The evolution of the built environment toward greater environmental sustainability, higher energy efficiency, and improved living quality is now at the core of European policy. The transposition of the EPBD IV Directive (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive IV), together with the Renovation Wave — the EU strategy aimed at promoting the redevelopment and energy efficiency of buildings — forms the foundation for a structural transformation of the sector.
The coming years will be crucial for the relaunch and renewal of the building stock not only in Italy but throughout Europe.
Within this context, Fiera Milano presents the 2025 edition of MIBA – Milan International Building Alliance, the format that, starting on November 19, will once again bring together four trade shows offering a holistic vision encompassing materials, technologies, solutions, and systems for the evolution of buildings and cities. GEE – Global Elevator Exhibition (vertical and horizontal mobility), MADE expo (construction and architecture), SMART BUILDING EXPO (technological integration), and SICUREZZA (security & fire) present impressive figures: more than 1,250 companies from 38 countries, eight exhibition halls, and significant international presence, accounting for 28% of total exhibitors. The most represented countries include Germany, Spain, Poland, France — Europe’s major producers — and China, confirming the global reach of the event.
A strong focus is placed on training and professional development, with over 100 sessions dedicated to the major challenges shared by all four markets: sustainability, digitalization, security, and artificial intelligence applications.
“MIBA is the result of a growth path that has united markets and exhibitions that were once separate, creating a system capable of transforming technological innovation and professional know-how into concrete business opportunities,” explains Paola Sarco, CEO of Made Eventi and Head of Building & Industry Exhibitions at Fiera Milano. “With over 1,250 companies, increasingly international and representative, MIBA offers a unique platform where numbers, projects, and ideas translate into real solutions for sustainable building and urban regeneration. Today more than ever, integration is the key to meeting the challenge of sustainability and leading the evolution of living spaces”.
The MIBA observatory: The opportunities of the new European Bauhaus
Developed by the Politecnico di Milano, MIBA’s scientific partner, the Third MIBA Observatory offers a mid-term analysis (2025–2027) of the construction sector’s outlook, identifying a significant development driver in the New European Bauhaus (NEB) — the European Commission’s initiative aimed at renewing the relationship between society, culture, and the built environment, with a focus on buildings that combine three key dimensions: sustainability, beauty, and inclusiveness.
According to the study, during 2025–2027, the main financial implementation instrument of the NEB will be the NEB Facility, a European funding mechanism that will mobilize more than €240 million per year (50% dedicated to innovation and research, 50% to project implementation), with the goal of promoting the development and dissemination of innovative solutions for transforming urban neighborhoods.
As a strategic growth driver, the NEB demonstrates a strong multiplier effect: according to sector estimates, every euro invested by the NEB Facility generates an economic impact roughly 30 times its initial value, thanks to the activation of national co-funding, regional resources, private capital, real estate funds, green financial instruments, and public–private partnerships. It is therefore estimated that the NEB Facility could generate approximately €7 billion per year in NEB-oriented projects, totaling over €20 billion between 2025 and 2027.
For Italy alone, this would correspond to NEB-oriented investments worth approximately €2.5 billion over the three-year period.
These resources could serve as a powerful innovation engine for the national market, encouraging projects on public, educational, residential, and cultural buildings inspired by the core principles of the New European Bauhaus — sustainability, beauty, and inclusiveness.
NEB-oriented investments are also expected to generate significant spillovers across all four MIBA sectors.
In construction — the domain of MADE expo — the main driver will be sustainable architecture, which represents an average of 25% of total NEB investments. Assuming an annual total investment of €7 billion, the European market for sustainable architecture components can be estimated at €5.25 billion between 2025 and 2027, translating to €680 million for Italy.
Another key area will be the digitalization of the built environment, including integration between digital technologies, smart building solutions, and data management tools — central themes of SBE–Smart Building Expo. Assuming that 12% of total NEB project value is allocated to this segment, the additional European market is estimated at €2.7 billion over 2025–2027, with €350 million expected for Italy.
Within NEB projects, inclusion and accessibility are fundamental values, and vertical mobility solutions — represented by GEE-Global Elevator Exhibition — are often integral to project design. Assuming an average 2.5% share of NEB project value devoted to internal mobility, this would amount to €500 million over the period, with €65 million estimated for Italy.
Finally, the security sector, at the heart of SICUREZZA, represents a cross-cutting component of NEB projects. The push toward intelligent and sustainable buildings calls for advanced security integration — such as IoT-based early fire detection systems, smart compartmentalization, environmental sensors, passive surveillance, and CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) technologies. With an estimated 5.5% share of total NEB funding, the European annual market for building security would reach €1.2 billion between 2025 and 2027, with €150 million expected for Italy.
The 4 pillars of MIBA
GEE – Global Elevator Exhibition (November 19–21, 2025, Fiera Milano)
GEE, the international hub for vertical and horizontal mobility, will host over 100 companies, 20% of which are from abroad. It will showcase technological innovation, safety, sustainability, and predictive maintenance, with a strong focus on professional training through certified sessions, industry talks, and B2B meetings.
MADE expo (November 19–22, 2025, Fiera Milano)
Italy’s leading event for construction and architecture, MADE expo will feature over 650 companies from 29 countries. Key themes will include building safety, sustainability, and innovation, with a focus on high-performance materials, artificial intelligence, and new design technologies. The event will also host the MADE Sustainability Prize, the return of FEL – Festival dell’Edilizia Leggera, and the Inspirational Talk “AI Architectural Intelligence,” dedicated to exploring AI’s role in reshaping future spaces.
SBE–Smart Building Expo (November 19–21, 2025, Fiera Milano)
SBE confirms its position as the international platform for technological integration in buildings and cities. With over 140 exhibitors from 17 countries and a rich program of workshops, talks, and innovation areas, the event will explore the opportunities and challenges of the built environment’s twin transition through three thematic days on decarbonization, electrification, smart buildings and smart cities. A dedicated renewable energy area and a focus on lighting technology will round out the offering on energy efficiency.
SICUREZZA (November 19–21, 2025, Fiera Milano)
SICUREZZA 2025 confirms its role as a European benchmark for security & fire, featuring 340 exhibitors from 26 countries. With a comprehensive showcase covering all segments of the sector, it will highlight a rapidly evolving market increasingly focused on complex, integrated, and interconnected solutions. New for this edition is a three-day training program — Cyber Day, Security Day, and Job in Security Day — dedicated to the industry’s major challenges: data protection in an increasingly digital world, solution customization, talent recruitment, and skill development.