Sustainable development in cities

Sustainable development projects and infrastructure

With African countries experiencing rapid urbanisation, sustainable development of urban infrastructures is vital. The infrastructures of today will define what the cities of tomorrow will look like.

Water supply and infrastructure for urban areas

Up to 1.2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water. To ensure that South Africans have access to clean and safe water, the South African Department of Water and Environmental Affairs is putting in place a number of initiatives including water conservation awareness programmes and fixing water leaks.

Public utility companies are responsible for providing a reliable water supply as well as energy-efficient water purification. They are faced with growing energy costs and increasingly strict environmental standards. Siemens products ensure the highest availability and value solutions for water purification and water management. For example, Siemens Totally Integrated Automation helped manage the Komati Water Scheme Augmentation Project (KWSAP) in South Africa. Siemens was also awarded a contract to supply and install a turnkey pumping station for a potable water project in Algeria.

Sustainable healthcare infrastructures

Increasing energy costs, regulations on CO₂ emissions, financial limitations in the healthcare system, and enhanced competition between healthcare providers are the main forces at play in the healthcare field. The challenge is to make medical services more affordable and accessible to more Africans while also improving the quality of individual patient care. Workflows need to be more efficient, hospitals more cost-effective, and it all needs to be achieved sustainably. With the Green+ Hospitals program, Siemens provides hospitals with the support they need to create sustainable healthcare infrastructures. The innovative Green+ Hospital concept combines state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures and treatment methods with sustainable energy supplies.

Saving energy with Siemens devices

Energy consumption accounts for over three-quarters of the environmental impact of medical equipment. When developing new products, Siemens ensures that the new devices consume less energy that the models they replace. The MAGNETOM ESSENZA was developed specifically for hospitals and private practices that want to provide complete diagnostics on low budgets. The economical MRI scanner is also especially safe for the environment. It conserves up to 25 percent of electricity and construction costs for installation, and its modern power electronics can help cut power consumption by up to 50 percent.

In terms of sustainability, treatment quality and atmosphere are what matters most to patients. Short examination times, safe diagnoses using low doses of radiation, and a feeling of comfort in hospital beds are what make the difference. This is why Siemens puts an emphasis on patient comfort and gentle treatment.

Transport creates 20 percent of the energy-related greenhouse gas emissions worldwide – and our society’s mobility continues to grow. Cities in particular need integrated, efficient, and affordable traffic solutions in order to ensure lasting mobility, attractiveness, and competitiveness. Siemens has received various orders to support the sustainable development of Africa's urban infrastructure.

Environmentally-friendly public transportation

Providing eco-friendly local public transportation requires products and solutions for buses, trains, and metro systems. For example, hybrid buses equipped with ELFA drive systems from Siemens harness a large amount of their braking energy and consume 30 percent less fuel. The Inspiro metro platform and the Avenio low-floor tram also offer maximum efficiency and eco-friendliness. Siemens was the major supplier to the first tram line built in Africa, which involved the placement of 140 light rail vehicles into service on eight lines in Tunis.

And after 30 years of planning and construction work, Algiers now boasts the second subway system on the African continent. The new subway system brings residents of Algeria’s capital from the suburbs to the center in just ten minutes – instead of 45 minutes by car. Siemens was able to complete the project in just five years and is already planning a second line to follow the first.

Siemens regional trains ensure that millions of people can cover the distance from home to workplace safely and on time in an environment-friendly way. The Desiro regional trainset platform, for example, has highly efficient drive systems that keep energy consumption low. For inter-city connections, high-speed trains like the Velaro and freight locomotives are an environment-friendly alternative to cars and airplanes. The Velaro consumes a mere 0.33 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers per passenger.

In the prelude to the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, Siemens supplied integrated passenger-information and station-management systems. The modern signaling, public address, and information display systems not only increased the efficiency of the entire system; they also enhanced its reliability and attractiveness. Committing to add local value and create jobs, Siemens has a facility in Kya Sands, Johannesburg, focusing on rail signaling technologies, electric interlocking, and LED signaling.

As part of South Africa’s rail infrastructure upgrade program, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) commissioned Siemens with the construction of a new Gauteng nerve center for centralized rail traffic management. The new rail signaling and train protection system will increase the operational capacity, provide a higher level of flexibility and safety, and reduce train delays.

Sustainable development with electric cars

In the future, electromobility will play a more important role in traffic concepts for sustainable cities. Electric cars offer eco-friendly mobility that protects resources, especially when it comes to private transportation. Electric cars can be integrated into smart grids: with electronic energy assistants that calculate both the battery charge required for each vehicle and their optimal charge cycles, any battery power that is not immediately needed is easily fed back into the power grid.

Sustainable development projects for citizens

Ensuring a city’s sustainable future encompasses more than just energy-efficient technologies. It’s also about acting as a responsible corporate citizen and investing in those who will inherit the future. As a company, Siemens is focused on training and skills development.

SAJ Artisan Training Institute

Siemens’ support of the SAJ Artisan Training Institute, located in the Johannesburg suburb of Germiston, is also linked to the Technical Artisan Skills Development Investment. In the latter case, funds are disbursed using a performance‐based formula, and the company has invested R13 million to date. This has enabled the Institute – a 50 percent black-owned SME that boasts an excellent reputation for training and has national industry training accreditation – to establish and equip a 600-square-meter training workshop that is used to train students in electrical, fitting, turning, welding, boilermaking, and pipefitting.

Ingayizivele High School

In Tembisa in the Gauteng province of South Africa, Siemens has adopted the Ingayizivele High School so that about 1,600 students have what they need to make learning easier. Since Siemens has partnered with the school, the facilities have been greatly improved and so have student outcomes, especially in science and mathematics.

Youthspace for underprivileged children

Through the Youthspace program, Siemens has been taking underprivileged children off the streets and giving them shelter, food, education, and loving care since 2001. The company owns several Youthspace houses throughout South Africa. Supported by Siemens staff and by contributions from an executive fund, Youthspace offers a home under the supervision of a caregiver who makes sure the children are well-fed and that their physical, mental, and spiritual needs are nurtured.