Business Bureau, Gulf Today

International lighting sector heavyweights are lining up to demonstrate the latest technology at the Middle East’s leading industry networking and lighting sourcing exhibition and conference as they look to win a share of the Middle East’s rapidly expanding smart lighting market estimated to be worth over $2 billion by 2030.

More than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries have signed up for Light Middle East, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 15-17, with participants representing the full industry spectrum from the USA in the North to Australia in the South, from Singapore in the East to Slovenia in the West.

“The response has been unprecedented with significant turnout from the UK, Europe and the USA,” said Dishan Isaac, Senior Show Manager, Light Middle East. “The interest has been spurred by a forecasted 25.55 per cent uplift in the region’s smart lighting market within the next decade.”

Consultants TechSci Research say the sector will account for around $2.16 billion by 2030 with the UAE taking the lion’s share of 39 per cent, Saudi Arabia at 38 per cent, Qatar at 13 per cent and Kuwait at 5.8 per cent with the remainder being spread across the region.

LED technology will take up the majority of the market (75 per cent) with indoor lighting responsible for 75 per cent of business. Light controls will account fore 48 per cent of business transacted, fixtures 42 per cent and smart bulbs 10 per cent.

“Though the outdoor lighting sector only accounts for 25 per cent of the market, the smart outdoor solutions sector is expected to attain the highest compound annual growth,” said Isaac.

TechSciResearch attributes the expected uptick to governments’ pro energy efficiency and smart city initiatives, growing preferences for secure, luxury homes and heightened demand in the Internet of Things (IoT) market.

It singles out the emergence of LI-FI (LIGHT FIDELITY) and other technological advancements, surging penetration of non-visible LED lighting, rising demand for real-time home security, and growing innovation and advancements in wireless technology as key market drivers.

“Moreover, with declining LED prices, the segment is expected to register the fastest growth in the Middle East smart lighting market during the forecast period,” says the report. “Owing to growing population, demand for energy efficiency measures as well as residential units is increasing, which in turn is aiding the region’s smart lighting market.”

Other sector inducements include increasing investment in the R&D of smart and green technology based lighting systems to minimise carbon emissions, surging number of mega residential and commercial projects, growing Internet of Things (IoT) technology development projects, and booming demand for connected lighting indoor positioning systems across various applications are.

With the Middle East acknowledged as an early technology adopter, TechSci Research says demand for sensor-based lighting systems is also on the rise in the region.

“Over the past few years, the penetration of smart devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc., has registered strong growth across the region. As smart devices enable users to manage and control smart lighting devices through various mobile applications, adoption of smartphone application based smart lighting solutions is increasing across the Middle East region,” says the report.

This sharp appetite for smart solutions has enticed Italian lighting king pin Grupo MCI to Light Middle East where it will roll out a full range of cost-effective, and fully controllable LED solutions which will put some current practices in the shade.

“We will demonstrate lights controlled by software to create adaptative ambiance to any particular occasion, contouring to highlight the shape of buildings instead of the old fashioned projected light in façade lighting, indirect lighting for indoors to achieve much more elegant and welcoming spaces,” said the Group’s Sergio Rodriguez. “The new materials available are giving us the chance to expand the lifetime of our fittings while reducing electricity consumption with the consequent impact on the environment and the economy.”

US based Musco Lighting says LED is now a win-win technology for end-users and energy suppliers. “As more sports facilities look at improving efficiency and fan experience with LED, Musco has been on the forefront of responsibly applying the LED light source to improve efficiency, cost of ownership, and visibility for athletes,” said Musco Gulf Lighting’s General Manager, Brett Paulsen. “For instance, consider the needs for sporting events and 24/7 operations such as airports. With the regions day time temperatures reaching 45c + we provide lighting to keep the playing and operational surfaces safer at night. Lighting at night provides more hours of productivity and makes for a safer working environment.”