JEDDAH — Eighty experts and opinion leaders from around the globe will gather here from March 10-13 to take part in the record-breaking education platform for construction professionals hosted by The Big 5 Saudi 2019.

The leading construction event in the Kingdom announced a 48% increase in the number of free and CPD-certified workshops on offer this year, all dedicated to “Educating and empowering construction professionals to achieve Saudi Vision 2030”.

The impressive lineup of speakers includes high profile personalities like the Vice President Arabian Gulf of Virgin Hyperloop One, Colin Rhys, Bentley Systems’ Digital Advancement Academy Manager, Craig Garrett, and the Strategic Planning & Engineering Director at Saudi Customs, Abdurahman Medallah, among many others.

The Big 5 Saudi’s education agenda is expected to spur debate and provide a substantial push for the development of the construction and infrastructure sectors in Saudi Arabia, which currently host active projects worth $800 billion.

Anticipating his presentation at The Big 5 Saudi on March 12, Rhys said: “Hyperloop One’s presence in the Kingdom will provide a significant GDP uplift. Saudi Arabia is poised to become the world’s first national customer of Hyperloop One’s breakthrough technology and be the first country to develop a national hyperloop network.

He added: “Hyperloop One is consistent with the bold transformative ambitions of Vision 2030 and can act as a high-tech catalyzer through its requirements for software, artificial intelligence and computer-based operating systems.”

Beyond General Construction, Architecture & Design, HVAC-R, Solar, Technology, Smart Cities, and Women in Construction, The Big 5 Saudi agenda will offer a wide range of workshops dedicated to the topic of Project Management.

Samih Elsadig Ahmed, General Electric›s project planning & cost controls professional, who will deliver a presentation on «Project Control Applications in Saudi Arabia: Problems and Solutions», commented: “The increase in population and investments in Saudi Arabia has led to the presence of a lot of projects, either provided by the government or individuals. Such growth requires wise management and both experienced and highly qualified staff to deliver these projects on time and within the estimated budget.

“My workshop session at The Big 5 Saudi 2019 will discuss the current state of the projects in Saudi Arabia, and take a closer look at some of the challenges the industry is facing in the Kingdom today. I will analyze the reasons behind certain failures or delays in project deliverance, for example insufficient rigor in applying project management principles, including cost control, risk assessment and project planning.”

Sustainability will also be on focus at The Big 5 Saudi 2019’s education agenda. According to Anita Nouri, CEO and business development director of Green Energy Solutions & Sustainability (GESS): “Saudi Arabia generates more than 15 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Bold steps need to be taken and legislation needs to be put into place. We need to disrupt the normal to create the innovation required to make the changes.

“At The Big 5 Saudi I will address the topic “Harnessing Waste Energy — Renewable Energy” and explore how we can bring value to the mountains of waste buried in our landfills.”

The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), the Saudi Building Code National Committee (SBCNC), and the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) will provide crucial intelligence to local and international participants, paving the way for the future development of the Saudi construction industry.

Roni El Haddad, event director of The Big 5 Saudi, said: “We are extremely proud to host 80 of the most innovative and influential thought leaders and decision makers at The Big 5 Saudi. Our education agenda this year is all geared towards the empowerment of construction professionals and the achievement of the Saudi Vision 2030 goals. We look forward to welcoming the Saudi construction community for an unprecedented learning, training and networking opportunity at the event.”

Running at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events, the Big 5 Saudi 2019 is expected to attract 15,000 visitors, hosting over 300 manufacturers of construction products from around the world. More than 100 top Saudi construction players will also exhibit at the show, displaying the latest technologies and building solutions across eight dedicated product sectors.

— SG

Organised by dmg events, The Big 5 Saudi 2019 is sponsored by Al Fouzan Trading & General Construction Co. (Gold Sponsor), Al Salem Johnson Controls and York (Registration Sponsor), GASCO (Official Sponsor), BIM Object (Official Show Guide Sponsor), and supported by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), the Saudi Building Code National Committee (SBCNC), the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE) and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce. — SG