New structural and cladding solutions to be showcased at major building exhibition in Abu Dhabi

The STRUCTURE GULF and ENVELOPE GULF events will be held simultaneously with two other building shows under the umbrella of the BUILDING FUTURES GULF by BATIMAT Exhibition & Conference and will turn the spotlight on critical elements in sustainable building design: cladding, joinery, shutters, facade, roofing, shell materials and construction systems.

BUILDING FUTURES GULF by BATIMAT is organised by Reed Exhibitions Middle East and will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The umbrella event aimed at the Middle East's booming building construction market will consist of four shows devoted to high performance buildings and will include besides STRUCTURE GULF and ENVELOPE GULF, INTELLIGENT BUILDING GULF (Intelligent Building solutions and Energy performance) and HVAC GULF (Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning). Reed Exhibitions is partnering with the International Union of Architects (UIA) to host the show.

The four shows under the BUILDING FUTURES GULF by BATIMAT umbrella target architects & designers, consultants, engineers, property developers, material distributors, contractors and manufacturers plus contract owners.

STRUCTURE GULF will showcase metal, concrete and ceramic construction systems, roofing equipment, water networks, waterproofing and waste water treatment systems, insulation systems and other structural materials and technologies.

Leading industry players such as AMC Protection, the exclusive UAE distributor of Siplast, the world's largest and leading provider of waterproofing solutions, are among the participants at the STRUCTURE GULF expo.

Munzer Akbik, CEO of AMC Protection, says:

'The market growth for our products is mostly driven by construction activity associated with the real estate and tourism sectors which are seeing tremendous growth in Abu Dhabi and elsewhere in the region. We hope to use our presence at this exhibition to highlight our market leadership position and enhance our business relationships with Architects, Developers and Clients.'

Besides the exhibition, STRUCTURE GULF will also include a seminar programme presented by Reed in conjunction with EcoSmart, a Canadian non-profit organization that will provide information on the availability and applications of high quality concrete that is both more economically viable and durable, especially under conditions typically found in the UAE. The concrete is also more environmentally friendly as it uses less energy, resources and emits lower CO2 emissions in its manufacture.

'We are keen to promote the use of concrete that increases performance, cost savings and sustainability within the construction industry. The seminars at the event target decision makers within the design and construction industry and are ultimately aimed at the increasing use of supplementary cementing materials in concrete eventually reducing the overall amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the UAE building boom', says Michel DeSpot, co-founder and President of EcoSmart Foundation.

ENVELOPE GULF will focus on the latest cladding and glazing products, joinery systems, solar protection systems, architectural facades, access control systems and doors and shutters. Technal Middle East, the regional distributor and service provider for TECHNAL, an international leader in the design and construction of architectural aluminium applications, is one of the key participants at the ENVELOPE GULF expo.

Hesham Kameshki, Marketing & Sales Manager at Technal Middle East, is pleased that a major international show dedicated to the building industry is now in the region. 'We in the industry encourage such investment that will be highly regarded by us and by our customers,' he said, noting the dynamism of the construction sector in the Gulf and Middle East region.

'TECHNAL has been present in the regional markets for about 30 years, and as a company committed to this region, Technal Middle East has made significant investments to meet local and regional customer needs. The Abu Dhabi show will help us to reinforce our relations with the local and regional customers and keep them up to date with the latest developments at TECHNAL®,' he added.

Seminars under ENVELOPE GULF will be presented in partnership with TBC, the leading French consultant that specializes in research & development of products and solutions for the building industry.

Says TBC Chairman, Jean Paul Lousteau: 'A building's envelope is crucial to its thermal performance. Judicious use of high-tech materials suitable for the climatic conditions in the Gulf will help in creating buildings that offer higher levels of comfort during all seasons of the year. TBC is keen to strengthen its business in the region by introducing the most advanced building technology from Europe, and we are pleased to collaborate with Reed Exhibitions Middle East to conduct ENVELOPE GULF seminars at Building Futures Gulf by BATIMAT'.

The ENVELOPE GULF seminars will provide an overview of the importance of a well designed envelope for a building, incorporation of renewable energy resources and present case studies of buildings that incorporate advanced technologies that enable the design of a 'positive-energy' building.