The Crystal

The Crystal | A highly sustainable building and unique events venue that forms the gateway to the Royal Docks in East London

London, United Kingdom
Sports, stadiums, convention centers

Ground source heat pumps supply virtually all the building’s heating and most of its cooling. The system works by pumping water through a pipe that loops deep into the ground. There are 199 pipes at the Crystal totaling 17 kilometers in length and reaching as deep as 150 meters. By using 100% natural heat sources, the Crystal has no heating bill.

Almost every space in the building has access to natural daylight, meaning minimal artificial light is needed. The lighting system in the Crystal uses a combination of 65% fluorescent lights and 35% LED lights along with an advanced control system produced by Siemens which automatically adjusts every individual lamp to provide comfortable brightness levels without wasting electricity.

The Building Energy Management System is produced by Siemens and controls all electrical and mechanical systems in the building. Information from an outdoor weather station supplements over 3,500 data points within the Crystal.