MIBA Levante makes its debut in Bari on 18 and 19 November 2026

The construction market in Southern Italy is worth over €90 billion, with Puglia among the regions most committed to the development of modern and sustainable construction. It is against this backdrop that MIBA Levante has been launched: a unique showcase of expertise and technological and design solutions in both building envelopes and building services, available to all industry professionals.

There are eight months to go until the first edition of MIBA Levante, scheduled to take place in Bari on 18 and 19 November 2026, an event dedicated to the energy and digital transition of the Mediterranean’s building stock.

MIBA Levante, organised by Fiera Milano in collaboration with Pentastudio, was launched as a spin-off of MIBA – Milan International Building Alliance, Fiera Milano’s international hub which serves as a benchmark for the design, construction and regeneration of buildings and cities.

In odd-numbered years, MIBA brings together four strategic biennial events in Milan for the construction sector, which is increasingly focused on synergy between sectors: GEE – Global Elevator Exhibition (horizontal and vertical mobility); MADE Expo (architecture and construction); SICUREZZA (security & fire) and SMART BUILDING EXPO (home and building automation and technological integration).

In even-numbered years, MIBA Levante will provide an opportunity to meet professionals from Southern Italy and the Mediterranean region, with an exhibition programme tailored to the needs of the local area and a training programme developed in collaboration with leading academic and professional bodies.

The choice of Southern Italy, and Puglia in particular, as the venue for a new trade fair dedicated to the construction industry is no coincidence. According to data from CRESME, MIBA’s scientific partner, by 2025 the value of production in the construction market in Southern Italy will have exceeded 90 billion euros – around a third of the Italian market as a whole. In Puglia alone, the construction market is worth €18 billion. Like the rest of the country, Southern Italy has also seen strong growth in the construction sector compared to pre-pandemic years. CRESME’s analysis highlights that, from 2026 onwards, the construction sector will have to address the issue of the substantial depletion of PNRR funds, which will primarily affect local authorities’ investment capacity. It also remains to be seen what will happen to tax incentives for the renovation and energy efficiency of buildings. According to CRESME, housing will be one of the key themes in the market over the coming years in the South, and particularly in Puglia, where property sales have risen by 32% compared to 2019, against an Italian average of 27%. In Puglia’s provincial capitals, growth has been as high as +38%.

MIBA Levante will provide the perfect setting to discuss opportunities arising from the current landscape and discover the latest developments in products, solutions and systems, with a focus on the energy and digital transition of the Mediterranean’s building stock.

PROFESSIONALS IN EVOLUTION: MIBA LEVANTE’S TRAINING PROGRAMME

The continuous development of the construction sector requires professionals capable of capitalising on the regulatory, design and technological opportunities available today to best navigate the ongoing transition. For this reason, MIBA Levante will offer a programme featuring training sessions and high-profile special events, participation in which will enable professionals to earn continuing professional development credits. Workshops and conferences will be designed in collaboration with academic institutions such as the Polytechnic University of Bari and the University of Bari Aldo Moro, highly specialised organisations such as MedisDIH-Regional Mechatronics District and the Puglia Digital Innovation Hub, professional bodies such as the Order of Engineers of the Province of Bari and the Order of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservationists of the Province of Bari, and international associations such as the Smart Buildings Alliance and EAMC (Engineering Association of Mediterranean Countries)..

In particular, the EAMC – Engineering Association of Mediterranean Countries, an international organisation promoting technical collaboration and professional exchange between European and Arab engineering bodies in the Mediterranean region, has chosen MIBA Levante as the venue for its Convention on Decarbonisation and Sustainability of the Built Environment in the Mediterranean. Key topics include: renewable energy and emissions reduction, innovative water and waste management, urban and territorial resilience, safeguarding cultural heritage, sustainable regeneration, as well as engineering training and professional qualifications.

At MIBA Levante, as part of Smart Building Levante, there will also be the Keep Zero Area, a special hub dedicated to sustainable construction. Starting with a regulatory focus on the New ITACA Puglia Protocol, a series of sessions will demonstrate how the integration of structure, materials and smart systems is the key to sustainable, high-performance buildings that comply with the new regional regulations.

THE FOUR PILLARS OF MIBA LEVANTE

MIBA Levante replicates the Milanese model, bringing together in a single setting four specialised events dedicated to different sectors, each playing a distinct role in working towards the creation of more sustainable, safe and accessible buildings.

MADE Expo, an event organised by Made Eventi, comes to Bari for the first time with MIBA Levante, incorporating FEL – Festival dell’Edilizia Leggera, now an integral part of a broader and more systematic exhibition project.

FEL reaffirms its position as the leading hub for lightweight construction and technical finishes, with a focus on thermal and acoustic insulation solutions, façade and building envelope systems, low-environmental-impact water-based paints, decorative coatings, plasterboard, drywall construction and professional precision tools.

A range of products and services that meets the needs of a market increasingly focused on energy retrofitting, living comfort and aesthetic quality, with particular attention to the balance between technical performance and design. FEL also serves as a platform for advanced training: through technical sessions and practical demonstrations, the market’s leading players present the most efficient application methods. The inclusion of FEL within MADE strengthens the overall offering, which also encompasses doors and windows, high-performance building envelopes, construction systems, materials and solutions for contemporary architecture. An exhibition ecosystem designed to foster dialogue between companies, designers, installers and distributors, capitalising on growth opportunities in the Mediterranean market and showcasing Italian expertise on an international stage.

SICUREZZA, Fiera Milano’s trade fair dedicated to security and fire safety, is also making its debut in Bari. The event will offer an overview of the main solutions for access control, video surveillance, fire safety and passive protection, with a particular focus on the intrusion detection sector, in response to the growing demand for smart, connected systems in the region.

According to the latest ANIE SICUREZZA data, the building security and automation sector exceeded €4 billion in turnover for the first time in 2024, confirming its expansion phase, and in the first half of 2025, according to preliminary estimates, it maintained a sustained growth trend (+9.6% annual average).

The adoption of new technologies is driven by regulatory updates, PNRR investments and digitalisation, which reinforce the strategic role of cybersecurity and the integration of building functions. In Bari too, the event will reflect this evolution, supporting companies in their technological transformation and promoting continuous innovation, a hallmark of the sector.

SMART BUILDING LEVANTE, a trade fair organised by Pentastudio and Nuova Fiera del Levante, is now in its fifth year. It is the only high-profile, internationally significant trade fair in Southern Italy dedicated to technological innovation in the home, building and city sectors. At a time when digitalisation and the energy transition are becoming key drivers for the construction sector, SMART BUILDING LEVANTE will enable professionals from Southern Italy and the Mediterranean to discuss the latest innovations, discover products and systems capable of optimising comfort, reducing energy consumption and intelligently integrating complex functions. Thanks to a training programme developed in collaboration with universities, research centres and industry associations, the event will also serve as a venue for technical updates and networking, where technological innovation will translate into concrete opportunities for designers, builders and industry professionals.

GEE – Global Elevator Exhibition is coming to Bari for the first time, bringing the vertical and horizontal mobility sector to the heart of the Mediterranean. Following its second edition at Fiera Milano, GEE offers concrete opportunities for business, networking and technical updates in Bari. Together with MIBA Levante, GEE aims to meet the growing demand for high-performance solutions in an area characterised by significant demographic and urban growth, bridging the gap between specialist technological offerings and the need for modernisation of the built environment across the Mediterranean region.

MIBA Levante will take place in Bari, at the Nuova Fiera del Levante, on 18 and 19 November 2026.