The 31st edition of Saudi Build 2019 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center concluded on Thursday. The exhibition was attended by more than 23,000 visitors, and included the participation of 520 major international and local companies from 34 countries.
Mohammed Al-Asheikh, head of marketing at Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), the organizers of the event, said: “Saudi Build 2019 successfully managed to explore the future and phenomenal opportunities which the nation’s largest sector has to offer by bringing together thousands of local and international companies. Additionally, the exhibition hosted three high-level panel discussions that included 18 sessions with more than 20 speakers, in addition to presenting 15 case studies attended by senior government officials and CEOs.”
Activities of the first day were held under the title “The Future of Building in Saudi Arabia.” It included a high-level panel discussion titled “Empowering Innovation in the Leaders and Workforce of the Future.”
Two other sessions on the first day included: “Enhancing Saudi Export Quality and Readiness in the Construction Sector” and “Contracting as a Cornerstone of the Construction Industry.”
The second day’s activities were titled “Key Project Investments Towards Saudi Vision 2030,” which included a study of the largest international tourism project “The Red Sea Project.”
The session titled “From Vision to Reality — Delivering The Red Sea Project” presented an overview of the project’s timeline and budget. The second session was titled “Business Transformation — Reshaping the Construction Industry to Match Industry 4.0.”
Two other sessions held on the second day included: “The Green Blue Urban Planning Core of Our Future Cities — Smart isn’t Always Technological,” and “Procurement for Mega Projects — Key Challenges and Risks.”
The theme of the third day’s agenda was “Emerging Technologies and Smart Cities — Transforming the Future of Construction.” The audience was introduced through the “3D Construction Printing — A Global Overview” session to the latest technology and its benefits in terms of cost and time savings.
Other sessions included: “Sustainability in the Concrete Industry: Producing and Certifying Concrete with Low Impact on the Environment,” “Benefits of Off-Site Manufacturing — Changing the Construction Industry,” and “Smart Cities from BIM to CIM.”
One of the most important government initiatives that were showcased in the exhibition was the “Building Technology Stimulus Initiative,” launched by the Ministry of Housing, and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, and supported by the Private Sector Stimulus Plan.
