This year’s Big 5 Global closed on a successful note drawing more than 85,000 professionals from across the global construction and urban development ecosystem for sourcing, knowledge sharing and product discovery.

For four energetic days, the Dubai World Trade Centre pulsed with innovation as 2,800 exhibitors from more than 165 countries gathered to showcase what’s next in construction, urban development, and building technology.

The 46th edition introduced a stronger focus on the issues shaping today’s project environment, anchored in four global priorities that reflect the region’s evolving needs: resilient growth and supply chain, technology advancement, sustainable transformation and talent empowerment.

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE FOREFRONT

Sustainability was far more than a buzzword this year – it was everywhere. Pavilions from Asia, the Middle East, and Europe highlighted recyclable materials, eco-friendly construction chemicals, insulation systems, and energy-efficient solutions.

The highly curated Chinese Sustainability Pavilion won attention for products designed to minimise carbon footprints across the building lifecycle. Regional players showcased advances in waterproofing, sealants, flooring, and insulation designed to meet rapidly tightening environmental standards.

More than 2,800 exhibitors showcased their innovations at Big 5 Global.

This year, the Big 5 Impact Trail guided visitors to suppliers offering greener materials and solutions that support lower emissions and more resource-efficient project delivery.  Exhibitors featured on the trail include Schüco, Alusol Rolling Shutters Industries, Anchor Allied Factory, Delta Coatings International, SERA and Ripples Engineering, amongst others.

With the Gulf continuing to deliver trillion-dollar development pipelines, the exhibition floor buzzed with deal-making, partnership discussions, and export-market scouting.

With more than 20 halls packed with visiting delegates and exhibitors, attendees heard how government and industry alignment is essential when it comes to accelerating the delivery of cities optimised for the future, said the organisers.

SUMMITS AND TECHNICAL TALKS

This year’s summits and technical talks drew packed rooms. Leaders dissected everything from supply-chain resiliency to the practical deployment of AI onsite.

Training workshops brought young professionals into the spotlight, reaffirming the event’s commitment to upskilling the construction workforce of tomorrow.

On the opening day of Big 5 FutureTech Summit, the convergence of AI, data and robotics to transform the future of the construction and smart build industry came under the microscope.  Following the session, Charlie Sheridan, Chief Data and AI Officer at Nemetschek Group, told delegates how the new generation of AI-powered tools are superpowering creativity and productivity, as well as uniting data, insights and workflows across the design-to-build lifecycle.

Rounding out the afternoon, Ask an Innovator: Smarter Spending Under Pressure heard from Douglas Zuzic, Chief Digital Officer at Innovo Group, who highlighted how innovation is increasingly driven by client expectations, evolving regulations and the need to enhance efficiency across major real estate and infrastructure projects.

Among the new-to-market product launches, US-based AI robotics startup Buildroid AI unveiled its first block-laying robot.

The final day of Big 5 Global hosted the inaugural Student Project Showcase, featuring creative structural designs from university students from across the region.

Offering a glimpse into the future of the built-environment, the showcase aimed to provide students, recent graduates and young professionals with a space to demonstrate their talents, gain industry insights and career guidance and capitalise on valuable networking opportunities that could help kick-start their careers.

Among the standout entries was CORALS, an ambitious 11,000-sq m hotel, research and visitor centre conceived for Umm Al Quwain and presented by Meera AlHawai from American University Dubai.  Exploring the preservation, restoration and revival of coral reef ecosystems, the project uses biomimicry, 3D-printed modules and sustainable materials

Josine Heijmans, Senior Vice President, dmg events, said: “As we wrap up another successful edition, Big 5 Global has again proven its stature as one of the leading events to network and conduct real, tangible business that can impact how the industry will evolve for years to come.

“It has also been enlightening to spend time with the next generation of architecture and construction professionals and see first-hand some of the incredible creations on display at our inaugural Student Project Showcase,” she stated.

“It is by offering these bright young minds an opportunity to grow their network and showcase their ideas that the future of the industry can continue to develop and improve,” she added.