Thursday 20 September 2012

Siemens new London hub promotes greener cities

A new energy efficient hub to promote greener cities and urban sustainable living opened in London yesterday.

Named the Crystal by Siemens, the £30 million uniquely shaped glass building in the Royal Docks is powered by electricity from solar panels and heat pumps.

The German firm claims the facility consumes 50% less energy and emits 65% less carbon dioxide compared to other office buildings.

It has a rainwater harvesting system and an intelligent management system, which allows visitors to track how much electricity is being produced. An interactive exhibition also gives people the chance to see what cities could look like in the next four decades.

Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector said: “Cities worldwide are making investments to improve their water supplies, power grids, transportation systems and building infrastructures. Our addressable market alone has a volume of €300 billion (£240.4billion). In this growth market, the Crystal will help us intensify dialogue with our customers.”

Siemens expects the building to receive top scores on the BREEAM and LEED international assessments for energy-efficient buildings, which could make it one of the greenest facilities in the world.

The building will be open to the public at the end of the month.