Smart cities should be sustainable, connected
dubai — It is no secret that smart cities attract smart people, and that these individuals ultimately help in driving innovation, says Norman L. Gilsdorf, president of Honeywell.
Speaking at the Water Energy Technology and Environment Exhibition (Wetex 2017), Gilsdorf spoke about how Dubai is setting the standard for a clear smart city vision. Connectivity, he said, is driving the smart revolution today.
Held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the 19th edition of the event is being held under the theme ‘At the forefront of sustainability’. Organised by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), the exhibition brings together several experts to discuss the concepts of sustainability across various sectors.
“Connectivity has enabled the big change,” Gilsdorf said during his presentation. “Before you heard about buzzwords in the industry such as the Internet of Things, but it was connectivity that actually proved to be the game changer. Since then, things have begun to accelerate.”
“Our world is changing at a very rapid pace; some of it has to do with the boom in populations,” he explained. “8.5 billion people will be walking the earth in 2030, and many will be in cities, or even mega cities. Rapid urbanisation, changing demographics, hyper globalisation, and accelerated innovation are all factors that we should be aware of, as they will impact the way that we live.”
Gilsdorf said that there is a need for solutions that respond to rapid change, and that Dubai was well on its way to meeting that vision and providing those solutions. “Big data is one of the game changers; I like to equate big data as the new oil because it is valuable, hard to find, you need to store lots of it, you need to share it, and, most importantly, you need to refine it. Over $150 billion was spent, just this year, on just data and data analytics; and this figure will be over $200 billion by 2020.”
Gilsdorf also noted that renewable energy would be a key factor in Dubai’s smart city future – a sentiment shared by Saif Hameed Al Falasy, CEO of Enoc Group.
“With the UAE’s ambitious plans and $150 billion investment into renewable power between now and 2050, we are at the forefront of supporting the nation in achieving its plans to utilise clean energy,” Al Falasy said. “This is evident through our introduction of cleaner fuel alternatives such as Biodiesel5, and further expanding our CNG network; reducing the dependency on subsidised natural gas power. Enoc will always remain committed to promoting sustainability through our green and efficient energy and resource initiatives.” — rohma@khaleejtimes.com