First Solar Decathlon draws interest

Universities from 19 international and Middle Eastern countries have registered for the inaugural Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 (SDME 2018), which will be held in Dubai, UAE.

Solar Decathlon is an international competition that challenges teams to design and build smart houses that only use solar power. It will be held in 2018 and also in 2020, to coincide with the Dubai Expo 2020, said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, vice chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).

Dewa has selected an experienced judging panel to review and evaluate the presented proposals. The selected teams will be announced during the World Green Economy Summit in Dubai on October 6.

Once selected, teams will have two years to design and build sustainable houses and then will engage in 10 different contests.

Event to open doors to $12bn market

Spending on building exteriors in the GCC will increase from $8 billion this year to $12 billion in 2024, according to a new regional market study.

The study was commissioned by dmg events Middle East, Asia and Africa, the organiser of the inaugural Windows, Doors and Façades exhibition to be  held in Dubai, UAE, next month (September 18 to 20). The exhibition will feature 12 CPD certified workshops and the free-to-attend ‘Middle East Façades Summit’.

Accounting for 41.8 per cent of the overall façades market last year, the market in Saudi Arabia is estimated to grow to $5.5 billion by 2024, up from $3 billion this year, while in the UAE it is expected to grow from $2 billion to $3 billion; Qatar – $1 billion to $2 billion; Kuwait – $603 million to $825 million; Oman – $434 million to $535 million; and Bahrain – $226 million to $305 million.

Italy gears up for tunnelling expo

Leading players from the tunnelling, drilling, mining and underground construction sector will be in Bologna, Italy, to showcase their innovative technologies at the third edition of ExpoTunnel to be held in October (19 to 21).

Italy’s only exhibition entirely dedicated to underground technologies, ExpoTunnel being held under the patronage of the SIG - Italian Tunnelling Society at Bolognafiere, is an important meeting place for global engineering firms and professionals.

On the sidelines of the event, the Italian Tunnelling society will organise the international conference “Challenging and demanding tunnelling projects: design, construction and managing.” There will be also a special session on TBMs (tunnel boring machines).

Geofluid ‘virtually sold out’

Geofluid 2016, an event focused on prospection, extraction and transport of underground fluids, geotechnical, soil investigation and well drilling, special foundations and piling, trenchless technologies, tunnel excavation and underground works, is almost sold out, according to the organiser.

The event, which will take place from October 5 to 8 at the Piacenza Expo in Piacenza, Italy, will see more than 200 direct exhibitors on 23,000 sq m of exhibition space and over 250 brands represented. With over 30 international exhibitors confirmed and at least 2,500 foreign visitors expected, Geofluid is the most important meeting point for the European, American and Asian operators, said the organiser.

Hillhead show success for Terex

Terex Washing Systems (TWS) showcased its latest products at the recent Hillhead Show, the world’s largest working quarry show, held in Buxton, UK in June (28 to 30).

The 2016 Hillhead exhibition proved to be a major success for TWS due to the tremendous interest in its products, said the company. The show provided the stage for the world premiere of the Terex AggreScalp scalping unit, the Finesmaster UltraFines recovery system alongside the Terex AggreSand 206 washing system.

Experts to discuss corrosion issues

Experts in the field of corrosion technology will discuss the latest innovations in anti-corrosion technologies at a major event in Saudi Arabia in November.

Fleming’s fifth Annual Corrosion Management 2016 conference, taking place from November 28 to 29 in Al Khobar, will showcase and highlight all major aspects and areas of concern and the importance of safeguarding assets from any such occurrences. 

The event will see key representation from Saudi Aramco, Arabian Gulf Oil Company, Petronas and Saudi  Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic).

Judging panel for Taqdeer awards

Dubai’s government has set up a judging committee for the inaugural Taqdeer Awards, which will focus on the construction sector this year.

Taqdeer is the world’s first points-based award programme for recognising excellence in labour welfare practices.

The award judging committee, which will have Hussein Nasser Lootah, the director general of Dubai Municipality, as its president, comprises leaders from the government sector.

Winners of five and four-star ratings will receive a certificate, enjoy priority in government projects, and will be honoured at an awards ceremony.