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Finalists from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania recognized among finalists at Big 5 Global Impact Awards 2025

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12 months ago

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Global Impact Awards
  • The awards see strong turnout with 150 finalists, recording a 58% increase in entries from project owners, including key government authorities
  • Over 20 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Singapore, the UK, the US and Uganda, among others
  • The Sustainable Initiative of the Year award recorded the highest number of entries this year

The fifth edition of Big 5 Global Impact Awards, celebrating impact in the built environment, has announced 150 finalists competing across 19 categories. The awards recognize projects, organizations, individuals and teams driving sustainable, collaborative and technology-led achievements, highlighting evolving standards of excellence across both public and private sectors in the urban development and construction landscape.

Commenting on this year’s finalists’ announcement, Josine Heijmans, Senior Vice President, dmg events, said: “This year we have seen a remarkable 58% increase in entries from project owners, including key government authorities, alongside a 63% rise in new entrants across all categories. These figures underline the importance of Big 5 Global Impact Awards and highlight the industry’s commitment to sustainable development, innovation and collaboration.”

Finalists this year come from 21 countries, including Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and Uganda, the UK and the US, among others, showcasing the global reach and relevance of the awards.

Government participation highlights sector collaboration

This year we have seen a remarkable 58% increase in entries from project owners, including key government authorities, alongside a 63% rise in new entrants across all categories

Once again, Big 5 Global Impact Awards has drawn an exceptional number of finalists from government authorities, reflecting the increasing role of public sector leadership in promoting innovative and sustainable practices across the construction and urban development ecosystem. Among the finalists are the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai, Dubai Municipality, Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Waste Management (MWAN), County Government of Tana River, Lagos Free Zone, Fujairah Municipality, Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority, Ethiopian Electric Power,  and Sharjah Department of Town Planning and Survey.

The Sustainable Initiative of the Year award, which received the highest number of entries, highlights an initiative’s success through clear metrics, effective collaboration and tangible outcomes, including adherence to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. Finalists include Dianne Rampadarath’s Contracting and General Services Provider for Rural Electrification Utilizing Solar Energy; ITC Limited for Mainstreaming Energy Efficiency & Thermal Comfort; Soudah Development for the Soudah Cloud Forest Reforestation Programme; Msheireb Properties for Msheireb Downtown Doha: Sustainable Downtown City; Almoosa Health for Almoosa Rehabilitation Hospital; County Government of Tana River for Maji ya Solar Initiative; Dar for Dar’s Decarbonization and Net Zero 2030 Strategy; Ethiopian Electric Power for Serving Community: Sustainable Social Impact; Fakhruddin Properties for 90:90 Waste Management Initiative; Fujairah Municipality for Green Geopolymer Concrete from Industrial Waste; Orascom Construction for Orascom Integrated ESG Excellence Program; and PEARL Homes for Hunters Point Pearl Homes and Marina.

Another award showcasing the industry’s forward-looking vision is the Liveable City Initiative of the Year, which recognizes projects that improve urban quality of life and social infrastructure. Finalists include Centum Real Estate for Two Rivers Social City; Concept Dash for Reclaiming the Edge – Public Realm Reimagined; Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Building Humanization Certification; and The Arab Contractors Company (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co.) for Greater Cairo Monorail.

View the full list of finalists across 19 categories (https://apo-opa.co/4pO6YbD).

Every year, the awards are judged by an independent, international panel of industry experts, representing the highest standards of excellence and ensuring that winners are selected purely on merit and excellence.

Commenting on the quality of entries, Matthew Jackson, Co-Founder, ZERO Construct, said: “The calibre of submissions this year demonstrates encouraging progress, and I commend all of the submissions to this year’s awards. The projects are moving beyond ambition to demonstrate real action on sustainability, digital innovation and community impact. At the same time, we must be honest: there is still a long way to go before this becomes the norm across the industry. This shortlist proves what’s possible and sets a challenge for all of us to keep raising the bar if we are serious about building a resilient, inclusive and zero-carbon future. My congratulations to the projects and the teams who worked on them.”

Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 25 November 2025 at Address Sky View, Downtown Dubai, where more than 400 industry leaders, innovators and government representatives will gather to celebrate achievement and impact.

Big 5 Global Impact Awards is supported by Gold Sponsor, Wurth Professional Services and Carbon Net-Zero Initiative of the Year Category Sponsor, AGSI.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of dmg events.

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Energy

Building a Knowledge Hub for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

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7 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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ASEAN

NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid showcased a range of innovations designed to support energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. These included the DaWatt – Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity, highlighting expanding opportunities for cooperation in digitalization, intelligent technologies and green energy.

The Lao-language LLM has been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images within a short period of time. After its algorithms were optimized for Laos’ mountainous and rainforest terrain, the model completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects.

 




 
 

Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., said the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Drawing on the capabilities of the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications.

Talent development is another focus of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is exploring an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled.

Cooperation is also evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment, while the company has also launched peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.

To address language barriers in cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system supported one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To support regular international exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. It has developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses.

“This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries,” said Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd.

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. plans to further advance a development model featuring “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN.” The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a “Token Goes Global” model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. The effort is aimed at creating new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and supporting the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
 




 

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Events

24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival to Showcase Asia’s Spectacular Autumn Colors

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7 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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Red Leaf Festival

BAZHONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – The 24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival will run from October 1 to November 18 at the Guangwu Mountain Tourism Area in Bazhong, Sichuan Province, China.

Located in southwest China, Guangwu Mountain boasts a forest coverage rate of 97%, earning its reputation as a “natural oxygen bar.” Each autumn, 680 square kilometers of mountain forests burst into a dazzling palette. Over 40 tree species, including Fagus pashanica, maples and lindens, weave the mountains into a stunning autumn landscape.

Known as “Asia’s longest natural red carpet,” the Mountain has become a top autumn destination for backpackers, photographers and travelers seeking immersive cultural and nature experiences, and is widely recognized as one of western China’s signature autumn attractions.

 




 
 

The tourism area caters to international visitors who prefer slower-paced, in-depth, off-the-beaten-path travel. The new Yanziling Loop Boardwalk, launched in May 2026, winds along mountain cliffs, with a sea of clouds rolling beneath visitors’ feet and brilliant foliage unfolding alongside the trail, creating the feeling of “stepping into a painting.”

Guangwu Mountain offers a wealth of outdoor attractions. Highlights include the 1,888-meter Red Leaf Coaster and a glass water slide certified by Guinness World Record, combining thrilling experiences with stunning natural scenery.

The large-scale immersive production “New Dream of Guangwu Mountain” integrates cutting-edge light and visual technology with Bashan folklore and traditions, transforming the forest into an atmospheric nighttime experience. Visitors can also enjoy welcome performances and interactive robot activities, which offer more ways to discover the mountain’s late-autumn charm.

A major highlight of this year’s festival is the newly completed Micang Avenue. Stretching 85 kilometers, the route connects seven core scenic spots, including Guangwu Mountain, Micang Mountain, and Nuoshui River, reducing a four-hour drive to just one hour. Lined with continuous stretches of colorful forest and layered peaks, the avenue brings brand-new travel experiences for autumn foliage enthusiasts.

The festival will also feature cultural, sports and international exchange activities, including the third season of the “Sending You a Red Leaf” campaign, the China Micang Avenue International Road Cycling Race, and the “World Red Leaf Landmark” global collection campaign.

In addition, 31 scenic attractions and 18 museums and cultural venues across Bazhong will provide special ticket offers and visitor benefits during the festival.

Across mountains and seas, Guangwu Mountain invites visitors from around the world to witness one of China’s most vibrant red-and-gold autumn displays.
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Business

Plast Eurasia invites Middle East buyers for its 35th edition

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8 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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Plast Eurasia

Tüyap will stage the 35th edition of Plast Eurasia in Istanbul on December 2–5, bringing plastics machinery, raw materials and chemicals together as organisers target 80,000 visitors, including business audiences from the Middle East and North Africa

ISTANBUL, Türkiye, September 21, 2026/APO Group/ –Plast Eurasia (www.PlastEurasia.com), the 35th International Istanbul Plastics Industry Fair, will take place at Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Istanbul from December 2–5, 2026, bringing manufacturers, technology providers, raw material suppliers, distributors, buyers and other industry professionals together around cross-border trade and new production technologies.

“Plast Eurasia is designated among the prestigious trade fairs by the Ministry of Trade. For 35 years, it has supported the sector’s development and growth by helping companies build commercial connections,” said İlhan Ersözlü, General Manager at Tüyap Fairs Production Inc. “We are carrying that experience into this edition with a focus on trade, technology and the continued development of the industry.”

 




  

MENA buyers among international visitor targets

 

Interest in the 2026 fair is already reflected in stand sales. Around 3 months before the opening, 90% of exhibition space had been sold, while organizers expect 80,000 domestic and international visitors.

 

Visitor outreach is focused on Germany, Belgium, Greece, Romania, France, Italy and Poland, alongside the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The four MENA markets are part of the fair’s wider effort to attract professional buyers from different regions to Istanbul. The country mix gives the event a regional dimension spanning Europe and MENA.

 

For exhibitors, the international visitor mix is intended to support new commercial contacts and the development of existing trading relationships. For buyers, the fair brings machinery suppliers, materials companies and other plastics industry participants together in one location.

 

Machinery and materials share the trade agenda

 

Plast Eurasia will bring together two core parts of the plastics industry, plastic production machinery and raw materials and chemicals. The exhibition will also cover next-generation production technologies, machinery solutions and developments around efficiency, innovation and value-added production.

 

We are carrying that experience into this edition with a focus on trade, technology and the continued development of the industry

This structure allows industry professionals to review equipment, materials and production approaches during the same visit. New products and technologies will sit alongside meetings aimed at helping companies assess business opportunities across international markets.

 

35th-year program looks back and ahead

 

The anniversary program will include a Milestones Map tracing key stages in the fair’s 35-year history and changes in the plastics industry. A chronological presentation will show how the fair and the sector have developed over that period.

 

An exhibition of historic plastics production machinery will show how production technologies have changed over time. Companies that have contributed to Plast Eurasia’s development during its 35-year history will also be recognized with plaques at the opening ceremony.

 

The Stage is Yours! program will give exhibitors 30-minute presentation slots in the foyer to share value-added products, technologies, success stories and industry solutions with visitors.

 

“Hosted Buyer Guided Tour” focuses on relevant meetings

 

Guided tours will be organized for international purchasing delegations. The program will include guided routes, visits to demo and event areas, access to the Hosted Buyer Lounge and dedicated support services.

 

It is designed to help buyers reach relevant product groups and exhibitors more efficiently, while giving participating companies more focused contact with international purchasing teams.

 

Plast Eurasia is organized by Tüyap Fairs and Exhibitions Organization Inc. in cooperation with PAGEV (Turkish Plastics Industry Research, Development and Education Foundation) and with the support of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade. Visitor hours are 10.00–18.00 on December 2–4 and 10.00–17.00 on December 5.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TÜYAP.

 

 




 

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