Light + Intelligent Building Middle East opens tomorrow for its 19th edition

Light + Intelligent Building Middle East, MENA’s leading event for lighting and building technology, opens tomorrow at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Taking place from 12-14 January 2026, the exhibition is part of the international Light + Building portfolio and will feature over 600 brands from 30 countries, alongside an expected attendance exceeding 16,000 industry professionals.

Co-located with Intersec, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East provides a strategic platform for business networking, product discovery, knowledge exchange, and project collaboration across the Middle East.

Speaking ahead of the opening day, Abdul Muhsin, Show Director for Light + Intelligent Building Middle East said: “This year’s event reflects the growing demand for smarter, more connected buildings. Now in its 19th edition, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East brings together industry leaders, decision-makers, and technology pioneers, helping the sector move from innovation to real-world implementation.”

Over three days, the event will convene over 140 regional and international speakers across its flagship content forums – the Smart Building Summit, THINKLIGHT, and InSpotLight.

Now in its fourth edition, the Smart Building Summit brings together policymakers, standards bodies, technology leaders and sustainability experts to examine how regulation and innovation are accelerating the adoption of intelligent, resilient and energy-efficient buildings across the region.

The summit opens with insights from Madrid City Council on the city’s digital transformation, followed by a presentation on implementing smart buildings that comply with Dubai Municipality standards. Panel discussions will address the global regulatory landscape, sustainability priorities and energy efficiency, with the day concluding with a strategic discussion on interoperability and how connected systems can future-proof buildings across the region.

The 2026 THINKLIGHT conference will be held under the theme “Vision to Impact: From Inspiring Ideas to Lasting Legacies”, creating a platform for regional and international lighting professionals to exchange knowledge and collectively shape the future of lighting, design and technology in the Middle East region.

This year’s conference will introduce three session formats which include “The Design Deep Dive”, “Project Perspectives” and “Conversations in Light”. Tomorrow’s opening session will reflect on the transformation of the region’s lighting industry over the past 25 years, with other topics including lighting design in commercial, workplace and education settings and how lighting is used in heritage and culture.

InSpotLight is a dedicated platform for industry professionals to explore the latest developments in lighting technology and design. Over three days, the programme will bring together product showcases, practical sessions, and case-driven discussions, giving the market clear insight into how new solutions can be implemented and scaled.

The opening day of InSpotLight will also feature “The Specifiers’ Arena – Product Pitch” where shortlisted nominees for the Light Middle East Awards 2026 “Product of the Year” award will present across the Indoor Lighting, Outdoor Lighting, Decorative Lighting and Intelligent Lighting product of the year categories. The Light Middle East Awards will be held on 14 January at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai.

Light + Intelligent Building Middle East will be held in Za’abeel Halls 1-3 and Hall 1 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

To register as media for Light + Intelligent Building Middle East, please visit: www.messefrankfurtme-registration.com/MF_Shop/LIBME26