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MEED’s 2021 Smart Construction Virtual Summit will take place on 16 June 2021, and promises to explore how digital transformation is shaping capital projects.

The one-day event held by MEED will feature panellists from The Red Sea Project, Oracle Construction and Engineering, Honeywell, Amaala, Neom, Qiddiya, Dubai Municipality, ASGC and more. 

Now in its second year, the interactive virtual event – which attracted 595 attendees to its inaugural edition in 2020 – will showcase the importance of smart construction and digitalisation in achieving the optimal use of energy, labour and finances to ensure quality and affordability while reducing carbon footprint. 

The summit will start with a timely construction market update and trends analysis to provide business-critical insights on the regional project landscape.

A series of engaging panel discussions will then cover next-gen construction technologies, data centre construction, energy transition and efficiency, and the benefits of offsite and modular construction.

The virtual summit will come to a close with a final panel focusing on mega and gigaprojects in Saudi Arabia.

During the day, attendees will be able to take part in virtual speed networking sessions, including one-on-one meetings with a range of industry stakeholders. 

The Smart Construction Virtual Summit is supported by Amana, Autodesk, Daikin, Oracle Construction and Engineering Global Business Unit (CEGBU), Orascom Construction, Honeywell, Polypipe and Procore.

MEED's editorial director Richard Thompson says 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 it delivers projects.

“Companies that are able to grasp this once-in-lifetime opportunity will thrive," he says. "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.”

Middle East construction is at a transition point, and everyone involved in the industry needs to understand what is going on
MEED editorial director Richard Thompson  

Sherief Elabd, director of industry strategy and innovation at Oracle Construction and Engineering Global Business Unit, says, “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.”

More information

> 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 & 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. 

> The Energy Efficiency: Decarbonisation through clean tech and smarter construction panel will include speakers from AESG, Lootah Real Estate Development and Honeywell Building Technologies.

> A discussion on the significant developments in the shift to renewable energy will be held by experts from Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre Bonn and RSB Dubai.

> The Optimising Offsite: Making modular mainstream panel will consider the benefits of offsite and modular construction, featuring experts from Amana Investments and Drees & Sommer.

> The New Arabian Landscape: Technological, social and environmental convergence driving the next generation of Saudi giga-projects panel welcomes experts from Qiddiya, Neom, The Red Sea Development Company, Amaala and Oracle Construction and Engineering Global Business Unit. The panellists will talk about how the kingdom’s various projects are pioneering innovation, technology, sustainability and efficiency to create transformational new models for projects, communities and cities of the future.

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