Norm Gilsdorf, President, Honeywell, High Growth Regions, Middle East and Russia

Dubai, UAE, 6 November 2018: On the heels of the recent opening of the Honeywell Technology Experience Center, Norm Gilsdorf, President, Honeywell, High Growth Regions, Middle East and Russia, identified key sectors that offer strong potential for growth in view of EXPO 2020 and how the new centre’s commitment to IoT-enabled solutions addresses gaps in the market.

First, Gilsdorf pointed to the hospitality sector’s expansion in the region, with more hotels, which will require stronger technology infrastructure. “We see the hospitality sector as a big opportunity,” he said. Secondly, he highlighted the importance of the transportation area, with significant improvements. Thirdly, Gilsdorf pointed to the healthcare sector, with an increase in the number of hospitals. In this, he pointed to the importance of intelligent life care, to help monitor patients and ensure the right treatment is offered to the right person, at the right time, in addition to helping manage the system’s climate and the environment. Lastly, Gilsdorf said the retail sector offers key growth opportunities, with large malls being developed in a smarter way.

On whether efforts to improve building performance, through greater connectivity and IoT technologies, have enhanced due to environmental targets, Gilsdorf said that, while this is the case, much of the uptake is owing to the economical payback that solutions offer. “There is good environmental consciousness,” he said, “but at the end of the day, there is economics and there needs to be payback for the investment of the technology. Today, the general cost of technology has come down, particularly with connected technology. We are one of the leading producers of refrigerants; we have low-GWP refrigerants that can be installed in chillers and cooling systems, but what is driving it is that it saves significant energy.” He explained that while installation in Europe for such solutions is driven by compliance with stringent regulations, in the GCC region, such solutions are attractive for their big energy savings.