Siemens breaks ground for Middle East headquarters building at Masdar City

Press release

Published October 25th, 2011 - 12:22 GMT

Al Bawaba

Siemens AG today broke ground for its Regional headquarters at Masdar City, as part of a strategic partnership with Masdar.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, along with Dr. Roland Busch, member of managing board of Siemens AG and Sector CEO of Siemens Infrastructure and Cities, performed the ground-breaking for the building at Masdar City. The ceremony was attended by senior management from Siemens and Masdar.

The building marks the establishment of Siemens’ anchor presence in Masdar City, occupying 18,000 sq meters and will eventually accommodate nearly 2,000 Siemens staff. When completed the building will meet the Estidama 3 Pearl Rating and will achieve LEED Platinum status.

In the first phase, Siemens will lease 12,000sqm of space which is expected to be completed in the summer of 2013. It will host major facilities including a Centre of Excellence for Smart Buildings and a Leadership Development Centre, as well as Conference Centre for both customer and corporate use.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said: “Masdar is mandated to work with global technology leaders to integrate innovation alongside proven technologies and showcase energy efficient solutions that can be applied to other cities globally. By partnering with global technology leaders, such as Siemens, to work with us in Masdar City, we are starting to contribute to the creation of a knowledge-based clean energy sector in the UAE.”

Dr. Roland Busch of Siemens said: “Being a green infrastructure pioneer, Siemens is keen to further intensify the collaboration with Masdar and other stakeholders to develop and showcase cutting edge technologies in Masdar City”.

As a strategic partner for Masdar and Masdar City's development, Siemens will provide integrated building automation technologies for smart buildings and jointly develop a smart grid solution including demand response applications for the initial phase of Masdar City that will optimize energy consumption and reduce emissions. In addition, Masdar Institute and Siemens are already working together on R&D and innovation-led technology projects. The Building Technologies Centre of Excellence, set up in May 2011, is currently working to identify and develop new applications that can allow buildings autonomously to implement control strategies in response to the grid that includes conventional and renewable energy sources.

Background Information

Masdar

Masdar is a global leader in renewable energy and sustainable urban development. Over the last decade, we have pioneered commercially viable solutions in clean energy, sustainable real estate and clean technology in the UAE and around the world.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, we develop renewable energy projects, realise low-carbon urban development, while advancing clean-tech innovation. We also deliver world-class knowledge and industry platforms.

At Masdar, we are supporting the UAE’s transition towards a knowledge-based economy. We aim to be a model for the commercial adoption of clean technologies, and a showcase of the UAE’s wider commitment to sustainability.

Company Profile

Siemens

Siemens is a global powerhouse focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of systems for power generation and transmission as well as medical diagnosis. In infrastructure and industry solutions the company plays a pioneering role.