Collaboration merges IT and real estate to offer revenue-producing and differentiating services to developers and tenants
Dubai, September 25, 2007 - To further strengthen its position as a global dynamic logistics and business hub that drives the industrial development of Dubai, Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) has appointed Cisco as its technology consultant to formulate the overall technology strategy for its AED2 billion Convention Centre Complex.
Through its collaboration with Cisco, Jafza will be merging IT and real estate processes to plan, develop and build a solid infrastructure that will offer revenue-producing and differentiating services to developers as well as tenants at the facility. Based on Cisco's Connected Real Estate framework, the Convention Centre Complex will feature intelligent buildings and infrastructure components, offering value added services that are built on a converged IP network backbone.
Cisco will be responsible for overseeing the design and implementation of all Real Estate Electrical systems and creating the value added services catalogue, which will be offered to the tenants of the Convention Centre Complex.
The Cisco Connected Real Estate framework will be based on the IP Network as the 4th utility in the development, in addition to water, gas and electricity. With this concept, Jafza Convention Centre Complex project is set to realize significant benefits in process efficiencies, simpler operations, higher workforce productivity, reduced capital and operational costs, superior security, and opportunities for revenue generation through value added services.
Further, the flexibility and scalability of the IP foundation will accommodate the ever-changing business requirements for developers during the development and construction stages of the Convention Centre project and for the tenants who will occupy and utilize the Complex services and facilities.
According to Mrs. Salma Hareb, CEO Jafza and Economic Zones World, this agreement further extends Jafza's commitment to provide the tenants of the Convention Centre Complex with state-of-the-art value added services, and a highly efficient growth driven business environment.
"We are offering our customers the opportunity to capitalize on a smart infrastructure that vigorously adapts and progresses with their ever-changing business needs," Mrs. Salma Hareb said. "By implementing a highly secure, intelligent and scalable networking platform, we will mitigate risks of disruption as well as be able to quickly deploy new services that can drive operational efficiencies and business results."
"Our Connected Real Estate framework consists of building a smart communications infrastructure that acts as the 4th utility in the development hosting all real estate systems on a converged IP network. This will then become the fabric of every building, and will act as the platform supporting all the centre's real estate requirements," said Amr Salem, director of the Real Estate segment for Cisco in the Emerging Markets, "It is the Information Utility - also known as the 4th utility - that provides a foundation for cost reduction, operational efficiencies, and revenue generation through value added services. Such benefits are realized by the developers, operators and tenants."
Due to be completed by the end of 2009, the Convention Centre Complex spreads over an area of 72,700 sqm, and will include 22 meeting and conference rooms, exhibitions halls, a 700-seat modular auditorium, a fitness centre, a recreational area as well as 22 retail outlets. The Convention Centre Complex will also comprise a twin-tower commercial building that will house 1,274 offices, a 322 - room four star hotel and a 4,100 space car park.
"Jafza's next-generation Convention Centre Complex represents a major step in the region's real estate industry and we are proud to play such a critical role. We applaud Jafza for having the foresight to create an Intelligent Building that is capable of delivering advanced services to its customer base", Salem concluded.
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