Sustainable city

New traffic concepts, energy-efficient buildings and intelligent power supply grids steer rapid urbanization in a sustainable direction.

The challenges facing sustainable urban development are enormous. More than half of the world’s population already lives in cities, and that trend is continuing. Around the world, two thirds of the energy consumed, 60 percent of the water consumption, and 70 percent of greenhouse gases can be attributed to cities. Urbanization, climate change and demographic change are forcing cities to make their infrastructures more efficient. With innovative technologies, cities can become more environmentally friendly, increase the quality of life for their residents, and cut costs – all at the same time.

With its environmental portfolio, Siemens is an international leader in sustainable city development. Our longstanding expertise and studies conducted regularly with renowned partners have resulted in innovative infrastructure concepts with sustainable solutions for buildings, energy and water supply, traffic, safety, and healthcare. This subject is of such enormous significance that Siemens founded the new Infrastructure & Cities Sector.

Various Siemens initiatives, including the international Sustainable Cities Roadshow and the European Train of Ideas, promote ideas for the sustainable city of the future. Scheduled to open in London in the summer of 2012, Siemens’ Urban Sustainability Centre will be a showcase for anyone interested in green technologies and sustainable urban development – from mayors and city planners to interested members of the public. In addition, the Green City Index will show just how sustainable our cities are today.

What makes a city sustainable?

Adobe Flash is needed, to display this content. What makes a city sustainable?

Mobility: Efficiency through networking

Traffic and transportation cause 20 percent of the energy-related greenhouse gas emissions worldwide – and our society's mobility needs continue to grow. Cities in particular face enormous challenges. They need integrated, efficient and affordable traffic solutions in order to ensure lasting mobility, attractiveness and competitiveness.

Greenhouse gas emissions – percentage caused by traffic

Traffic control and traffic management

An optimal traffic flow can be achieved by integrating both private traffic and public transportation into one holistic traffic concept. Using a cross-system intermodal traffic control system , urban traffic planners can intelligently network different streams of traffic in an effective and environmentally friendly manner.

Intelligent traffic management systems from Siemens help keep traffic flowing around the world.

In traffic control centers, Sitraffic Concert collects, evaluates, and prepares all relevant traffic data from street traffic and parking as well as public transportation. The German city of Halle, for example, provides drivers with up-to-date traffic information, including available parking spaces and the departure times for the next streetcar. Ever since this traffic concept was introduced, more than 50 percent of drivers have switched over to using the streetcar.

Environmentally friendly: local public transportation

Providing environmentally friendly local public transportation requires products and solutions for buses, trains, and metro systems. For example, hybrid buses equipped with ELFA drive systems from Siemens harness a large amount of their braking energy and consume 30 percent less fuel. And the Inspiro metro platform and the comfortable Avenio low-floor tram also offer maximum efficiency and environmental friendliness. State-of-the-art metro cars in Oslo consume 30 percent less energy than their predecessors because they use regenerative braking to feed power back into the grid and have an exceptionally lightweight construction. In addition, they are built from materials that are up to 95 percent recyclable.

Avenio: 30 percent energy savings thanks to regenerative braking.

Efficient: regional and long-distance transportation

Every day, millions of people commute between cities and suburbs in Desiro regional trains. For inter-city connections, trains such as the Velaro are an environmentally friendly alternative to cars and airplanes. This fourth generation high-speed train consumes a mere 0.33 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers per passenger.

Airport logistics

Rapidly growing air traffic also plays a significant role in metropolitan areas. Siemens offers a complete and diverse portfolio of green products, solutions and services for airport-related processes, all from a single source. The large airport in Bangalore, India, is proof of just how successful this portfolio is.

In addition to efficient passenger processing, airport operators particularly value smooth and efficient baggage handling. Sibag Cross represents a completely new baggage handling concept. Individual baggage trays are equipped with cross belts, resulting in extremely fast and energy-efficient baggage sorting.

Vision for electromobility

In the future, electromobility will play an increasingly important role in sustainable traffic concepts for a sustainable city. Electric vehicles offer mobility that protects resources while being environmentally friendly, especially when it comes to private transportation. Electric vehicles can also be integrated into smart grids: with electronic energy assistants calculating both the battery charge required for each vehicle and their optimal charge cycles, any battery power that is not immediately needed is easily fed back into the power grid.
Energy: Safeguarding energy for the future

Supplying sustainable energy in cities is becoming increasingly crucial. Energy security, affordability and environmental impact need to be carefully balanced.

Due to climate change and limited fossil fuels supplies, renewable energy sources are gaining in importance. Estimates suggest that in the year 2020, more than 50 percent of worldwide investments in the power plant market will be in the expansion of regenerative energy sources. Water, wind and the sun are by far the most important renewable energy sources. Siemens offers green solutions such as photovoltaics, solar thermal power plants, and different types of wind turbines.

Environmentally friendly: The share of offshore wind turbines in the energy supply is growing.

Sustainability in the energy conversion chain begins with the generation of power. Combined heat and power plants (CHP) are among the most efficient methods of converting fuel into power and heat. With efficiency rates of up to 95 percent, these systems are both cost effective and environmentally friendly. Combined cycle power plants offer another highly efficient way to generate energy. They currently achieve efficiency levels of more than 60 percent. The Irsching combined cycle power plant located near the German city of Ingolstadt features the most innovative gas turbine in the world, cutting emissions by 40,000 tons of CO₂ per year. This equals the CO₂ emissions of 10,000 cars driven 20,000 kilometers per year.

Smart grids for a sustainable city

The percentage of renewable energy sources in power generation continues to rise. Smart grids are necessary to integrate the often fluctuating amount of “green” power into the grid in a smart and energy-efficient way. Smart grids enable low-loss transmission and cut CO₂ emissions because less power needs to be generated. They provide for better power quality on the different voltage levels as well as higher energy system stability and security. Ultimately, smart grids allow energy to flow in both directions. This means that it is possible to integrate prosumers – such as electric vehicles or buildings that not only consume power but can also feed surplus power back into the grid.

Smart meters are crucial components of smart grids. These electronic meters make it easier to coordinate power generation and consumption. Grid operators could reward customers by offering lower rates to those who conserve energy for example by shifting their operations from peak times to off-peak times.

High voltage direct current (HVDC)

High voltage direct current (HVDC) is the most efficient and environmentally friendly way to transmit power across large distances. HVDC is the only option for connecting separate electric power networks because the HVDC acts as a firewall and can effectively prevent blackouts from becoming more widespread. These Siemens systems offer high reliability and overload capability together with low converter losses and transmission capacities of up to 7,500 MW.

Onshore power supply for ships

Power grids are also important when it comes to providing onshore power supply for ships. When ships are at berth in harbors, the ships’ diesel engines release large amounts of sulfur and fine particulates. Onshore power supply is far more environmentally friendly than using the ships’ engines. The Siemens SIHARBOR shoreside power supply system provides a universal and modular concept.

SIHARBOR: Plug-in power for ships reduces emissions.
Water: Water treatment and wastewater management

Clean water is crucial when it comes to public health and quality of life. Public utility companies are responsible for providing reliable and safe water supplies as well as energy-efficient wastewater treatment and sludge treatment.

Water management poses significant challenges to large cities and densely populated urban areas. Cities are faced with growing energy costs and increasingly strict environmental standards. A sufficient supply of good quality water can only be achieved by using expensive drinking water purification with state-of-the-art membrane technology or by treating and reusing wastewater. Desalination of seawater or brackish water plays a decisive role as well. In areas where evaporation exceeds precipitation, basic water shortages pose a significant problem to the economic and social development.

Siemens offers the largest selection of electrical and mechanical water and wastewater solutions in the industry. SIMATIC process controllers and SIWA PLAN water management solutions create a seamless and integrated information environment for complete systems. Innovative visualization and analysis tools make operating easier and identify potential problems before they become an issue.

Siemens offers the largest selection of water and wastewater solutions in the industry.

Siemens water technology offers a comprehensive portfolio of technologies and equipment for drinking water treatment, including sedimentation, filtration with membranes or conventional filter bottoms and disinfection through electrochlorination or using UV. Membrane bioreactors, disc filters, chemical washers and bio-filters are some of the options used to treat wastewater. Energy-efficient systems can treat sludge using dryers and incinerators.

Most advanced water treatment methods

Filtration technologies such as MEMCOR^® submerged membrane bioreactor systems are the world’s most advanced technology for membrane filtration and biological water treatment; they ensure reliable results. In Southern California, this technology covers the long-term water needs of a growing population, using wastewater treatment in West Basin and a system to refresh the groundwater in Orange County.

Water for sustainable city Singapore

Singapore, Asia’s greenest city, has also turned to Siemens technology to handle its water supply needs. NEWater helps to treat wastewater and make it pure enough to drink.

Innovative and sustainable Siemens solutions help cities generate both drinking water and service water and also provide an energy-efficient treatment of wastewater and sludge. We utilize our own technologies and use equipment and control components that we manufacture ourselves, ensuring the highest level of system expertise in the area of water technology.
Buildings: How gray buildings can become green
Buildings are responsible for 40 percent of the energy consumption worldwide and approximately 21 percent of all generated CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. They therefore represent enormous potential energy savings and are the key to sustainable city development. The use of intelligent building technology can drastically reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions without affecting the comfort.

Optimal energy use

Assessing a building’s cost-effectiveness means taking into consideration both the costs associated with its construction and especially the costs that will be incurred during its entire lifecycle. The savings potential can be fully exploited through transparency in consumption and operation with the help of intelligent building technology, as well as ongoing upgrades, improvements and optimizations, which has the added benefit of easing the pressure on public sector spending.

Sustainable and safe solutions for intelligent buildings

Green buildings need infrastructures that are intelligently networked and offer innovative systems and solutions. The Siemens Total Building Solutions (TBS) system integrates all systems into the building’s technical infrastructure: electrical installation technology, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, access control systems, lighting, video surveillance, alarm systems, fire detection and extinguishing, and evacuation. The better the systems and components are coordinated and the better they work together, the more comfortable, safe, flexible, and efficient the building will be. The operation of a building becomes easier, more reliable and more environmentally friendly – all while reducing costs.

The China Pavilion, built for the Expo Shanghai 2010, is a perfect example of a green building. Compared to conventional buildings, it saves up to 25 percent of energy and 50 percent of operating costs. This is possible thanks to state-of-the-art building technology from Siemens.

Future-proof power supply

Electrical power distribution in buildings requires universal solutions – free of coordination problems, additional costs, and time delays. Totally Integrated Power from Siemens guides energy distribution projects from the planning stage on until they are put into use. This has clear advantages in every project phase and for everyone involved – from electrical planning engineers and installers to users and operators. Implementation is fast and efficient and operation is cost-effective.

Efficient lighting for the stadium in Durban

Cost-effective lighting systems

Lighting alone accounts for almost 50 percent of a building’s energy consumption. Innovative lighting systems from OSRAM are fully compatible, save energy and money, and actively contribute toward protecting the environment. For the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, OSRAM equipped all ten soccer stadiums with energy-efficient lighting solutions. One shining example is the stadium in Durban: The illuminated „Arch“ consists of over 12,000 energy-efficient Golden DRAGON Plus LEDs.
Public safety: Protection of people and assets

A safe environment is a fundamental requirement for a sense of wellbeing in a city. Yet national governments and international organizations are faced with completely new public safety challenges due to the mobility of the population and growing international goods traffic. In addition to combating terrorism and organized crime and preparing for natural disasters, city administrations also need to protect buildings and large-scale events. This calls for solutions that noticeably enhance public safety without inconveniencing citizens. Video surveillance, biometrics and emergency management already provide the foundation for a safe and secure environment for citizens in many cities.

With its intelligent Siveillance™ security solutions, Siemens brings its entire safety portfolio for buildings and companies together under one roof. Siveillance stands for integrated safety and security from a single source.

IT and physical security go hand in hand

Information technologies and increasing connectivity are driving factors behind progress and growth. More intense competition, changing political conditions and stronger international relations not only affect companies, but to a growing degree public organizations as well. The interaction between employees, information technologies and access rights is increasingly focusing on the protection of business processes, organization-specific knowledge, and sensitive data. Siveillance Netwatch is the integrated solution that combines modern technologies for physical and IT security. It uses open, cross-company standards, which help improve ease of integration across different security disciplines. Users benefit from the higher flexibility of an open solution and a considerably greater selection of products from different manufacturers that are nevertheless compatible with one another.

The Siveillance Command operational control system is another example of an integrated and interoperable security system. Should a security-related event of any type occur, Siveillance Command passes on the necessary information to the fire department, police, ambulance, and rescue services, therefore enabling efficient operations control. The platform can be connected to telephone, radio, video surveillance and access control systems, making it possible to integrate several control centers simultaneously.

Protect lives and irreplaceable property from fire

The smooth interaction of fire detection and fire extinguishing is one of the most important factors in efficient building fire protection. The timely, reliable detection of a fire and the triggering of intelligent, coordinated actions such as evacuation and extinguishing are key elements of an effective fire safety concept. Fire alarm, evacuation, and extinguishing systems must be compatible with one another in order to prevent incorrect reactions in an emergency. That’s why Siemens offers comprehensive fire protection solutions from a single source – covering everything from planning and installation to maintenance throughout the life of the building – for detection, evacuation, and extinguishing.
Healthcare: A healthy future in a sustainable city

The world’s population is not only growing, it is also getting older, which means that healthcare has to meet new requirements as well. Workflows need to be designed more efficiently and the cost-effectiveness of hospitals needs to be optimized. Along with these requirements, hospitals face the challenge of providing even better care for their patients. All of this needs to be done sustainably.

Green+ Hospitals: efficient and environmentally friendly

With its Green+ Hospitals program, Siemens provides hospitals with the support they need to create sustainable healthcare infrastructures. The Ethianum in Heidelberg is the first Green+ Hospital in Germany. Using an innovative solution concept from Siemens, it combines state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures and treatment methods with sustainable energy supplies.

Discussing an X-ray at Ethianum Heidelberg, Germany’s first Green+ Hospital.

Protecting the environment by reducing energy consumption

Approximately 40 percent of a hospital’s energy consumption can be attributed directly to the building – this includes heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, and other technical systems and devices. Building automation or energy-saving devices such as MAGNETOM Essenza combined with optimized energy consumption are solutions that reduce costs and consumption. Using these types of technologies, German hospitals could save around €600 million in annual energy costs and prevent 6 million tons of carbon dioxide(CO₂) from being released into the atmosphere.

Quality enhances treatment results

Treatment quality and atmosphere are what matters most to patients in terms of sustainability. Short examination times, safe diagnoses requiring low doses of radiation and a feeling of comfort in hospital beds are what make the difference. This is why Siemens puts an emphasis on patient comfort and gentle treatment. The SOMATOM Definition Flash CT scanner, for example, offers high resolution and high-quality images with the lowest possible dose of radiation. Special technologies were developed to achieve this – individually customized to suit patient, exam and clinical issue.
Financing: Connecting cost-effectiveness and sustainability

Cities and communities around the world are increasingly facing the same challenge: they need to offer modern and efficient services to their citizens while at the same time dealing with less financial latitude.

Siemens Financial Services (SFS) offers financing solutions that include private investor options and offer more freedom to public-sector customers. For example Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, with its 40 percent equity investment as part of India’s first public-private partnership (PPP), facilitated the rapid new construction of Bangalore International Airport.

SFS was also able to act as a financing partner and offer support to the Harbin Shili Group located in the Harbin Development Zone. This allowed one of the leading suppliers for the Chinese automotive and aviation sector to successfully boost its own competitiveness, grow faster, and meet its own development targets. Siemens also provided the Florida Institute of Technology, a private technical university, with a modernization solution. This included equipping the building with more energy-efficient lighting and climate technology as well as financing the $10 million project within the framework of energy performance contracting. The money saved thanks to these energy-saving measures actually exceeds the annual financing costs, meaning the investment will pay for itself within the ten year term of the contract.

Customized lease financing also helps to adjust expenses to specific budgets; this optimizes the administrative overhead while also reducing the pressure on the capital budget. It is always possible for customers to request exchanges, additions and upgrades during the contract period.

Green Financing and energy performance contracting help communities achieve sustainable city development.

Green Financing and energy performance contracting (ECP)

Siemens offers innovative solutions for increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy costs. Energy performance contracting (EPC) is one Green Financing option. With EPC, the costs associated with a modernization project are financed with energy savings derived from the modernization. As the technical solution provider, Siemens guarantees these savings. For customers, this means that the return on their investment is safeguarded in a contractual agreement. Siemens supports Chaoyang, largest district in China’s capital city of Beijing, in its effort to reduce the energy consumption and emissions of government buildings. The guaranteed energy savings exceed the leasing costs.

Thanks to a Siemens energy management system, the German capital city of Berlin has also succeeded in significantly reducing the energy costs of 164 public buildings, resulting in annual savings of €5.3 million and reducing CO₂ emissions by 25 percent. The modernization of the Bremerhaven Reinkenheide hospital will also save €520,000 every year for at least twelve years.

With Financial Services, Siemens not only offers support to public agencies but to private companies and institutions with a focus on the three Sectors of Energy, Industry and Healthcare. SFS finances infrastructure, equipment as well as operating resources – to help make sustainable urban development affordable.