Intersec 2026 bets on competence in fire protection

Intersec 2026 fire protection changes explained

Intersec 2026 has announced new show features for its 12 to 14 January 2026 return to Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE.

The organisers said the 27th edition of Intersec will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

They said the new elements include Passive Fire Day, the Control Room Innovation Theatre and the co-located FCIA–NFCA PFPCON ’26 Dubai.

The organisers also announced invitation-only Executive Roundtables and an Innovation Trail for exhibitor showcases.

Intersec 2026 will be supported strategically by the General Command of Dubai Civil Defense (DCD) and the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA).

The organisers said the event will host over 1,200 exhibitors from more than 60 countries across five sectors: Homeland Security & Policing, Cybersecurity, Commercial & Perimeter Security, Fire & Rescue and Health & Safety.

They added that over 50,000 visitors are expected across 65,000 gross square metres of exhibition space, which they described as the largest edition in the show’s 27-year history.

Passive Fire Day set for 14 January

The organisers said Passive Fire Day will take place on 14 January in collaboration with the Association for Passive Fire Protection (ASFP).

They described the programme as aiming to position passive fire as a professional discipline within the built environment.

The organisers defined passive fire protection as built-in measures intended to contain fire and smoke, protect escape routes and maintain structural integrity.

They said examples include fire-resistant walls and floors, fire doors, fire stopping and cavity barriers.

They added that passive fire protection differs from active systems such as alarms or sprinkler systems because it does not rely on activation or human intervention.

The organisers said senior ASFP representatives and industry collaborators will lead presentations and panel discussions on early engagement in design, regulatory alignment, fire door specification and installation and competence across the passive fire supply chain.

Dishan Isaac, Show Director of Intersec at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “Passive fire protection underpins the safety of the built environment, yet it has historically been treated as a technical afterthought rather than a professional discipline.

“By integrating Passive Fire Day and PFPCON ’26 Dubai into Intersec, we are creating a platform that brings competency, standards and accountability into sharper focus, while encouraging earlier engagement and stronger collaboration across the entire construction and life-safety value chain.”

PFPCON ’26 Dubai to run alongside

The organisers said the FCIA–NFCA PFPCON ’26 Dubai will run from 12 to 14 January 2026 as a co-located event with Intersec 2026.

They said it is presented by the Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA) and the National Fireproofing Contractors Association (NFCA).

The organisers said the event will bring together experts, innovators and practitioners to advance standards, competency and collaboration across the passive fire sector.

Control room theatre focuses on performance

The organisers said the Control Room Innovation Theatre will be delivered in partnership with the International Critical Control Rooms Alliance.

They described the theatre as a thought-leadership platform focused on control rooms and operations centres.

They said the agenda will include how cognitive control rooms are emerging, with AI and advanced data analytics used to support faster decision-making in high-pressure situations.

They added that sessions will examine integrated command centre operations and approaches to reduce organisational and sector silos during complex incidents.

The organisers said the programme will also address the role of operator wellbeing in control room performance and workforce empowerment.

Executive roundtables and Innovation Trail added

The organisers said Intersec 2026 will introduce invitation-only Executive Roundtables bringing together senior leaders from government, industry and technology.

They said the sessions will be compiled into post-event white papers intended to translate discussion into strategies, standards and future-facing innovation.

They listed roundtable topics as Redefining Crisis Management for Critical Infrastructure Protection, delivered by PwC Middle East, plus Governing the Blue: Intelligence-led Security for Gulf Maritime Boundaries and Defending the Digital Backbone: Securing National Infrastructure in the Era of AI and Hybrid Threats, both led by Kearney.

The organisers also announced the Innovation Trail as an interactive feature highlighting exhibitors presenting products and solutions across security, safety and fire protection.

Isaac said: “What unites these new features is a shared focus on people, performance and preparedness.

“Whether through professionalising passive fire, strengthening health and safety competence, or rethinking how control rooms support decision-making under pressure, Intersec 2026 is designed to help industries respond to growing complexity with clarity, capability and collaboration.”

Where this affects passive fire competence

Passive fire-protection contractors, fire door specialists and fire-stopping installers can use Passive Fire Day and PFPCON ’26 Dubai as focal points for updates on competence, standards and supply chain expectations described in the programme.

Architects, building services engineers and fire engineering consultants involved in early-stage design can track sessions focused on earlier engagement in design and regulatory alignment, as outlined by the organisers.

Facility managers and procurement teams responsible for built environment life safety can monitor the event’s passive fire content because it centres on specification and installation topics, including fire doors and cavity barriers.

Emergency and disaster response managers running control rooms and operations centres can follow the Control Room Innovation Theatre sessions covering AI-enabled decision-making, integrated command centre operations and operator wellbeing.

Organisations with responsibility for security, safety and fire protection governance can review the planned post-event white papers from the Executive Roundtables, which are intended to translate the discussions into strategies and standards.