The Circle

Siemens supplies over 30,000 products and solutions for Switzerland's largest building construction project.

The Circle at Zurich Airport not only unites companies from various industries but is also a meeting and congress center with international appeal – thanks in part to its sustainable construction, including expertise from Siemens.

Standing in front of the glass facade at the main entrance of The Circle and looking up, one feels as if standing before a gigantic ship. The enormous facade rises not vertically, but at an 18-degree angle towards the sky in front of the airport, matching the curvature of the terminal. Around you, there's a bustling atmosphere: buses, trams, cars, and pedestrians move in front of the complex. In normal times, 150,000 people visit the airport daily; only half of them actually fly. The others spend their time elsewhere – including at The Circle.

Ahead of its time: Sustainability as a standard

But the district sets new standards not only from the outside. Inside, it impresses with sustainability. Because in addition to excellent sound insulation, the glass cavity facade ensures high energy efficiency. By extracting the air that heats up between the glass panes, the temperature can be regulated and a comfortable indoor climate generated. The warm air from the building is channeled into the ground, warming it up. Rainwater is used for the toilets, and photovoltaic systems are installed on the roofs. Thanks to its compact construction, the complex also requires relatively little ground area in relation to its usable space. The building park is Minergie-certified and meets the LEED® PLATINUM standard of the US Green Building Council. This mammoth project is thus entirely focused on sustainability and aligns with Zurich Airport AG's goal of reducing CO2 emissions to near zero by 2050. Siemens Switzerland plays an important role with its products and solutions in the building and energy technology sectors, contributing to The Circle's sustainability.

Fully automated building and efficient energy technology

Siemens Switzerland was able to supply the field devices for building automation, products in the electrical and energy sectors, and voice alarm systems for The Circle, thus making an active contribution to the certified energy standard of the building complex with its holistic solutions. The over 30,000 Siemens products and systems installed ensure a healthy climate in every room; they are modular in design and optimized for energy efficiency. This provides maximum flexibility and security for building operators, as well as for the future of the buildings.

The complexity of the project required seamless cooperation. The coordination of numerous stakeholders and the tight schedule was therefore the biggest challenge. For the project to be accessible to the public from November 2020, all parties involved had to pull together – and it worked.