Kuwait City, Kuwait, 9 September 2018:  Honeywell hosted a technology symposium, in support of Kuwait’s long-term vision to drive sustainable development and build smarter cities using the Internet of Things (IoT), on September 5, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, in Al Bida’a, Kuwait, the company said in a Press communiqué.

Inauguration of the Honeywell Technology Symposium 2018

Held under the theme ‘Experience the IoT evolution in Kuwait’s future smart buildings’, the event brought together building owners and operators from key industries, as well as thought leaders, end users and sector stakeholders, the communiqué said. Attendees discussed the latest technologies, business trends and IoT innovations driving the adoption of smart buildings and smart cities in Kuwait, as well as around the world.

George Bou Mitri

Commenting on the symposium, George Bou Mitri, President, Honeywell Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, said: “Kuwait is modernising its national infrastructure and focusing on smart city developments under the Kuwait National Development Plan 2035. Driven by these initiatives, buildings are becoming increasingly online and connected, presenting building owners and operators with an unparalleled opportunity to harness the power of the Internet of Things and realise previously unobtainable levels of safety, productivity and efficiency. Through this symposium, we are demonstrating how Kuwait’s building owners and operators can capitalise on the IoT-revolution to meet their objectives, and underscoring our commitment to supporting the country as it embarks on transforming its national infrastructure through cutting-edge innovation.”

According to Honeywell, the symposium also outlined the evolution of digital transformation in Kuwait, with a focus on the significant impact data analytics, IoT and cloud solutions have on the development of buildings, cities and real estate projects. Honeywell leaders further showcased solutions that are making buildings smarter and more connected across several industry verticals, including healthcare, airports and premium commercial facilities, the communiqué said. According to International Data Corporation, spending on the technologies that enable smart city initiatives is forecast to reach USD 1.26 billion for the MENA region in 2018, as mentioned in its Worldwide Semi-annual Smart Cities Spending Guide. Security and energy efficiency were also high on the agenda, in line with the Kuwaiti government’s objective to ensure greater safety and sustainability across industries, the communiqué said.

Speaking on the occasion, Paolo Cervini, President, Honeywell Building Solutions, Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Africa, said: “Our customers in Kuwait and across the GCC region are highly innovative, and are focused on becoming even more data-driven. They are looking for ways to not only generate more data from their buildings, but to turn that data into business insights that will help them drive safety, productivity and efficiency improvements. It is this demand that we have addressed at the building technology symposium.”