MEED Announces Second Edition Of Smart Construction Virtual Summit
MEED’s 2021 Smart Construction Virtual Summit, a one-day event held by MEED, will take place on June 16, 2021. The virtual summitwill explore how digital transformation is shaping capital projects, featuring panellists from The Red Sea Project, Oracle Construction and Engineering, Honeywell, AMAALA, NEOM, Qiddiya, Dubai Municipality, ASGC and more.
Now in its second year – which saw 595 attendeesin its 2020 inaugural virtual event –the interactive virtual event will showcase the importance of smart construction and digitalization in achieving the optimal use of energy, labour, and finances to ensure quality and affordability while reducing carbon footprint.
The virtual summitwill start with a timely construction market update and trends analysis that will provide business-critical insights on the regional project landscape. Six engaging panel discussions will subsequently discuss next-gen construction technologies, data centre construction, energy transition and efficiency, the benefits of offsite and modular construction and the new Arabian construction landscape.
“Middle East construction is at a transition point, and everyone involved in the industry needs to understand what is going on,” says MEED editorial director Richard Thompson. “The intense pressure on government finances from uncertain oil prices and the impact of Covid-19 means that we will see fewer new projects in the future, along with greater-than-ever focus on costs. At the same time, a new generation of clients want to minimise the environmental impact of their projects by reducing their carbon footprint, and recycling and reusing construction waste.”
“Changing client expectations along with the latest advances in digital data technology provide the Middle East construction industry with an exciting opportunity to break away from the wasteful practices of the past to transform the way that it delivers projects,” says Thompson. “Companies that are able to grasp this once-in-lifetime opportunity will thrive. Those that don’t will disappear.”
“MEED’s second MENA Smart Construction Virtual Summit will provide insights, information and connections that will enable you to make the most of the emerging opportunities in Middle East construction,” says Thompson. “Featuring interactive sessions for developers, contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, and technology providers, the summit will help you to understand the changing requirements of the region’s construction clients, and the vital role that digital technology is playing in enabling safe, productive and sustainable development.”
The Next Gen Construction Tech panel will discuss the start-up tech solutions that can be used to drive efficient, safe, smart and sustainable outcomes in construction projects. Speakers from ASGC, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and Dubai Municipality will share insights on the most exciting new technology applications in construction to support business outcomes. The Data Centre Construction panel will bring together experts from ISG, Hill International and Procore Technologies to explore the unique requirements of data centre construction projects.
Discussing smart construction solutions, speakers from AESG, Lootah Real Estate Development, and Honeywell Building Technologies will convene on the Energy Efficiency: Decarbonisation through clean tech and smarter construction panel. Subsequently, experts from Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre Bonn and RSB Dubai will discuss significant developments in the shift to renewable energy.The benefits of offsite and modular construction will also be explored by experts from Amana Investments and Drees & Sommer in the Optimising Offsite: Making modular mainstream panel.
The virtual summit will come to a close with a final panel focusing on mega and giga projects in Saudi Arabia. The session, entitled The New Arabian Landscape: Technological, social and environmental convergence driving the next generation of Saudi giga-projects, welcomes experts from Qiddiya, NEOM, The Red Sea Development Company, AMAALA and Oracle Construction and Engineering Global Business Unit (CEGBU). The panellists will talk about how the Kingdom’s various projectsare pioneering in innovation, technology, sustainability and efficiency to create transformational new models for projects, communities and cities of the future.
SheriefElabd, Director of Industry Strategy & Innovation, Oracle Construction and Engineering Global Business Unit (CEGBU) said, “We are delighted to be part of this year’s Smart Construction Virtual Summit. The series of sessions will enable industry professionals to learn about the technology shaping the construction industry, and subsequently understand how to implement these learnings within their own projects and businesses.”
During the course of the virtual summit, attendees will be able to take part in virtual speed networking sessions including 1-on-1 meetings with a range of industry stakeholders. The Smart Construction Virtual Summit will take place on Wednesday, June 16 from 9:00AM to 5:00PM GST. The virtual summit is free to attend for delegates, but pre-registration is required here.
The Smart Construction Virtual Summit is supported by Amana, Autodesk, Oracle Construction and Engineering Global Business Unit (CEGBU),Orascom Construction, Honeywell, Polypipe and Procore.
