Sustainability and AI in fire safety highlighted at Intersec Saudi Arabia

Sustainability and fire safety were key topics of discussion at Intersec Saudi Arabia’s Fire Protection and Technology Summit. On the exhibition's opening day, leading experts from the region presented insights on the future of sustainable practices in fire safety.

During the session titled ‘Green Technologies for Fire Prevention and Control: Promoting Sustainable Practices in Fire Safety,’ industry specialists such as Mohammed Al Saeefan, fire protection engineering specialist at Saudi Aramco; Abdulaziz Alkhuder, senior project manager at Rua Al Madinah Holding; Dr Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, VP of health, safety, and environment at International Maritime Industries; and Khalid Al Mandil, deputy fire commissioner at Red Sea Global, discussed the use of non-combustible materials, energy-efficient design, and sustainable fire suppression systems in giga project developments.

The panel, moderated by Hani Adnan Abdel Razeq, director of sustainability at AESG, highlighted emerging trends affecting the industry.

Key insights

Alkhuder noted the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in fire and life safety systems, stating, "The growing prominence of AI is leading to the development of integrated fire and life safety systems, enabling the earlier detection and differentiation of fire-related hazards."

He further added, “Sustainability is also a key focus, with projects showcased today emphasising environmental impact alongside fire and life safety. By combining sustainable practices with advanced safety systems, we can enhance the safety of buildings while positively contributing to environmental and economic goals, ultimately creating safer living spaces for all occupants."

Al-Ghamdi highlighted the importance of balancing AI and human expertise, “AI will be a crucial future trend, especially in identifying system risks and enhancing integration. However, the human element – experience and talent – must be seamlessly integrated. This balance is vital, and once achieved, I believe we have a bright future.”

Al Mandil emphasised the need for sustainability in project design, especially in giga projects, saying, “From a giga project perspective, it is very important for sustainability to be a big part of the design phase. As we all know, designers are pushing the boundaries in terms of the incredible projects they are developing, so sustainability must remain an important part of these developments.”

Al Saeefan also weighed in on the impact of AI, explaining, “Trending this year has undoubtedly been AI and its positive impacts, but we also have to be aware of the unknown. As part of our various digital transformation teams at ARAMCO, strategically teaching your AI system carefully is incredibly important. This creates a great opportunity for all systems to be aligned.”

Riham Sedik, show manager for Intersec Saudi Arabia at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said, "After an incredibly successful opening day, the scene is set for the remainder of the show, in what will undoubtedly be another two days of groundbreaking insights from some of the most respected experts from the fire, safety, and security industries."

Bilal Al Barmawi, CEO and founder of 1st Arabia Trade Shows & Conferences, added, “We have already welcomed thousands of visitors to this sold-out show and look forward to welcoming many more industry professionals as they tap into the latest knowledge from world-leading experts.”