Retail Kiosk Automation — Dubai Mall
Scheduled lighting and signage control for a luxury watch brand kiosk, reducing after-hours energy waste.
The essentials
- Automated on/off aligned with mall operating hours
- After-hours mode reduces lighting by 80%
- Digital signage brightness scheduled to extend panel life
- Deployed in 1 week with no mall downtime
Project overview
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
Client | Luxury Watch Retailer (anonymised) |
Area | Dubai Mall |
Property type | Retail kiosk (12 m²) |
Timeline | 1 week |
Customer objectives
Objective 1
Eliminate manual switching by staff
Objective 2
Reduce after-hours energy consumption
Objective 3
Schedule signage brightness to prevent burn-in
Existing conditions
Existing conditions
- Manual switch panel, often left on overnight
- Always-on digital signage at full brightness
Key challenges
Key challenges
- Mall FM approval required for any electrical work
- Kiosk footprint limited equipment placement
Engineering analysis
Engineering specified a compact smart relay module behind the switch panel, connected via Wi-Fi to a cloud scheduler. Digital signage received an HDMI CEC adapter for brightness control.
Solution architecture
Wi-Fi smart relay controls lighting circuits; HDMI CEC adapter dims signage; cloud scheduler triggers scenes based on mall hours.
Technologies used
Technologies used
Core platforms and technologies.- Shelly relay· Wi-Fi smart relay
- HDMI CEC adapter· Signage control
Protocols used
Communication protocols actually deployed.- Wi-Fi
- HDMI CEC
Products & equipment
Before & after
| Feature | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
State | Manual switches, signage always on. | Auto-scheduled lighting, signage dims after hours. |
Project timeline
How it works
Day 1–2
FM approval, equipment procurement.
Day 3–5
Install relay, configure scheduler.
Day 6–7
Signage CEC setup, QA, handover.
Project statistics
ROI summary
Sustainability metrics
Sustainability metrics
- After-hours lighting off saves ~5 kWh/day
- Signage dimming extends panel life by 20%
Key engineering decisions
Wi-Fi relay over Zigbee
Single-device deployment; Zigbee mesh unnecessary. — Trade-off: Reliance on mall Wi-Fi uptime.
Risk register
| Feature | Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mall Wi-Fi outage | Mall Wi-Fi outage | Low | Medium | Relay falls back to last schedule stored locally. |
Lessons learned
Lessons learned
- FM approval can take longer than install; start early
- HDMI CEC compatibility varies by signage brand
Customer outcomes
Outcome 1
Staff no longer need to remember to switch lights
Outcome 2
Energy bill reduced noticeably
Outcome 3
Signage panel replaced less often
Future expansion opportunities
Future expansion opportunities
- Add occupancy sensor to trigger accent lighting when shoppers approach
Project Intelligence Score (internal)
Internal analytics only.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Does the system work during a Wi-Fi outage?
Yes — the relay holds the last schedule locally.
Smart Citizens Engineering. "Retail Kiosk Automation — Dubai Mall." Smart Citizens, 2026-07-08. https://ai.smartcitizens.ae/case-studies/story/mall-retail-kiosk-automation.
Smart Citizens Engineering (2026). Retail Kiosk Automation — Dubai Mall. Smart Citizens. Retrieved 2026-07-24, from https://ai.smartcitizens.ae/case-studies/story/mall-retail-kiosk-automation
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