Jul 17 2013
Together with Munich Mayor Christian Ude, Siemens President and CEO Peter Löscher has laid the foundation stone for the company's new headquarters building, which will be completed on Wittelsbacherplatz in Munich by the end of 2015.
The future inner-city complex will provide employees with a 21st-century working environment and be freely accessible to the general public at ground level. Siemens has set the highest standards for sustainability for its new headquarters, and will fulfill the criteria for minimum energy consumptions in buildings.
"For the first time since the company built its headquarters in Berlin Siemensstadt one hundred years ago, Siemens is laying the foundation stone for our new headquarters of the future," stated Peter Löscher. Today's ceremony expresses Siemens' clear commitment to Munich and the company's home. Löscher also emphasized the spirit of cooperation between Siemens and the City of Munich.
"The Siemens campus will be an enrichment for Munich. A global company that doesn't isolate itself, but expressly invites the public in – this is how it should be," said Munich Mayor Christian Ude.
"The new headquarters will be a visible expression of the values that have made Siemens great and will continue to guide our company in the future: responsible, excellent, innovative," added Dr. Gerhard Cromme, Chairman of Siemens' Supervisory Board.
In addition to the many guests of honor and public representatives such as the head of Munich's Department of Urban Planning, Prof. Elisabeth Merk, and Bavarian Minister of the Interior Joachim Herrmann, numerous employees at company headquarters and neighbors were also present at the ceremony.
The new company headquarters will provide a convenient link for pedestrians between the city's historic center and the museum quarter in Maxvorstadt. Attractively designed inner courtyards with restaurants and galleries will invite passersby to stroll and linger. At the same time, the building's advanced technology will provide a flexible and comfortable working environment on the six upper floors.
The construction project is right on schedule. Demolition of the old buildings took just under nine months. A well thought-out logistical concept and many individual measures – such as the construction of a ten-meter-high, 300-meter-long soundproof wall – minimized inconvenience to the neighborhood. Planning permission ran smoothly. The construction plans were approved in record time and the building permit has already been granted. Thanks to the excellent cooperation of the city government, the ambitious timetable has been rapidly met. Facts and figures relating to the laying of the foundation stone for the company headquarters are available at www.siemens.com/press/headquarters.
The new headquarters will be a model for resource-saving buildings. For this reason, they've been designed to meet the highest sustainability standards – certification according to the building standards of the DGNB Gold (German Sustainable Building Council) and LEED Platinum (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, international). All criteria for minimum energy consumption will also be met.
To conserve resources, electricity will be provided by photovoltaic systems installed on the roof of the building, water will be supplied from rainwater stored within the building, and power will be generated from panels in the building's floors. The design of the complex as well as its insulation and shading will minimize energy consumption. Upwardly tapering façades will increase natural lighting of the interior. LED lighting, water-saving fittings and need-based system controls will also help the building meet the criteria for minimum energy consumption.
Further information and facts and figures relating to Siemens' headquarters project are available at www.siemens.com/press/headquarters