WHAT sets The Big 5 apart from other events?

Apart from the sheer size of the event – we have 2,500 exhibitors and 60,000 attendees making us the largest event in the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region – The Big 5 offers something very different.

Unlike other construction events, The Big 5 provides a huge amount of free content by way of conferences, seminars, workshops and live demonstrations, which means we consistently attract a huge number of visitors who come, not just to see exhibitors, but to learn about the latest products, technologies, techniques and regulations.

By staging an event which is full of valuable content and packed with thousands of products from all over the world, I believe we offer something truly unique.

• What are the main areas of focus for The Big 5 in 2013?

Education continues to be a strong area of focus for The Big 5 this year. There will be more educational content than ever before, including a two-day conference, technical workshops, 100-plus product seminars and 40 live demonstrations, all free to attend for visitors.

With the new Dubai Green Building Codes set to be launched in January, we have teamed up with the Dubai Municipality, who will host a free workshop outlining details of the new code and the requirements needed to remain compliant. Supporting this will be a workshop from the Dubai Central Laboratory focusing on the regulation, testing and certification of products used in construction.

We’ve gone to great lengths this year to make it easier for visitors to navigate their way around The Big 5. We have nine dedicated product sectors including PMV (plant, machinery and vehicles), concrete, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning), water technology, marble, ceramics and stone, windows and doors, sealants, coatings and adhesives, steel and kitchens and bathrooms.

Visitors can now register online and download their own personal show planner, allowing them to locate the stands they wish to visit and schedule any conference, seminar or workshop sessions they wish to attend.

We have also introduced The Big 5 mobile app, which can be downloaded prior to the exhibition and will assist visitors in making the best use of their time at the event. This app can be downloaded at www.thebig5.ae/app

• Please tell us about this year’s Gaia awards including the names of shortlisted companies and products.

The Gaia Awards were launched in 2008 to honour companies in the construction sector whose products and services demonstrate a reduction of construction’s impact on the environment.

Environmental awareness is becoming increasingly important within the construction industry in the Middle East as new building regulations in the Mena region encourage or require that all new buildings meet international green building standards. The Gaia Awards aim to promote a company‘s responsibility to the environment by recognising their achievements and providing a platform for companies to highlight their ‘green’ products and showcase future developments.

This year’s judging  panel is chaired by Mario Seneviratne from Green Technologies and includes Richard Smith from Atkins, Mohammed Al Shamsi from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), Ali Buruhaima from Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority and Siobhan Leyden from Dubai Eye.

The awards, which are open to exhibitors and non-exhibitors, have attracted 295 entries this year, up from 181 in 2012. From these 295 entries, 74 have been shortlisted.

The winners will be announced on November 26 during The Big 5 and there will be winners from each of the following sectors: building façade and structure, energy systems, finishing products, HVAC, service industry and water technology.

• What are the highlights of your conferences and seminars programme?

This year’s Big 5 has more conference, seminar and workshop content than ever before.

The Sustainable Design and Construction Conference is a new feature for 2013, focusing on the development of sustainable cities, with discussion on innovation and design, Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) ratings, strategies for driving adoption of sustainable design in the region, as well as showcasing of some of the most impressive sustainable buildings in the UAE. The conference is free to attend, but places are limited and can only be applied for online.

In addition to the workshops on the new Green Building Codes and product testing and certification mentioned previously, we are working with the UAE Society of Engineers to stage workshops on project management and arbitration in construction. These are also free to attend for those who register in advance.

As in previous years, we’ll be staging our very popular ‘How to trade in the UAE’ workshop, which helps  international companies that are looking to set up a business or distribute their product in the GCC, navigate the maze of legal and financial  regulations in order to trade successfully in the region.

Located on the show floor and free to visitors, our educational seminar programme will feature more than 100 sessions focusing on the latest products, technologies and techniques and will provide visitors with ideas that will save them money and time and ensure they remain competitive.

Finally, our Live Demonstration Theatre, which is presented by Dubai 1 TV personality Tom Urquhart, will feature 40 live product demonstrations. There will be no PowerPoint presentations here, just working products in a completely live environment adding some real excitement to the event.

• Do you have any key buyers event?

The Platinum Club will return again for 2013, bringing together key industry buyers working on projects valued at more than $100 million. We now have a dedicated team who research the current projects in the region and select key professionals who we invite to join The Platinum Club.

This year we aim to recruit 1,000 members, who will be given a true VIP experience to ensure they spend more time at the exhibition, make the best possible use of their time and have a memorable experience.