SIEMENS

The area near the Royal Victoria light railway station has seen better days. In the 19th century, this part of East London was one of the city’s leading trade centers because of the shipping industry. Goods such as wood, rubber, wool, and sugar were unloaded here. But after the docks were closed, the area experienced a period of prolonged decline.

Recently, however, this former industrial wasteland has been experiencing a revival. One of the world’s most prominent financial centers has sprung up on the opposite bank of the Thames, at Canary Wharf. Not far from there is the OH2 entertainment center, better known as the Millennium Dome. And soon the 2012 Olympics will bring numerous brandnew buildings, thus further improving the neighborhood.

What’s more, the Royal Victoria station will soon acquire a striking new neighbor that will represent the area’s urban and economic renewal — a conference, exhibition, and office building on the waterfront, which will be built by Siemens and is scheduled for completion in spring 2012. The building’s office areas are expected to use only a third of the energy that would be used in a conventional building.

This very high level of energy efficiency will be the result of cutting-edge architecture and intelligent technology. Ground source heat pumps will cool or heat the building throughout the year. Intelligent building management technology and energy-efficient devices such as LED lamps will do their part to save enormous amounts of electricity. The facade will provide high levels of natural daylight while being thermally efficient to keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer. Photovoltaic panels covering the roof will help power the building; rainwater harvesting will provide water for bathrooms and landscape irrigation surrounding the site.

Thus the center will not only inform visitors about the numerous possibilities of sustainable urban development, but will also be a living demonstration of the same. Quite aptly, the new center will also be part of London’s new Green Enterprise District, an area designed to attract low-carbon businesses in particular. Such companies provide products and services that generate low CO2 emissions or help to reduce emissions. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, explains, “We envisage the District as a vibrant international hub incubating dozens of low-carbon businesses to transform what have historically been some of the poorest parts of the capital.” The area certainly represents an ironic twist of history. This neighborhood, which has experienced both the highs and the lows of the coal-driven industrial revolution, will now host the urban spaces of the future. The area will offer a home to companies that earn money by conserving energy rather than wasting it.