Summit puts spotlight on ME lighting standards

Leading regional and international experts highlighted the new standards and application advancements in this sector at the sixth edition of the Middle East Smart Lighting and Design Summit in Dubai, UAE. The event, endorsed by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Etihad Esco, kincked off today (April 26) at Crowne Plaza, Dubai. Organized by global conference producers, Expotrade, the two-day summit presents a unique platform to discuss new initiatives, developments and standards pertaining to the lighting industry. Faisal Rashid, the director (Demand Side Management) at Dubai Supreme Council of Energy opened the summit with a presentation on Demand Side Management Strategy 2030 and how the outdoor lighting initiative fits into it, following which Aref Abou Zahr, the executive dIirector, Taqati presented on lighting retrofits and the significant impact it has on energy and cost savings. Anissa Abbou, the head of professional specification and lighting applications, Philips Lighting Middle East & Turkey, delivered a presentation on empowering cities with connected lighting while Radoslaw Kotewicz, Comarch IoT consulting manager, Comarch Technologies presented a case study based on Comarch’s smart lighting installation in Tbilisi. Brad Hariharan, the regional director, Expotrade Middle East, said: "With the lighting industry undergoing a rapid transformation in the Middle East region, we are thrilled to have some of the most notable speakers from within this market and across the globe participate in the summit." "These industry experts will discuss and share insights on the advancements in lighting technology, lighting applications, controls, benchmarks along with the best practices implemented," he stated. The first day of the summit saw over 200 senior lighting specialists and leading lighting designers from across the GCC region attend the summit. During his session, Abu Dhabi City Municipality’s lighting expert, Martin Valentine briefed the audience on the recent developments with the lighting standards for Abu Dhabi. He was followed by Hatim Rahim Khan, Regional Manager - Middle East, Fael Luce SpA, who took the stage to speak on the benefits of LED technology while addressing the challenges associated with it. The panel discussion on Smart City in the Making - Sophisticated Technologies and Increasing Demand for Education saw Yenal Gul, Head of LS Sales, OSRAM Middle East participate in a panel discussion along with experts from CD+M Lighting Design Group and Abu Dhabi City Municipality. Tomorrow's event will begin with a presentation by Ammar Majed Safi, senior Electrical & Development Engineer, Ministry of Infrastructure Development on challenges and solutions for energy conservation in road lighting in the Middle East region. Key topics covering the importance of lighting in sustainable design and public Lighting Management Systems will be discussed in plenary sessions by prominent regional and international experts. Philips, Fael Luce SpA, Comarch Technologies, OSRAM, EE-Consulting, Luceco, Performance iN Lighting, Du Light, Tecon, and EEE Lighting solutions along with many others will display their marquee products and solutions at the Smart Lighting lounge