UAE Minister of State Reem Al Hashimy and also the Managing Director of the UAE's Higher Committee for Hosting World Expo 2020 in Dubai, during the interview with CNN Emerging Markets Editor John Defterios at the 2013 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa (PMMAF), pursuing the global vision of becoming the number 1 green innovation company in the world by 2018, is participating in the first ever HVAC Confex 2013 taking place on Feb.11-13 at the Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh – the first ever conference and exhibition for sustainable cooling and heating solutions, illustrating the determination of stakeholders in the electricity sector to apply technologies that boost energy efficiency in Saudi Arabia. In 2012, Panasonic was ranked 6th in InterBrands Best Global Green Brands, which was 4 spots up from last year (2012) and the Highest ranking for any Consumer Electronics Company. The Kingdom is currently experiencing a manifold rise in the demand for electricity, which is anticipated to be growing at an alarming rate of 8 percent annually, coupled with 70 percent of residential power consumption being used for air conditioning, ventilation and power heating. Also, with more than 1.5 million new homes needed to keep pace with population growth, domestic energy demand in Saudi Arabia is anticipated to double by 2030. Norihiro Ohara, General Manager, Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa, Saudi Arabia Office, said “with the region facing an ongoing and steep demand for domestic energy, it is imperative that the region embarks on newer and improved ways of sustaining energy and reaching its goals of conserving it for a longer term. We believe that events like the HVAC Confex will help towards promoting significant energy saving ways whilst protecting the natural resources of the country.” Panasonic's solution to this sustainable and energy efficient solution is a combination of products that will be showcased and announced at the HVAC Confex. According to Euromonitor International, the Kingdom's consumer appliances industry is expected to be experiencing an increase in the demand of home appliances over the next few years, supported by a rise in residential construction. – SG
