From January 12 to 14, 2026, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East returns to Dubai World Trade Centre, reaffirming its position as the region’s leading event for lighting and building technology. Bringing together global exhibitors, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators, the event continues to shape how lighting and intelligent systems influence the future of the built environment.
Following the strong momentum of its 18th edition, which welcomed more than 442 international exhibitors and visitors from over 126 countries, the 2026 edition builds on a proven format that balances product discovery with knowledge exchange and meaningful industry connection. Co-located with Intersec, the event offers a broad, cross-sector perspective on how lighting, smart technologies, and infrastructure intersect at scale.
Light + Intelligent Building Middle East goes beyond the exhibition floor, with its complementary programme bringing together conferences, installations, workshops, live demonstrations, awards, and curated networking experiences, turning each visit into a fully immersive industry journey. The event functions as a meeting point for emerging ideas, evolving technologies, and the people actively shaping tomorrow’s cities and buildings.
A key pillar of the programme is THINKLIGHT, the MENA region’s leading conference dedicated to lighting design and technology. The conference explores how light influences architecture, wellbeing, sustainability, and digital environments, offering insight from leading designers, engineers, and industry experts. Among the highlights of THINKLIGHT is a dedicated session exploring how lighting shapes productivity, comfort and energy efficiency in office and commercial environments, as well as how it can transform education spaces into inspiring, high-performance environments tailored to diverse user needs. During the conference, Daniel Hodierne, Design Director at Light Bureau and Yah Li Toh, Principal at LightCollab, will join a panel of experts to discuss how lighting impacts these spaces.
The session, moderated by Carla Wilkins, President of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and Global Creative Director of Lichtvision Design will also feature Tom Niven, Director of Lighting at BDP and Will Whiter, Dubai Studio Director at Kettle Collective.
With the number of students in the GCC expected to grow by 1.5 million[1] by 2029, requiring the development of 2,800 schools, designing for education environments will be a key focus for regional lighting professionals.
Bringing design insights from Europe to the event, Daniel Hodierne, who is currently designing the lighting for a concert hall at a school in Stockholm, notes that educational environments require a careful balance of functionality and atmosphere.
“The interactive nature of music and lights in a school’s concert hall inspires and promotes creativity. There’s also a bi-directional exchange where students can design the lighting around the concerts or choose concerts based on the lighting. Lighting also teaches students how to concentrate in real-world settings.”
Meanwhile, addressing workplace design, Toh highlights how lighting influences both human behaviour and the perception of space, emphasising that well-designed lighting can create measurable commercial impact.
“Beyond simply illuminating a room, lighting defines volumes and spatial boundaries, which in turn affects how people feel, how they interpret their environment and how effectively they can perform various tasks.
“Engaging a lighting designer requires investment; however, a professional lighting designer would have considered various aspects of design, including improved human perception and the perceived value of space or products. This can translate into increased performance, sales and revenue.”
This year’s THINKLIGHT programme introduces three distinct session formats which include The Design Deep Dive, Project Perspectives and Conversations in Light. Each of these sessions is designed to give attendees new insights into emerging design methodologies, practical applications and the evolving science behind lighting and the human experience.
Abdul Muhsin, Show Director for Light + Intelligent Building Middle East commented: “THINKLIGHT will showcase real-world case studies from across international lighting projects, highlighting the power of light in shaping spaces and experiences. Our new session formats at THINKLIGHT offer enhanced industry insights and expanded opportunities for inspiration and collaboration.”
The Smart Building Summit brings together construction companies, government representatives, technology providers, and design and engineering firms to address the challenges and opportunities shaping intelligent buildings today. Through collaboration and shared expertise, the summit focuses on adaptation, integration, and scalable solutions for smart urban development.
InSpotLight places a strong focus on innovation, highlighting the latest trends, technologies, and creative approaches in the lighting industry. The platform offers a forward-looking view of where lighting is heading and how it continues to redefine both interior and exterior environments.
The exhibition itself welcomes global exhibitors across six product sectors. At the same time, initiatives such as the Premium Club facilitate high-quality connections between key buyers and exhibitors, creating a more focused and uninterrupted experience for decision-makers.
Industry excellence is recognised through the 11th Annual Light Middle East Awards, which celebrate outstanding individuals, products, and companies contributing to progress across the lighting sector. Adding a more experiential layer to the programme, visitors are invited to explore The Moving Hues 2.0, an immersive installation presented in Za’abeel Hall 1 that brings colour, movement, and light into dialogue.
Now in its 19th edition, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East will host more than 450 exhibitors from over 30 countries. Co-located with Intersec, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East will bring together over 16,000 global industry leaders, innovators, and government bodies to explore cutting-edge products and solutions.
