• Regional and international lighting designers will convene at THINKLIGHT at Light + Intelligent Building Middle East 2026 to explore how lighting enhances productivity, comfort and energy efficiency in commercial, workplace and education environments
  • With rapid development across the Middle East, lighting for workplaces and educational facilities is emerging as a top design priority
  • Light + Intelligent Building Middle East is set to host over 450 global exhibitors and 16,000 attendees at Dubai World Trade Centre from 12-14 January 2026

Dubai, UAE: Light + Intelligent Building Middle East, the region’s leading event for the lighting and building technology sector, will return to Dubai World Trade Centre from 12-14 January 2026, bringing together global and regional experts to discuss the future of lighting design, technology and intelligent building solutions. 

A key feature of the event is the THINKLIGHT conference, which explores the transformative power of lighting through regional and international case studies, expert talks and practical design insights. THINKLIGHT will focus on the theme “Vision to Impact – From Inspiring Ideas to Lasting Legacies”, spotlighting iconic lighting projects and the experts behind them.

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.”

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.

About Light + Intelligent Building Middle East

Light + Intelligent Building Middle East brings together world-renowned brands, regional players, and promising innovators for an exciting three-day showcase from 12-14 January 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Featuring products within lighting, electrical engineering, home, and building automation, the exhibition has played a vital role in the growth and development of the industry since its launch in 2006, with a solid representation of global products and brands, several educational conferences, certified workshops, and leading awards programme to recognize the very best the industry has to offer. For more information, please visit our website.                              

About Messe Frankfurt

The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,500 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 29 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2024 were € 775 million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.

Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability
With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com

About Messe Frankfurt Middle East

Messe Frankfurt Middle East’s portfolio of exhibitions includes: Light + Intelligent Building Middle East, Intersec, Intersec Saudi Arabia, Automechanika Dubai, Automechanika Riyadh, Beautyworld Middle East, Beautyworld Saudi Arabia, Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East, Logimotion and Paperworld Middle East. In the 2023/24 event season, Messe Frankfurt Middle East exhibitions combined featured 6,324 exhibitors from over 60 countries and attracted 224,106 visitors from 156 countries.

For more information, please visit our website.

[1] Alpen Capital GCC Education Industry Report 2025

Catherine Alltoft
catherine.alltoft@shamalcomms.com
Sinan Hameed
sinan.hameed@uae.messefrankfurt.com
www.messefrankfurtme.com
light-middle-east.ae.messefrankfurt.com