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| Siemens showcases urban solutions at Hannover Messe Siemens is showcasing its urban solutions expertise for visitors to the Hannover Messe. With the help of selected lighthouse projects, the company is demonstrating, among other things, how smart grids can interact with intelligent building systems and how urban traffic flows can be optimized. Siemens' activities in the areas of smart grids, power distribution and mobility solutions are all part of its newly established Infrastructure & Cities Sector. In cities, the infrastructure market addressable by Siemens totals about €300 billion a year. The segment of this market that lies within governments' sphere of influence is growing particularly fast. By 2015, this segment will have a market volume of €100 billion – an annual growth rate of five percent. Siemens wants to be a leading participant in the dynamic growth now taking place in cities and infrastructure investment. For this reason, the company has set up a fourth Sector, Infrastructure & Cities, in addition to its Industry, Energy and Healthcare Sectors. In the new Sector, which comprises selected businesses from the Industry and Energy Sectors, Siemens has bundled its expertise in promising infrastructure fields like smart grids and future-oriented transportation and power supply concepts. Siemens solutions are already helping make cities more livable. The company is showcasing part of its multifaceted solutions portfolio for visitors to the Hannover Messe. In 1995, Berlin introduced an energy-saving strategy to reduce CO2 emissions. The German capital also faced a financial challenge: the total energy costs of some 200 public buildings were over €17 million a year. To sustainably reduce CO2 emissions and cut costs, Berlin entered into an energy-saving partnership with Siemens. With a so-called energy-saving performance contract, Siemens calculated and realized the potential savings in energy and operating costs at each building. Under the terms of the contract, the costs of required investments are offset by contractually guaranteed savings. At the end of the contract period, all benefits from the reduction in operating costs accrue to the customer. As a result of its partnership with Siemens, Berlin is now saving over €5 million in energy costs and reducing its CO2 emissions by some 30,000 tons a year. Siemens has implemented over 6,500 energy-saving building projects worldwide, with guaranteed savings totaling nearly €2 billion and annual CO2 reductions of substantially more than 9 million tons. The city of London has set ambition goals for cutting its greenhouse gas emissions. Using currently available technologies, the UK's capital can already reach these goals without a significant alteration in residents' lifestyles. Applying these technologies will reduce emissions of climate-harming gases by 44 percent by 2025, compared to 1990. Additional technological innovations will bring the 60 percent reduction targeted for 2025 within reach. An integrated mobility concept is a key lever for achieving this goal. For example, Siemens technology has enabled London to implement a congestion charge for local traffic. An intelligent video system from Siemens registers the license numbers of vehicles entering the city center and determines if the appropriate toll has been paid. City streets now carry 60,000 fewer cars per day, a 20 percent reduction in traffic volume. Traffic flow has improved 35 percent, cutting CO2 emissions by 150,000 tons a year. The city's charge system is part of an integrated traffic solution developed by Siemens. The solution intelligently networks streets and rails to optimally utilize the existing transportation infrastructure. A new regional train fleet comprising some 1,200 Desiro trains from Siemens is improving commuter travel. Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect now provide travelers with a quick, direct link between the city and the airport. A satellite positioning system is optimizing information for bus passengers in the city and the routes of some 8,000 London buses. In addition, the city's bus fleet now boasts the first vehicles powered by Siemens' hybrid technology. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Construction News :: home page |