The Big 5 Saudi

Projects bonanza drives show’s record growth

HOW has The Big 5 Saudi grown since its launch in 2011? And what are your expectations for 2014?

The Big 5 Saudi surpassed all expectations when it was launched in 2011, and has continued to see phenomenal growth year-on-year since. The event now encompasses the entire space of the Jeddah International Fairs and Exhibition Centre, as well as a purpose-built arena constructed onsite for the event, to double the available venue space. When you add to this around 3,000 sq m of outdoor space, it is clear that The Big 5 Saudi has established itself as a major regional event. The growth of The Big 5 Saudi reflects the buoyant Saudi construction sector, with an estimated $94.15 billion of projects confirmed for 2014. Much of this spend will be focused on the Western region of the country, for which Jeddah is the key hub.

The 2014 event will be our biggest year to date, with new features and opportunities for participants to find out more about the latest technologies, innovations and solutions that can support faster, more efficient and more sustainable construction for the future.

• What is the total number of exhibitors in 2014? What is the number of exhibiting countries? How many national pavilions are there?

We have 500 exhibitors in total, with 34 countries participating and national pavilions from Germany, Italy, Greece, China and Turkey, among others.

• What are the new features for 2014?

This year, we will launch a series of educational seminars for the first time, with local, regional and international experts from across the industry presenting their views on the latest trends and challenges, sharing best practice and taking part in panel discussions. The seminars will all run under the overarching theme of sustainable construction, from materials, architecture and masterplanning to presentations on best practice, including the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (Kaust) and the White Sky iHouse, a revolutionary new concept that connects electromobility to zero and plus energy houses.

In addition to the seminar series, The Big 5 Saudi will be hosting a selection of four US Green Building Council (USGBC)-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) workshops including a new session focused specifically on the hotel and hospitality sector, and a session highlighting the new Leed version 4 which was launched in November – critical intelligence for all modern construction professionals. Completing the educational line-up will be a full-day, free-to-attend concrete repair workshop, providing up-to-date information from international thought leaders.

We will also have live demonstrations from exhibitors taking place in a dedicated arena, with products being presented in an ‘as live’ environment, as well as the return of the Platinum Club, which brings together the top industry buyers and provides fast-track access for the most relevant and influential visitors to the event.

• Who are some of the key speakers leading the educational seminar series?

This free-to-attend, series held over two days will kick off with a panel discussion titled ‘Leaders in Construction’, which will feature Andrew Johnson of Mace Group, who is serving as project manager of Jeddah’s Kingdom Tower, which is set to unseat Dubai’s Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building, along with John G Spitz, senior vice-president, Saudi Arabia, Hill International, a global construction consultancy that handles over $40 billion in projects across the country. Also on the panel will be Jesdev Saggar, managing director for Capital Projects and Infrastructure, Deloitte; and Oliver Plunkett, Buro Happold’s Saudi Arabia country manager.

Other speakers featured during the series will include Brian Johnson, managing partner, GAJ Architects; William O’Dell, partner at HOK; Dr Abdulgader Othman Amir, vice mayor for strategic planning and chief planner, Jeddah Municipality; Sultan Al Khuraissi, director, buildings department, Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu; and Maurice Rosario, director, GMW Architects International.

• What topics will be featured in the seminar series?

The inaugural Big 5 Saudi Seminar Series will include a Market Insight session, which will focus on the market fundamentals driving the push for affordable housing in Saudi Arabia, along with a series devoted to sustainable building design. This series will cover methods for minimising post-project waste while improving energy efficiency targets, along with integrating recycled content into usable building materials.

The series will also include case studies and project overviews assessing new strategies for project planning and collaboration, which ensure timely project delivery, along with effective financing mechanisms for mega projects and successful public-private partnership models.

• What are the main sectors of opportunity in Saudi Arabia?

Power and transport are two of the biggest industry sectors for the construction industry at present, as the country looks to increase the reliability and capacity of its infrastructure. Big projects are under way, including the Shaqiq power plant, south of Jeddah, as well as significant rail projects, such as the Riyadh Metro, currently the biggest project in the region. These, and others, will continue to provide opportunities for the years to come. In addition, general construction features prominently across the kingdom, with a number of high-level projects under way, including local housing initiatives in many regions.

The global draw of the Saudi market is highlighted at the event by the number of international companies who come to exhibit their products and innovations. Visitors are able to source the very latest solutions from around the world that can be utilised to drive forward construction locally.

• What sets the show apart from other events?

This year’s Big 5 Saudi will be the largest construction exhibition ever held in the Western region. It will offer buyers the chance to view the industry’s most innovative construction products from all over the world, many of which will be seen for the first time in Saudi Arabia.

The breadth and diversity of international product is something no other event can deliver and will enable our buyers to source the most suitable products for their current projects. The industry will have the opportunity to find out about the latest products from all sectors of the construction industry and source the most efficient and effective solutions to support projects from infrastructure to transport, residential development to power. The Big 5 Saudi is definitely a must-attend platform for the both the regional and international industry players.

Link for the The Big5 Saudi Floor Plan: