Siemens has secured a significant contract to retrofit 60 UAE government buildings with IoT sensors and software as part of the country’s drive to reduce energy and water consumption by 27% per year. The retrofit project is aligned with the UAE’s decarbonisation programme, which targets reducing energy usage by the equivalent of 15,400 metric tons of CO2 annually.
Siemens has already implemented energy-saving retrofits at seven buildings for the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, resulting in a 20% reduction in energy and water usage. These results helped secure the deal for the broader retrofit project, which will initially focus on healthcare and education facilities.
The retrofit project is being led by Siemens’ smart infrastructure business, which combines IoT sensing, AI, and data analytics to optimize the built environment. The UAE government’s broader strategy aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and this retrofit initiative plays a vital role in meeting that goal.
Siemens will deploy technology to upgrade heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, integrate motion and lighting sensors, and install building management systems that centralize energy management. These measures are expected to result in substantial reductions in carbon emissions and operational efficiency improvements.
Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE’s Minister for Energy and Infrastructure, expressed that the retrofitting initiative is a significant step towards setting a global standard for sustainability and efficiency. “This retrofitting initiative is a crucial step towards achieving our long-term environmental goals,” he stated. The strategy encompasses a holistic approach to sustainability in key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, real estate, and transportation.
Siemens will utilize its Xcelerator portfolio of IoT and AI solutions to implement the project, drawing on both in-house and third-party technologies. Matthias Rebellius, CEO of Siemens Smart Infrastructure, hailed the project as a “pioneering” effort. He said, “To accelerate decarbonization, we will deploy innovative and scalable solutions like this program, which will serve as a blueprint for decarbonizing buildings.”
This collaboration between Siemens and the UAE government is expected to significantly contribute to the country’s sustainability and energy efficiency goals, marking an important milestone in its journey towards decarbonization.
