One of many countries that have a pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai—which opened on 1 Oct. 2021—is Japan. With its multilayered façade mixing Middle Eastern arabesques and Japanese asanoha patterns, the Japan Pavilion certainly has a distinctive look. But it is also distinctive inside, where much of the equipment—from top-of-the-line lifts and escalators to air-conditioning systems and monitors—has been provided by Mitsubishi Electric.

"Where ideas meet"

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc throughout the world since the beginning of 2020, leading to the postponement or cancellation of sports competitions, design fairs and other major events.

One affected event was Expo 2020 Dubai, the first registered world expo to be hosted in the Middle East. Originally scheduled for 2020, the event was postponed for a year due to COVID-19. On 1 October, Expo 2020 Dubai finally opened its doors amidst high global expectations.

There are pavilions representing 191 countries — far more than the 142 at the last World Expo in Milan. This includes Japan, which designed its pavilion based on the theme "Where ideas meet". Japan has a long tradition of embracing the knowledge and cultures brought to its islands by people from around the world and reinterpreting them to create something new and uniquely Japanese. The Japan Pavilion pays homage to this history by serving as a forward-thinking, globally oriented idea hub. It is a place where many different kinds of people possessing a variety of sensibilities can meet and develop new ideas together, creating the kind of synergy that produces concrete actions that can make the world a better place.

A Pavilion for Technology

One company that embraces this concept and is providing support to the pavilion is Mitsubishi Electric. Through its affiliation with the pavilion, the company is seeking to deepen its relationship with the Middle East—where it has had a presence since the 1970s—and propel its sustainability and other initiatives that are key to the company’s next stage of growth in the region.

At the invitation of the Japan Pavilion, Mitsubishi Electric has equipped the building with the company’s latest lifts, escalators, multi-split air-conditioning systems and monitors. The lifts have been installed with Plasma Quad circulation systems that create a sphere of electric discharge in the air, which can inactivate viruses, bacteria and pollen. Escalators connecting the first and second floors of the pavilion have been equipped with devices that use UV light to disinfect the handrails. In this way, Mitsubishi Electric is working to ensure the health and peace of mind of visitors.

The multi-split air-conditioning systems, meanwhile, are helping visitors to escape the severe desert heat. As the systems run on inverter motors, they are both energy-efficient and capable of maintaining a comfortable room temperature. Finally, four-screen and other monitors have been set up to display the charms of Japan’s Kansai region in order to promote Osaka, Kansai, Japan Expo 2025.

Shaping a Sustainable Future

To make the most of the Mitsubishi Electric experience inside the Japan Pavilion, visitors are encouraged to stop by a corporate day event, for which the company will be booking the pavilion, including the VIP lounge.

On this day, pavilion attendants wearing happi (traditional Japanese coats) featuring the Mitsubishi Electric logo will welcome visitors with specially prepared gifts. Meanwhile, the monitors will display origami-inspired video content produced exclusively for Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as promotional content such as a short movie based on the Mitsubishi Electric slogan, "Changes for the Better".

The event will offer a valuable opportunity for visitors to experience both Japanese hospitality and the latest Mitsubishi Electric technologies. It will also add another milestone to the company’s history in the Middle East. Many of the region’s electric power substations bear the Mitsubishi Electric name, attesting to the significant contributions that the company has made over the last four decades to supplying the region’s residents with stable energy.

The company has also installed lifts and escalators inside Kingdom Centre, one of the tallest buildings in Riyadh; the giant Diamond Vision screen that enhances the excitement and dynamism of the races at the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia; and the two spiral escalators gracing the entrance to the Prestige, the upscale fashion district located inside Kuwait’s largest luxury shopping centre, The Avenues. According to Mitsubishi Electric, the company was hand-selected for each of these projects due to its reputation for developing energy-efficient products packed with quality-of-life features and for providing reliable maintenance services.

This year marks the centennial of Mitsubishi Electric, and the company seeks to use the occasion to enter its next phase in the Middle East: meeting next-generation needs in the region by helping the people achieve a sustainable economy. With its many innovative technologies developed over the course of decades and its long history in the Middle East, the company has already created a solid foundation from which to pursue this new goal.

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(This article was originally published on 20 October 2021)

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