A “digital twin” is being built for the 200-hectare gated site for the Expo 2020 event to be held in Dubai, according to by Andreas Geiss, chief technology officer and vice-president of Digital Factory strategy, at German firm Siemens.
MEED understands Siemens’ MindSphere internet-of-things (IoT) platform will be used to implement energy, building and security management, and to support the design, planning and construction of the various components of the Expo 2020 Dubai venue, in conjunction with multiple technology partners.
The platform is understood to be the main building block for the Expo 2020 Dubai’s digital twin.
According to Geiss, the MindSphere platform also promises to make “best use” of the data collected during the six-month event to ensure Expo 2020 Dubai will make a “significant and meaningful impact to the country” even after the event is concluded.
The purpose of digital twins as a concept is to align and synchronise change across the supply chain in a fully automated manner, thus enabling continuous and comprehensive status reviews.
Expo 2020 Bureau has signed a series of agreements with technology partners for the event over the past year.
In April, Expo 2020 Bureau signed an agreement with US-based Cisco to provide digital networking solutions for the event.
Cisco will implement solutions that will link visitors, participants, devices, applications, business processes and the Expo network.
Last year, Expo 2020 Bureau signed a deal with Germany’s SAP to provide visitor and crowd management solutions and software for internal operations, including the handling and deployment of about 30,000 volunteers on the site.
In July, Abu Dhabi-based security firm DarkMatter also signed a contract to provide security management and monitoring, risk assessment, incident response and technical forensics “before, during and after Expo 2020.”
Expo 2020 background
The total budget for the construction of the Expo 2020 Dubai venue as well as the country pavilions is expected to reach up to $10bn.
According to MEED Projects data, contracts worth an estimated $1.6bn have been awarded so far.
These include the contracts to build the Sustainability Pavilion and Mobility Pavilion, awarded to local contracting firm ASGC and Alec, respectively.
Local developer Emaar is the development manager for both of the pavilions, while the UK’s Laing O’Rourke provided pre-construction services for both pavilions.
Earlier this year, Alec was awarded the estimated AED1.3bn ($353m) contract to build exhibition space for the Dubai World Trade Centre at the Expo 2020 site, and the UK’s Laing O’Rourke was awarded two contracts totaling AED670m for construction work on the Wasl Plaza and connecting access tunnel.
The expo, which opens on 20 October 2020, is expected to feature over 200 participants, inclusive of 180 countries, and receive 25 million visitors.
An initiative to recruit up to 30,000 volunteers for the event is under way.
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