Press Release
20 February 2017
CeBIT 2017 (20–24 March, Mon.–Fri.):
Cities are getting smart – at CeBIT 2017
Digitalization is opening up massive opportunities – and not only for
businesses. Cities and municipalities are also benefiting from the Internet of
Things, Big Data and artificial intelligence. At CeBIT 2017 some of the top
names in the industry will be unfolding their vision for the smart cities of the
future.
Hannover. Congestion-free traffic, dynamic navigation systems that guide each
motorist to an empty parking space, and intelligent technology that delivers
energy exactly where it is needed – such visions of the cities of tomorrow
almost sound too good to be true. But at this year’s CeBIT a number of
companies will be showing that these concepts are not far-fetched at all:
digitalization has brought them well within reach.
In Germany, Berlin, Hamburg and Munich are already leading the way, with
smart-city programs in the pipeline. Most of these new concepts are about
the intelligent control of urban systems, such as traffic management, utility
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Germany
Tel. +49 511 89-0
Fax +49 511 89-36694
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supplies or logistics. Dirk Heuser from the Urban Software Institute (Hall 7,
Stand A14) believes that there is a great opportunity here for cities and
municipalities: “85 percent of the population is already living in large towns
and cities”, he points out. “So the time has come to tap existing data
sources such as traffic control centers, registers of residents, environmental
sensors and energy supplier records, and to make practical use of the
data.” Not only will businesses then be able to design services and offerings
that make life better for their customers, but residents themselves will benefit
directly by having valuable information at their fingertips – about energy
generation, environmental conditions or traffic volumes, for example.
Drawing practical conclusions from public data
The Institute has developed a platform known as “Urban Pulse”, which
collects all the data and makes it available to different interest groups. The
information is sent by sensors and specialist departments, typically from
parking meters, traffic lights and cameras, as well as record offices and
traffic control centers. This data can then be analyzed and used for practical
benefits such as dynamic traffic light switching or individual route planning for
satellite navigation devices – all in real time.
ZTE,
a
leading
Chinese
supplier
of
telecommunications
equipment
and
network solutions (Hall 12, Stand D53) is presenting its Smart City 3.0
project, aimed at driving forward the digital transformation of towns and
cities. ZTE has opted for a PPP model, which gets private enterprises,
No. 062/2017 E – 121-HvS/Breu
Deutsche Messe AG
Messegelände
30521 Hannover
Germany
Tel. +49 511 89-0
Fax +49 511 89-36694
[email protected]
www.messe.de
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public stakeholders and the people – hence PPP – working together to
create a firm economic and social foundation for the implementation of smart
city solutions. The main priority here is the development of the technical
infrastructure and networks in our towns and cities.
As well as traffic management and freight logistics, maintaining utility supplies
– energy and water – is another growing challenge faced by towns and
cities worldwide. Today, 54 percent of the world’s population is already living
in urban environments, and by 2050 that figure is expected to rise to 66
percent, according to a United Nations forecast. In this context, innovations
clearly have an important part to play in helping us to use energy more
efficiently.
Efficient electricity supplies
One such innovation is the use of so-called smart meters, which not only
measure energy consumption, but can also transmit readings, making them a
vital component of modern smart grids. Capgemini (Hall 7, Stand A44) is
one
company
that
is
developing
solutions
for
efficient
energy
use
in
collaboration with big players such as Siemens, Microsoft and SAP – for
example, by utilizing management platforms or cloud-based systems for
dynamic distribution.
One area with huge growth potential is energy management in our buildings.
The energy consumed by buildings accounts for anything from 20 to 40
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Deutsche Messe AG
Messegelände
30521 Hannover
Germany
Tel. +49 511 89-0
Fax +49 511 89-36694
[email protected]
www.messe.de
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percent of a country’s total energy bill. Experts are therefore estimating that
the market for smart building technology will be worth around 36 billion US
dollars by the year 2020. “The Internet of Things is going to speed up the
digital transformation tremendously”, says Olivier Sevillia, head of Application
Services Two at Capgemini. “Developing a consistent strategy and an
innovative platform for IoT services is an essential instrument for businesses
to deliver the support their customers require.”
Connected systems for towns and cities – and their residents
Digitalization is a fact of life – and towns and cities need to get to grips
with it like everybody else. “The question is not whether to go along with
digitalization or not”, says Dr. Daniel Holz, CEO of SAP Germany. “The
question is whether you are going to use this trend to your advantage, and
get the maximum added value out of it.” At this year’s CeBIT, SAP will be
presenting a live demo amongst other things, where visitors are invited to
slip into the role of an airport manager. With the aid of augmented reality
technology they will have the opportunity to learn about the different issues,
processes and challenges that are part of everyday life at an airport – and
how digital applications can assist with their management and resolution.
The conference “Beyond Smart Cities: Smart Urbanism”, part of the program
for CeBIT 2017, highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by the
digital transformation, with presentations by guest speakers working in the
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30521 Hannover
Germany
Tel. +49 511 89-0
Fax +49 511 89-36694
[email protected]
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technology sector, research, and town planning. Once towns and cities
around the globe are connected via digital networks, they can learn more
quickly from one another and jointly develop effective strategies. Technology
will in future be an integral instrument of social innovation. “Smart Urbanism”
is at the heart of this.
There is no standard template for the smart city. Rather, towns and cities
will need individual concepts and technologies, adapted to their specific
situation and framework conditions.
At the “Smart Options” convention, participants will be introduced to the
opportunities that exist for large sections of the population to play an active
role in combating climate change. The main focus will be on low-cost
solutions for the rented housing sector. Exhibitors will be presenting apps, for
example, that help to cut the cost of heating by saving energy, as well as
entry-level engineering solutions for improving the energy performance of
buildings in the low-cost sector. The majority of these products are aimed at
the general public.
The “B2City” conference explores the potential for our cities of innovations
developed by start-ups and SMEs. The conference serves as a platform for
knowledge-sharing
and
international
collaborations
between
commercial
suppliers and city authorities.
No. 062/2017 E – 121-HvS/Breu
Deutsche Messe AG
Messegelände
30521 Hannover
Germany
Tel. +49 511 89-0
Fax +49 511 89-36694
[email protected]
www.messe.de
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CeBIT – Global Event for Digital Business
CeBIT is the world’s foremost event on everything essential to the wave of
digitalization transforming virtually every aspect of business, government and
society. Every spring, the show features a lineup of around 3,000 exhibitors
and attracts some 200,000 visitors to its home base in Hannover, Germany.
The spotlight is on all the latest advances in fields such as artificial
intelligence, autonomous systems, virtual and augmented reality, humanoid
robots and drones. Thanks to a rich array of application scenarios, CeBIT
makes digitalization tangible in the truest sense of the word. “d!conomy –
no limits”, the chosen lead
theme for 2017, underscores the show’s
emphasis on revealing the wealth of opportunities arising from the digital
transformation.
As
a
multifaceted
exhibition/conference/networking
event,
CeBIT is a perennial must for everyone involved in the digital economy. The
startup scene is also right at home at CeBIT and its dedicated SCALE 11
showcase, which sports more than 400 aspiring young enterprises. The next
CeBIT will be staged from 20 to 24 March 2017, with Japan as its official
Partner Country. For further information, visit www.cebit.de.
No. of characters (incl. spaces): 8,144
Your contact for further information:
Hartwig von Saß
Tel.:
+49 511 89-31155
E-mail: [email protected]
For related press releases and images, visit:
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Deutsche Messe AG
Messegelände
30521 Hannover
Germany
Tel. +49 511 89-0
Fax +49 511 89-36694
[email protected]
www.messe.de
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No. 062/2017 E – 121-HvS/Breu
Deutsche Messe AG
Messegelände
30521 Hannover
Germany
Tel. +49 511 89-0
Fax +49 511 89-36694
[email protected]
www.messe.de
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