Pictures of the Future        Fall 2008

Sustainable Buildings

Trends: Simple Steps that Save a Bundle
Buildings account for  about 40 % of energy consumption worldwide, and approximately 21 % of all greenhouse gas emissions. However, the implementation of a number of simple measures can make it relatively easy to save at least a quarter of energy in most buildings
^Trends

Energy Efficiency: Nature is their Model
State-of-the-art technology is making it possible to reduce energy consumption in buildings by up to 30 %. Four buildings—in New York, Malmö, Madrid, and Sydney—demonstrate what can be achieved for people and the environment when sensors, special materials, energy supply systems, and information technology interact in an optimal manner
^{to energy efficiency}

Siemens Real Estate: Going for Greener Pastures
Siemens real estate wants to slash energy and water use in thousands of company buildings. Potential savings are illustrated by an office complex to be built in Vienna, where 65 % of the energy used for heating and cooling will be recovered
^{Siemens buildings}

London: Shrinking our Footprints
Cities play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. They already account for over half the world’s population, and six out of every ten people on earth will be living in cities by 2025. Cities and their residents are also responsible for approximately 80 % of the greenhouse gases emitted worldwide, a disproportionately large amount. Big cities are very aware of this problem, as a study entitled "Megacity Challenges" showed. But when big cities must choose between environmental protection and economic growth, the environment often loses out
^London

Intelligent Sensors: When Buildings Come to Life
Sensors are set to give buildings a spectrum of information—and scientists at Siemens are working on combining many of their functions on a single chip
^{intelligent sensors}

­Smart Meters: Stabilizing the Grid
Smart electric meters not only provide the feedback that helps customers cut their energy use—they also give utilities a real-time overview of power demand. Siemens’ Automated Metering and Information System (AMIS) paves the way for the stable power grid of the future
^{to the meters}

Networked Technology: Smart Home, Smart City
Centralized management of building systems such as lighting and climate control results in more efficient operation and reduced energy use. Proof is offered by numerous buildings running on Siemens automation systems. Even greater savings would be realized through the implementation of intelligent sensor networks that would connect the dots from smart homes to smart cities
^{smart home, smart city}

Interview: The Tools for Realizing Vast Energy Savings are at Hand
Paolo Bertoldi, director of the GreenBuilding Initiative of the European Commission, on tasks and aims of this inititaive
^{to the interview}

Facts and Forecasts: Groundswell of Support for More Efficient Buildings
Almost 40 % of the world’s energy is used by  buildings. According to the German Energy Agency, potential savings of 30 % are possible for heat and 15 % for electric power
^{Facts and Forecasts}

Building Planning: Living for Tomorrow
Siemens’ High Performance Building Project is harnessing the intellectual power of top researchers and universities to develop new visions of tomorrow’s buildings
^{intelligent building}

Airflow Simulation: Seeing the Invisible
One of the principal causes of hospital-based infections is the presence of airborne germs during operations. Simulation tools now under development for the visualization of operating room airflows will help designers optimize the placement of vents so that surgical wounds are ideally ventilated. More advanced simulation systems will take body heat and lighting into account
^{to airflow simulation}

Research Collaboration: Learning in Alaska
Alaska’s extreme weather is a challenge for buildings as well as for people. This makes it an ideal location for developing and testing energy-efficient, robust technologies for the houses of tomorrow. And that’s exactly what the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks is doing in cooperation with Siemens
^Alaska

Masdar City: Oil-Free Future?
The world’s first CO₂-neutral city is taking shape in Abu Dhabi. Masdar City is to consume so little energy that local resources will satisfy requirements—without generating net emissions. If the project is successful, urban planners will have a blueprint that could help them prepare for an oil-free future
^{Masdar City}

Combined Heat & Power Systems: How to Own a Power Plant
Innovative heating systems not only provide warmth but also satisfy two thirds of the electricity demand of an average four-person household
^{combined heat & power systems}

In Brief
Developments, contacts, links, literature
^{to the review}