Is this the smartest building in the Middle East?

Bee’ah, the UAE-based sustainability pioneer, has announced that its new headquarters in Sharjah is set to become the first fully-integrated artificial intelligence (AI) office building in the UAE and MENA region.

The building, which Bee'ah said will be one of the smartest in the world, is set to open by the end of 2019.

The announcement was made on Tuesday in Redmond, Washington, on the sidelines of an agreement between executives from Bee’ah, Microsoft Corp, Johnson Controls and Evoteq.

As part of the agreement, the new Bee’ah headquarters will be equipped with a sweeping array of AI and smart building solutions powered by Microsoft.

From digital workspaces to smart back-office integration, and from smart lobby-visitor management to smart security, employees and visitors at Bee’ah’s new headquarters will experience a range of cutting-edge AI features.

Designed by the renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, Bee’ah’s futuristic new headquarters will be fully-powered by renewable energy.

“Environmental sustainability and digital technologies are mutually inclusive pillars in driving an economy of the future and are deeply ingrained in everything we do at Bee’ah,” said Khaled Al Huraimel, Bee’ah’s group CEO.

“By partnering with the world’s leading technology firms and sector shapers, our new headquarters will embody our vision for this future and exemplify the most sustainable solutions and advanced technologies, with no compromise on innovation or delivery.”

He added that the new HQ will be the first building in the UAE and MENA region, and one of the first in the world, to have full integration with AI.

"Our office of the future will manifest our commitment to the continual advancement of our valued staff body, and AI solutions will provide new avenues of employee development and operational convenience. We look forward to the gradual rollout of AI-powered smart building solutions at other Bee’ah offices and locations across the UAE,” he said.

Using its Digital Vault offering and extended capabilities built on Microsoft Azure, Johnson Controls will work with Microsoft to outfit the new building with intelligent edge systems, devices and software designed to optimize energy efficiency, make the best use of available space and help the building’s occupants be more productive through a virtual AI persona.

Evoteq, Bee’ah’s digital venture, will serve as the technical project management partner for this unique project, deploying integrated solutions and enhanced digital capabilities for greater operational output.

Emirate:  Sharjah

Date: Apr 23, 2019

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