Light + Intelligent Building Middle East 2026 to highlight the strategic role of lighting in the region’s expanding transport infrastructure

Light + Intelligent Building Middle East 2026, which will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 12-14 January, will examine the essential role of advanced lighting solutions in supporting the Middle East’s fast-growing transport system.  

Major regional projects, including the $30bn King Salman International Airport in Riyadh and the large-scale expansion of Dubai World Central, which is set to become five times the size of Dubai International Airport, highlight the scale of upcoming infrastructure demands.

In Dubai, the expanding urban mobility network further illustrates this need, facilitating more than 850,000 passenger journeys daily on the Dubai Metro, where lighting plays a critical role in maintaining safety, visibility and user comfort.  

As part of its flagship conference, THINKLIGHT, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East will feature a dedicated project perspective session titled: “Lighting Design for Transport: Enhancing Navigation, Safety and Passenger Experience” which will bring together regional and international lighting experts to discuss lighting design in transport settings such as airports, metro stations, and bus terminals.

Moderated by Martin Lupton, Co-Founder of Light Collective UK, the session will also feature Kristina Allison, President of the Society of Light & Lighting (SLL) and Environment Lighting Lead at WSP UK, and Kaori Hiroki, Senior Associate at Loop Lighting.

Speaking ahead of the event, Kush Suneja, Design Manager and Founder of Spatial Vibes Lighting emphasised lighting’s influence on human behaviour in complex transport hubs.  

He said: “Lighting is clinically proven to be linked significantly to our stress levels, sleep and overall well-being, influencing the way we navigate high complexity, dynamic environments. Simply put, lighting is that invisible presence affecting our every decision in movement.”

Suneja noted that strategies such as daylight integration, zoning and using smart lighting controls help to achieve balance between around-the-clock operational requirements and user comfort and energy efficiency.

Echoing this perspective, fellow panellist Giovanni Zambri, Managing Director of SMITH TAIT, highlighted the shift from static, ‘always on’ lighting to adaptive and cognitive systems across global transport hubs.

“This transition is driven not just by the need to cut energy costs – which accounts for 40% of costs – but by the ability of light to actively manage passenger flow, improve safety and regulate human biological rhythms during travel.”

Zambri added that emerging technologies such as Li-Fi (Light Fidelity), which enables LED lights to transmit high-speed data to passengers’ mobile devices, could ease pressure on congested Wi-Fi networks and integrate lighting as part of a wider digital communication system.  

“As the Middle East continues to invest in next-generation transport infrastructure, lighting has become a strategic enabler, not just for visibility but for safety, energy efficiency, passenger wellbeing and operational resilience. Light + Intelligent Building Middle East continues to provide an important platform that supports innovation in lighting across the region’s most important projects,” said Abdul Muhsin, Show Director for Light + Intelligent Building Middle East.

THINKLIGHT offers a dedicated platform for regional and international lighting professionals to connect, exchange insights, and collectively advance the future of lighting, design and technology in the region.

The 2026 edition will focus on the theme “Vision to Impact: From Inspiring Ideas to Lasting Legacies”, reflecting the industry’s focus on turning creative concepts into measurable, long-term outcomes.

Light + Intelligent Building Middle East 2026, the MENA’s leading event for lighting and building technology, will be held from 12-14 January at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Co-located with Intersec, the event is  expected to host hundreds of brands from over 30 countries, 120+ regional and international speakers, and more than 16,000 attendees