ONE SPIE Messe 2022: Keynote Matthias Rebellius

Dear Monsieur Luouette, dear Mr. Holzke, dear guests, it's great to have a trade fair for WP again after almost three years. I would have liked to be there in person, but unfortunately that wasn't possible, so you'll have to make do with me virtually, as a kind of digital twin – which fits perfectly with what we do at both our companies. Because the digital twin – the real one, mind you – will be an important topic for Spie and Siemens. Spie is a leading technical service provider for building technology and power grids in Europe, and Siemens is one of Spie's largest customers. We have a long tradition together, over 100 years, shaping the infrastructure of industrial society. Not all our companions could adapt; the average lifespan of a company in Germany is nine years. Spie and Siemens together have written nearly 300 years of corporate history, so we must have done something right. Now we face a new opponent: time. In the midst of climate change, we are in a race against global warming. The EU's Fit for 55 program sets high targets: 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, climate neutrality by 2050. 40% of global energy consumption is in buildings, 75% during operation, and one third is wasted. 85% of European buildings were built before 2001. Less than 10% of buildings worldwide are intelligent and energy-efficient. We need smart buildings and smart grids. The best kilowatt-hour is the one not consumed. Efficiency in heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, and operations can only be achieved through digitalization. Siemens has the technology, Spie has the expertise. Together we make our customers fit for the future. To make digitalization easier and faster, we introduced Siemens Xcelerator – a business platform connecting the real and digital worlds – and for smart infrastructure, Building X, with a digital twin. No company can master the challenges alone; we move from ego-system to ecosystem. I believe that by 2040, most commercial buildings will be autonomous. Energy and maintenance costs will drop up to 30%, equipment failures by 70-75%, and employee productivity could increase by 25%. Buildings will contribute to the great questions of our time. In the panel discussion, we will discuss the connections between energy transition, climate protection, ESG goals, and digitalization. For me, the causal chain is clear: without digitalization, no building transition; without building transition, no energy transition; without energy transition, no climate transition. Exciting times ahead for Siemens and Spie. I hope we continue this digital journey together as twins in the service of sustainability. Thank you very much.