Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, supported the third Arab Future Cities Summit (AFCS), the Middle East’s premier smart cities event that took centre-stage in Doha earlier this week.
As part of its participation, Schneider Electric showcased its leadership in ‘smart city’ technology solutions that help reduce power consumption by 30 per cent, lower water usage by 15 per cent and eliminate travel time and traffic delays by 20 per cent.
The event which ran from 7 – 8 April at the Ritz Carlton in Doha, AFCS 2014 sought to highlight how strategic action taken today to plan cities can play an integral role in shaping the development of the future.
Ghassan Barghouth, Area President, Qatar, Kuwait & Bahrain, Schneider Electric, said: “In a bid to address key challenges in water and energy supply, transport and mobility, sustainable development and citizen engagement, governments globally are exploring and utilising technology and intelligent urban policy. Schneider Electric’s specialised Smart City division set up in 2010 leverages its portfolio to offer integrated solutions that promotes sustainability, improved standard of living, and services for the citizens
“Schneider Electric has worked in over 200 smart city deployments across the globe helping cities improve the efficiency and sustainability of their urban infrastructure, while meeting ambitious environmental goals and staying within planned budgets. We look forward to replicating this model of success in the Arab world. As part of this priority, we will leverage the Arab Future Cities Summit platform to showcase our smart city expertise to the region.”
According to the ‘Smart 2020’ report published by Accenture in 2011, the use of smart technologies in electrical grids, transport, shipping, buildings and industrial motors could reduce global emissions by 15 per cent by 2020 and save about US$900 billion a year in energy costs.
Arab Future Cities Summit attracted over 300 senior level executives to discuss the progress and future requirements for shaping smart cities across the Middle East. Connecting government authorities, developers, urban planners, investors, academics, and cutting-edge technologists, this event gives direction to sustainable city development across the MENA region and was a must-attend for key stakeholders committed to creating smarter cities.
