Dubai, UAE, 18 September 2021: Johnson Controls (JCI), said it is partnering with Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), the regulatory body of Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park, and the Rochester Institute of Technology – Dubai (RIT Dubai) to deliver the region’s first-of-its-kind smart, healthy and sustainable new campus.

“Across the world, Johnson Controls helps businesses, governments and global institutions meet ambitious sustainability goals,” said Katie McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability, Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer, Johnson Controls. “Digitization is a key enabler for companies and organizations to meet net-zero-carbon and renewable energy goals. Employing the right technology and talent are two of the most critical factors for success.

We are pleased to contribute to the next generation of innovation leaders by giving students the opportunity to learn from the fully open architecture of the Johnson Controls OpenBlue digital platform. Together, we can work to address the decarbonization of buildings, which represent about 40% of global emissions. It is a win-win. Cutting that energy waste and emissions cuts energy costs as well.”

Johnson Controls said it is committed to supporting DSOA’s sustainability and carbon emissions reduction efforts through its OpenBlue digital platform. The company said it will deploy its OpenBlue Enterprise Manager (OBEM) solution for RIT Dubai’s campus, using artificial intelligence. The solution, it added, will empower campus administrators to analyze field data to help address challenges around energy efficiency and optimization.

The platform, it said, will facilitate RIT Dubai with real-time monitoring, benchmarking and analysis of energy consumption and demand; deliver real and meaningful sustainability solutions on campus; and reduce operational costs and lower environmental impact. The OpenBlue platform and services, the company claimed, can drive 50% and more in improvement in energy efficiency and corresponding carbon emissions.

These goals, it pointed out, are in line with the university’s ambition to attract students and faculty committed to building a net-zero economy that serves everyone while being able to teach and learn in the most comfortable, quality environment that operates more intelligently and efficiently. RIT Dubai, it said, has around 1,000 students and 100 staff members.

“Johnson Controls has been a pioneer in innovation and a leader in technology for more than 135 years,” said Rolando Furlong, Vice President and General Manager, Building Solutions MEA, Johnson Controls. “We are proud to partner with Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority and Rochester Institute of Technology of Dubai to drive a new level of sustainability in implementing our OpenBlue Healthy Buildings solutions to optimize performance by digitally transforming RIT Dubai’s campus, turning data into insights, and insights into actions that ultimately contribute to the region’s sustainability goals. Our OpenBlue Healthy Buildings solutions will help create a state-of-the-art campus to improve learning environments and prepare students to be tomorrow’s innovation leaders.”

Muammar Khaled Al Katheeri, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Smart City, DSOA said: “As a testbed for smart city solutions, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority has always been an early adopter of technology, and we always encourage and promote innovative solutions for our region. We hold our partnership with Johnson Controls in high regard and share the same values around sustainability and innovation. The RIT Dubai campus is state of the art with latest technologies incorporated, and we look forward to Johnson Controls delivering the smart facility management for this campus utilizing cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies.”

Dr Yousef M Al-Assaf, President, RIT Dubai, said: “Johnson Controls has been working with DSOA at various fronts and has been an integral player in the design and construction of various systems in RIT Dubai`s new campus. We are excited about this partnership between DSOA, RIT Dubai, and Johnson Controls to develop an open ecosystem, which will enhance and create opportunities for the community in areas of innovation, creativity and sustainability. Students will have the opportunity to tap into the interactive OpenBlue dashboards from Johnson Controls and, thus, benefit and learn from the latest in AI-driven analytics on energy efficiency. This partnership will serve as an example of how a university should operate in the future to become a dynamic contender in creating new knowledge, sustainable solutions and connectivity in the region.”