Three stories (actually two stories and one excerpt from another story) that show clear signs of a growing ecological awareness in China. Furthermore that awareness is being put into action in business and housing projects.
Of course, trying to understand China brings to mind the classic story of the four blind men and the elephant each of which can only feel a small portion yet assumes he has been exposed to the whole. It's a big place with a lot going on and it's easy to misunderstand based on a brief exposure.
By the way, the third article does not appear to be China-related. Yet if you continue, about two thirds of the way down there is a reference to a carpet factory in Shanghai. (Hmmm, used to be there were carpet factories in New York state.)
Peter Huston
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http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90884/6421538.html
'Eco-city' to reclaim wasted land, water
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09:39, May 30, 2008
China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city to be set up
If 2007 was a year of exploration to find a feasible sustainable mode of development, 2008 will mark the start of practicing that considerable promise.
In less than two months, construction will begin on the 30 sq km Sino-Singaporean Tianjin Eco-city demonstration project, a joint effort between the two countries' governments.
Forty km from Tianjin city and 150 km from Beijing, the eco-city will be located along the Jiyun River in Hangu District of Tianjin Municipality, the largest northern port city of China. When finished in 10 to 15 years, it will include residences, commercial space and factories meeting high international standards for energy use and environmental protection.
"The Jiyun River was a golden waterway in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). More than 40 kinds of fish lived in the river at that time," said Cui Guangzhi, vice director of the Sino-Singaporean Eco-city Administrative Committee.
"But hundreds of years later the environment in the region has been destroyed," he said.
The eco-city will cover 10 sq km of salt pan, 10 sq km of desert and 10 sq km of land with water - but of poor quality.
High standards, a long perspective on sustainable growth, more efficient energy use and environmental protection will all provide a city of wealth in the future, said Premier Wen Jiabao.
Environmental repair
Improving the environment, both its water and land, is the core work for local officials.
Cui said that in the next five years, technicians will focus on improving water quality. "You will see no dirty river water or overgrowth of grass. You will see clear water and a growing population of fish," he said. "Beside the water, heavily polluted land is a core challenge in the first phase of the project," Cui said.
The eco-city will also be developed on three natural swamps where thousands of birds migrate every spring. "We will protect the three areas and they will become shining points when the project is completed," Cui said.
Renewable energy
In addition to aiding the environment, renewable energy is also crucial to the eco-city, the director said.
According to the project's master plan, it will use 15 percent more renewable energy by promoting solar, wind and geothermal energy, as well as renewable construction materials. "It is a bold target even from a global perspective," said an official, noting that a city's usual mix of renewable energy is around only 2 percent on average.
Developers say the Tianjin eco-city will save 70 percent of energy used in buildings. With more advanced technologies employed through the partnership between China and Singapore, the eco-city will also be an excellent example of saving water.
"For a country with limited supplies of water like China, especially in its northern provinces, rainwater collection and seawater desalination are both necessary and feasible," said Cui.
Rainwater collection solutions are wholly based on longer experience and technologies from Singapore.
Regional growth
Because only a small part of the development relies on the Tianjin Binhai New Area, the project's economic growth has to come from the entire region. Lower energy consumption is the core idea for its growth, with high-value, hi-tech and high-revenue the projected results.
When completed, the eco-city will become a national center for environmental technology research and development, Cui said.
"With the country's growing demand for green urban construction, we plan to attract large designing companies and organizations to form a designing center," he said.
Source:China Daily
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http://www.specbookproblog.com/2008/05/green-buildings.html
The 309-meter-tall Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, aims to be one of the most environmentally-friendly buildings in the world. Slated for completion in 2009, it too features turbines that turn wind into energy for the building's heating, ventilating and air conditioning.
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http://www.portfolio.com/resources/insight-center/2008/05/30/A-Road-Map-for-Natural-Capitalism
A Road Map for Natural Capitalism
by Amory B. Lovins, L. Hunter Lovins, and Paul Hawken
Think eco-friendly practices and profits don't mix? Think again.
The earth’s ability to sustain life is in peril—as companies consume natural resources in ways that prevent ecosystems from regenerating our air, water, and food supplies. For example, clear-cutting forests for wood fiber damages forests’ ability to store water, provide animal habitats, and regulate climate.
Why such rampant exploitation? Unlike the value derived from consuming natural resources, the value of ecosystems’ most crucial services don’t appear on balance sheets. Yet that value is worth $33 trillion a year.
You can capture some of that $33 trillion and help restore the planet by practicing natural capitalism—conducting business profitably while also protecting natural resources. Some strategies suggested by Amory Lovins, Hunter Lovins, and Paul Hawken: Adopt technologies that extend natural resources’ usefulness. Design production systems that eliminate costly waste. And reinvest in nature’s capital; for instance, by planting trees to offset power-plant carbon emissions.
Work with nature, and you boost profitability—pulling ahead of rivals who continue to work against nature.
The Idea in Practice
The authors recommend these steps to natural capitalism:
Increase Natural Resources’ Productivity
Develop dramatically more efficient production processes that stretch natural resources—energy, minerals, water, forests—5, 10, even 100 times further than they go today. You’ll ensure that these resources pay for themselves over time. And you may save on initial capital investments.
Example:
In its new Shanghai carpet factory, Interface redesigned their process for pumping liquids by using fatter-than-usual pipes, which created less friction than thin pipes do. The move cut power requirements by 92%. The new system also cost less to build, involved no new technology, and worked better than traditional systems in all respects.
Imitate Biological Production Models
In nature, nothing goes to waste. Ensure that every output of your manufacturing processes is composted into useful natural resources or recycled for further production. You’ll preserve ecosystems while eliminating the cost of waste disposal.
Example:
Interface invented a new floor-covering material, Solenium, which can be completely recycled into the identical floor product, reducing landfill waste. Solenium lasts four times longer and uses 40% less material than ordinary carpets. It’s toxin-free and stainproof, resists mildew growth, and is easily cleaned with water. Between 1994 and 1998, Interface’s revenues rose by $200 million. Of those revenues, $67 million has been attributed to the company’s decreased waste.
Change Your Business Model
Your customers don’t necessarily need to own your products. Often they merely need to be able to use them. Therefore, consider shifting your business model from selling products to providing services.
Example:
Interface realized clients want to walk on and look at carpets—not necessarily own them. So it transformed itself from a company that sells carpets into one that provides floor-covering services. It leases its service for a monthly fee, taking responsibility for keeping its carpets clean and replacing worn carpet tiles. This business model vastly reduces the amount of carpeting sent to landfills. And it improves customers’ productivity by eliminating the need to close offices and remove furniture to replace entire carpets.
Reinvest in Natural Capital
Reinvest in restoring, sustaining, and expanding your natural habitat and biological resource base. You’ll gain a public reputation for environmental responsibility—which translates into profitability.
Example:
Engineering company Living Technologies has developed a system that uses linked tanks of bacteria, algae, and plants to turn sewage into clean water. Its approach yields cleaner water at a reduced cost, with no toxicity or odor (making it compatible with the company’s residential neighborhood).
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