Siemens has won a major deal to retrofit 60 government buildings in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with IoT sensors and software. The UAE government has set a plan to reduce energy and water consumption by 27 percent per annum across the properties. Its decarbonisation programme has a target to reduce energy usage by an equivalent of 15,400 metric tons of CO2. Siemens has already implemented “retrofits” to seven buildings belonging to the local ministry of energy and infrastructure, resulting in a 20 percent reduction in energy and water usage, it said.
The project will initially target healthcare and education facilities. Results from the seven properties (a “representative sample”) that have so-far been equipped by Siemens with “energy efficiency and user comfort” solutions swung the deal – which is with Siemens’ ‘smart infrastructure’ business, responsible for bundling IoT sensing and AI (data analytics) sense-making solutions for the built environment, including public and private corporate offices. The contract is part of the UAE government’s broader strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The study at these sites provided a baseline of energy consumption and an analysis of anomalies to inform the selection of buildings for the retrofit project, said Siemens. It will deploy “technology to upgrade” heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, integrate movement and lighting sensors, and install building management systems to centralise energy management. “These measures are expected to result in substantial reductions in carbon emissions, and improvements in operational efficiency,” it said.
Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, minister for energy and infrastructure, said: “This… is a testament to our commitment to setting a global standard for sustainability and efficiency in the built environment… This retrofitting initiative is a crucial step… towards achieving our long-term environmental goals. The ministry’s strategy… encompasses a holistic approach to the sustainable development of key industries like energy, infrastructure, real estate, and transportation. This… marks a vital step in our country’s rapid journey to decarbonize all sectors of the economy.”
As usual, the German firm will draw on in-house and third-party IoT and AI solutions from its Xcelerator portfolio. Matthias Rebellius, chief executive at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, called it a “pioneering” project. He said: “To accelerate decarbonization, we will deploy innovative and scalable solutions such as this program, which will serve as a blueprint for decarbonizing buildings. Together with the Ministry, we will not only boost the energy efficiency of buildings, but also significantly contribute to the UAE’s sustainability and energy efficiency goals.”
