How did Siemens make smart Expo 2020 Dubai?

Being the digital infrastructure premium partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, how did Siemens make the event smart?

210.000 sensors

15.000 cameras

5.500 gates  

The above numbers may not mean much when it comes to one under the other. But Siemens used these numbers and more to make  Expo 2020 Dubai smart. Upon he invitation of Siemens, I followed the company’s Expo 2020 Dubai event on-site and listened to the smart city project that the company implemented for the event. So, how did Siemens make Expo 2020 Dubai smart?

Matthias Rebellius, CEO Smart Infrastructure and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens

Siemens: We turn the data into insight in a smart way

For the answer of this question, let’s give ear to Matthias Rebellius, CEO of Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Member of the Managing Board: “Actually, we do not only focus on smart infrastructure, what we want to do is to switch to sustainable smart infrastructure and sustainable energy. Our aim was not just to bring technology to the Expo, we also aimed to make this event sustainable.” Rebellius emphasized the sustainability and stated that 80% of the buildings for this event will remain in place. The systems here [Expo 2020 Dubai] will be transferred to Siemens‘ internet of things (IoT) infrastructure, according to Rebellius. On the other hand, Siemens does not see the connectivity here as just connectivity. Rebellius also treats connectivity as data exchange. “We’re not talking about engineers looking at data and doing analysis. We turn data into insight in a smarter way”, Rebellius said. “As a result, we aim to carry out works that will be beneficial to society and the environment,” added Rebellius. A side note: this is not the first smart city project carried out by Siemens. The company has been carrying out a project called Aspern Smart City Research (ASCR) in Vienna, the capital of Austria, since 2013 and includes 111 buildings, 900 people (consisting of primary schoold and kindergartens) and 313 student dormitories.

MindSphere: the central nervous system connecting the physical and digital spaces of Expo 2020 Dubai

Following the above data,  time to  move to the application side and MindSphere comes into the picture. MindSphere allows to collect, analyze, contextualize and visualize data, which is cloud-based, open IoT operating system with the ability to develop and run system artificial intelligence applications. MindSphere, commissioned by Siemens at Expo 2020 Dubai, enables multiple stakeholders to monitor and control heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), water, lighting, security, electricity, smart sensors, chillers, UPS systems and other functions. Siemens also developed an application called MindSphere Smart City for operators and management teams working in the field. This app shows the digital twin of the Expo area. It is a web-based application and works according to predefined thresholds, for example, noise levels, water and energy consumption. The interface of the application, on the other hand, helps the users of the application to make better decisions based on data. To give an example on the subject, we can look at the fields of ecology and landscaping. Data on plants, herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers are collected in MindSphere, which is kept transparently for Expo operators to use later,  if needed.

Hakan Özdemir, Sales Director of Smart Infrastucture at Siemens Turkey

Siemens Turkey: at Expo 2020 Dubai, we’re providing technologies for the smart of the cities of the future

At the event area, I had a chance to speak to Hakan Özdemir, Sales Director of Smart Infrastucture at Siemens Turkey And here is what he told me:  “As Siemens, we are the Premium Partner for Infrastructure Digitization of Expo 2020 Dubai. Here we present technologies to set an example for the smart cities of the future. Siemens undersigned a project at the Expo that proves how to build a technology-oriented city where sustainability is at the forefront.” At Expo 2020 Dubai, we see how buildings, machines and facilities can be digitally connected with each other, according to Özdemir . However, it is also possible to improve operations in an area, where it saves water and energy and reduces carbon emissions. In addition, comfort and safety of the visitors were considered.

Hakan Özdemir also informed me what Siemens did for Expo 2020 Dubai: “On the safety and security side, we installed Siveillance Control Pro, which connects 15.000 cameras and provides data to 150 field managers. At the same time, our Sipass integrated access control system enables the connection of up to 5.500 gates. All of these were important elements that ensured the safety of visitors and operators throughout the event. We aimed to provide a comfortable experience inside the buildings. At the event we have access to 210.000 data points and connect 21 subsystems. On the sustainability side, Siemens Navigator, powered by MindSphere, monitors and controls the performance of more than 130 buildings. In this way, we aimed to help Expo move towards its goals in the field of sustainability.”

(P.S: Expo events are organized every 5 years by the Bureau International des Expositions. Expo 2025 will be opening in Osaka, Japan on May 3, 2025 and closing on November 25, 2025.)

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