The Crystal
The Crystal is a Sustainable Cities Initiative by Siemens exploring how we
can create a better future for our cities
Why the Crystal?
• More than half the world's population lives in urban areas
• Expected to be 70 percent by 2050
• Cities drive growth and generate approximately 80% of
global GDP
• Cities account for:
– 2/3 of global energy demand
– 70 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions
• Cities need to strike a balance between three fundamental
goals:
– Quality of life
– Economic competitiveness
– Environmental protection
Hub for dialog and learning
Center where experts, business leaders, decisionmakers, students and citizens around the world
come together
Place to find solutions to challenges facing cities:
•Urbanization
•Demographic shifts
•Climate change
At a Glance
• Audience is urban decision makers, infrastructure experts
and general public
• Combined office, exhibition and conference facilities
• Office 100 desks, 2000m2 exhibition space, 270 seat Auditorium
• Seat of Global Center of Competence Cities
• Conference Program for dialogue on sustainable urbanization
Flagship Project of the Regeneration of East London
• Between Olympic Park and ExCel in London
• Close to London City Airport
• Good connections to the London public transport system
• Emirates Cable Car is directly next to the Crystal
Architectural Vision
One of the most sustainable buildings in the world
Outstanding
Meet the highest local
standards for a sustainable
building
Platinum
Meet the highest global
standard for a sustainable
building
The Building
A Sustainable Building
3
2
7
5
8
6
4
1
The Exhibition
The Exhibition Highlights Future Trends, Challenges and Solutions
Planned to attract:
City decision makers (mayors, politicians, architects, planners)
Infrastructure Experts
Experts (NGO’s, academics)
Families, local community, schools and tourists
Organized to inspire:
Ten zones that attract, inspire, inform and encourage visitors to
problem solve and participate
Designed for learning:
Drive conversation around urban sustainability issues including the
megatrends, challenges and solutions
Forces of Change
Shows how demographic change,
urbanization and climate change
impact all parts of people’s lives from politics and the economy, to
quality of life and the
environment.
Creating Cities
Showcases the multi-faceted
decision-making, holistic
urban planning and
monitoring needed when
shaping and running our
cities
Smart Buildings
Highlights the high-levels of inefficiencies in most
buildings. Offers solutions such as smart
buildings, reducing resources, and making
buildings more efficient.
Safe & Sound
Presents the diverse risks in a city and ways these
risks can be detected, prevented and responded to in
order to make the city more resilient. Focuses on
safety and security, including incidents such as
crime, access control and fire.
Keep Moving
Explores the increased need for
transport infrastructure as people
move to cities. Discusses the
significance of road and rail
electrification and green transport
choices, integrated traffic solutions
and
e-mobility.
Water is Life
Focuses on the importance of water as a precious and
finite resource. Explores solutions that provide access
to drinkable water including rainwater harvesting,
waste water recycling, desalination, stopping leaks,
reducing water use and improved water management
Go Electric
Highlights the difficulty of matching energy supply
and demand and providing clean energy. Explores
the move to a new electricity age. Solutions include
decentralised and centralised energy generation,
smart grids, energy storage and uptake of renewables.
Healthy Life
Displays the strain a growing and aging population is
putting on healthcare systems. Solutions include
keeping healthy, personalising medicine, preventing
diseases, reducing costs through efficient processes and
infrastructure.
Clean and Green
Exhibits the pressure that increased waste,
pollution and reduced air quality places on our
environment. Features ways to improve air quality,
waste management and CO2 emissions.
Future Life
Presents a realistic, positive and possible future in a sustainable city by mid-century, based on London, New
York and Copenhagen.
A Unique Setting for Meetings and Events
• State-of-the-art 270-seat auditorium and 6 meeting rooms
• On site catering and café
• Full conference and seminar program in development
Conferences and Events
The Crystal will promote dialog and collaboration as key
components of urban innovation and creation of sustainable cities.
Using its dynamic environment, the Crystal will host a range of
international conferences, to stimulate global thought leadership on
trends like urbanization, demographic and climate change
Recent Events
Urban Planning for City Leaders
Jointly organized by UNHABITAT and Siemens
DLD Cities
Jointly organized by Digital Life Design and Siemens
International Federation of Housing and Planning
Hosted at the Crystal
The Center of Competence Cities
Centre of Competence Cities
• The Crystal is the home to Siemens Global ‘Center of Competence Cities
• Cross discipline teams will work together to discuss how to make the world’s cities
more sustainable
• The COC Team goals:
• Focus on building strategic partnerships
• Conduct urban research
• Foster cross division and cross-sector solutions
• Bring together city experts
Global Network of City Account Managers Coordinated out of CoC
• Siemens’ Infrastructure and Cities Sector has enhanced its focus on needs of city and
infrastructure customers
• Worldwide network of City Account Managers will:
– Collaborate closely with cities early in planning cycle
– Understand challenges and become trusted advisors
– Offer complete solutions to transform cities through sustainable technologies
– Deliver expertise to urban centers around the world
– Drive future trends and pioneer innovative solutions
Online Resources
Web:
thecrystal.org
facebook.com/thecrystalorg
@thecrystalorg