At GITEX Technology Week 2019, Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, welcomes visitors to explore emerging technologies that facilitate the development of Smart Cities and Digital Transformation in the Middle East and Africa.
“The Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) continue to play a pivotal role in shaping our strategy towards an ecosystem that enables productivity and drives digital transformation – whether it be for an office building, a hospital, or a university.”, says Ahmed Khashan, President of Gulf Countries Schneider Electric. “Collaborative efforts between government and private bodies have been vital in fast-tracking digital transformation initiatives and building sustainable, secure and reliable urban communities especially in the UAE.”
The Schneider Electric booth at this year’s event highlights the company’s efforts and contributions in enabling digital cities effectively. While one experiential zone captures the essence of Smart Cities that catalyze the digital transformation of urban ecosystems by using IoT-enabled solutions, the other showcases Critical Buildings powered by EcoStruxure Building solutions facilitating improved occupant satisfaction and productivity with customized and integrated technology boosting connectivity, safety and optimized and efficient use of energy in buildings.
As estimated by the International Data Corporation (IDC), investment in technologies enabling smart cities in the Middle East and Africa region is expected to hit the USD 2.30 billion mark by 2021.[i] Building cities integrated with next-generation technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoTs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) requires a huge investment, starting with creating a suitable infrastructure that supports current advancements.
The ever-increasing urban population has resulted in growing energy demands, coupled with the advent of new technology and the need for smart cities that improve systems and create a sustainable and reliable infrastructure. The integration of smart solutions that promote the efficient use of resources and data plays a crucial role in this drive towards smart cities while improving safety, mobility and overall well-being.
“Building vibrant smart cities is the basis of economic development for the UAE. Schneider Electric’s contribution towards government-led initiatives reflects our purpose as a company and is a step forward in utilizing energy efficiency in developing smart buildings – a fundamental element in the transformative journey to a smart city. Our business model at Schneider Electric is to have a strong local footprint and create an ecosystem for our partners by providing access to sophisticated solutions that promote sustainability and digital transformation in support of the region’s digital transformation.”, added Khashan.
‘Role of Smart Cities for Economic Development’, a report commissioned by Chordant, emphasizes the central importance of technology as a driver of economic development in future Smart Cities. The smart city concept has the potential to boost the economic development of global cities by 5 per cent and deliver over $20 trillion in additional economic benefits by 2026.[ii]
As the criticality of IT increases across industries with the vast amount of data being produced, Schneider Electric is also well positioned to showcase the impact of its data center solutions that help protect and optimize data centers and networks for cloud and big data architecture at GITEX Technology Weeks. Visitors can experience the modernized data center infrastructure that ensures the systems are highly accessible, efficient, and secure. In addition to this, Schneider also highlights its focus on cybersecurity which is of paramount importance to every industry that is looking at digital transformation and is a foundational aspect of Schneider’s technology infrastructure.
Moreover, Schneider Electric also offers Expert Learning Sessions to visitors throughout the GITEX Technology Week 2019 with a variety of relevant topics such as enhancing business efficiency with Edge Computing, digital transformation of buildings, hotels and hospitals, and improving operations of a data center infrastructure with EcoStruxure IT Solution etc.
Visit Schneider Electric booth in Hall 8 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, during GITEX Technology Week 2019, from 6-10 October 2019.