Siemens, the global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering operating in the energy, infrastructure, industry and healthcare sectors, has inaugurated its new Middle East headquarters at Masdar City – Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon, sustainable city – where Siemens is an anchor tenant.
The Siemens building has been designed with sustainable materials and energy efficient technologies, making it the first LEED Platinum certified office in the United Arab Emirates’ capital city. The building has become a benchmark for future projects in the Middle East and beyond, due to the sustainability standards and development methodology used in building it.
“The opening of the new Siemens regional headquarters at Masdar City is testament to our unwavering commitment to the UAE and the Middle East,” said Dietmar Siersdorfer, CEO of Siemens Middle East and UAE. “After more than 150 years in the region, we are proud to achieve another important milestone in the company’s history. With our new headquarters, we strive to serve our customers even better and enrich our contribution to the development of the region’s youth and societies to meet the needs of the future.”
One of the world’s most sustainable cities, Masdar City is on a mission to discover a “greenprint” for how cities can accommodate for denser populations, while reducing waste as well as energy and water consumption.
“Siemens’ presence as an anchor tenant marks a significant step forward in Masdar City’s growth as a leading global model of sustainable design and modern urban planning,” said H.E Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE minister of state and CEO of Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company. “This LEED Platinum certified building demonstrates that resource efficiency can be cost competitive in our market and represents the standard of buildings that need to be more widely adopted across the UAE and the region.”
Designed by acclaimed architects Sheppard Robson International, the Siemens headquarters is one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the region. Its design, sustainable building materials and energy-saving technologies reduce energy consumption by almost 50 percent, compared to conventional buildings of the same size. Raised in the air, the building provides a generous, naturally shaded public space for parts of Masdar City.
Based on the concept of a ‘box within a box,’ the structure has a highly insulated, airtight inner facade designed to reduce thermal conductivity, and a lightweight aluminum external shading system, which minimizes solar gain while maximizing daylight and views from the building. Integrated Building Technologies from Siemens ensure that energy supply is correspondent to demand, facilitating efficient use of resources.
Siemens installed a number of fully integrated Building Technologies, including an Advanced Building Management System to enable increased energy efficiency and optimal savings to operational costs. The building, located in the heart of Masdar City with 18,000 square meters of office space, has also been fitted with the latest Siemens Security Systems as well as Fire Alarm and Gas Suppression and Lighting Control and Management technologies.
Siemens has leased an area of 12,000 square meters. To date, the building has won 16 prestigious awards, including the MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Awards 2012 in the Offices Category and the International Property Award Winners – Arabia 2012 for Best Office Architecture.
The opening ceremony was attended by board members from Siemens AG, including Michael Suess and Roland Busch, underlining their commitment to the UAE and the region. Dr. Al Jaber, shareholders of Siemens in the UAE and key customers were also present. Employees have started moving into the new building, which will accommodate close to 800 staff and meet the company’s future growth needs. In addition to the new Abu Dhabi premises, Siemens has major operations in Dubai at The Galleries in Downtown Jebel Ali with approximately 800 office staff.
The new headquarter building is a reflection of the long-standing relationship between Siemens and the UAE government. The company’s strategic partnership with Masdar extends far beyond the opening of a new office and is in line with Abu Dhabi’s National Vision 2030, a long-term roadmap to achieve economic progress for the emirate.
The two companies are focused on driving regional and global projects in areas of energy efficiency and sustainability, while investing in training and educational initiatives in favor of advancing human and economic development.
