the safety of buildings while positively contributing to environmental and economic goals, ultimately creating safer living spaces for all occupants," he said.
These sentiments were echoed by Dr Ahmed Al Ghamdi, who said: "AI will be a crucial future trend, especially in identifying system risks and enhancing integration. However, the human element – experience and talent – must be seamlessly integrated. This balance is vital, and once achieved, I believe we have a bright future."
From a giga project perspective, Khalid Al Mandil highlighted the emphasis designers and architects will put on developing the next iconic project but caveated that with the importance of sustainability.
"It is very important for sustainability to be a big part of the design phase. As we all know, designers are pushing the boundaries in terms of the incredible projects they are developing, so sustainability must remain an important part of these developments," stated Al Mandil.
Rounding out the session, Mohammed Al Saeefan reinforced Saudi Aramco’s solid foundation on sustainability and what the future looks like, with particular emphasis on AI, adding: “Trending this year has undoubtedly been AI and its positive impacts, but we also have to be aware of the unknown. As part of our various digital transformation teams at Aramco, strategically teaching your AI system carefully is incredibly important. This creates a great opportunity for all systems to be aligned."
Looking ahead to the exhibition's final day tomorrow, during the Future Readiness Program on October 3, government officials, security leaders and Kearney will convene to discuss the current security landscape and pioneering future-ready solutions, said the organisers.
Sessions on the day include The Evolution of Security Threats, led by Rudolph Lohmeyer, Senior Partner, Head of the National Transformation Institute, Kearney, and address the need to understand the evolution of security threats for protecting assets and sensitive information.
The importance of developing and maintaining skills in the security sector will also be outlined in a separate panel discussion, as will a deep dive into different trends in security technologies, addressing the maturity of identified trends and recommending enablement options for effective development, as part of the Future of Security Technologies session.
Riham Sedik, Show Manager at Intersec Saudi Arabia, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: "After an incredibly successful opening day, the scene is set for the remainder of the show, in what will undoubtedly be another two days of groundbreaking insights from some of the most respected experts from the fire, safety and security industries."
“We are also seeing many deals being concluded and the latest trends being discussed in-depth on the show floor.”
Bilal Al Barmawi, CEO and Founder of 1st Arabia Trade Shows & Conferences, said: "We have already welcomed thousands of visitors to this sold-out show and look forward to welcoming many more industry professionals as they tap into the latest knowledge from world-leading experts."
