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 The
following two projects are being developed
as a result of this first Green Dragon documentary and report:
- New Film Series
- Rural Construction and Capacity Building
A New Film on the Horizon
Well, we couldn't stop here could we? The
Green Dragon Team has already launched into development of a second
film project alongside some of China's most influential thought-leaders.
Using the network we laid during our first project, this second
film project will create material to directly influence
the Chinese mayoral community - some of the most influential players
in the development game.
Please therefore review the project
website hosted by our fiscal sponsor, The Virtual Foundation. Whether large or small, please help us take advantage of our unique
inroads to China by making a donation.
EVERY DONATION TO THIS CAUSE is highly valuable. We will update
that page periodically to share our progress with you. For corporate
sponsorship opportunities, contact us directly. Thank you.
Rural Construction and Capacity Building
Rural China is developing almost as fast as urban regions. The building material of choice in China's cold Northeast is red brick - energy intense, inefficient to heat, and dangerous in an earthquake.
We interviewed leaders of the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA), who successfully built 606 straw buildings in Inner Mongolia and Northeast China. We also visited one of the rural villages that participated.
Now, we are supporting a 2nd project to train 200 builders and construct 250 buildings, estimated to achieve a net CO2 reduction of 80,000 tons!
Learn more
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PEOPLE
& PROJECTS TO WATCH
Having
met and interviewed so many experts involved in China’s current
green building movement, we recognize it is their combined effort
that will continue to drive change. However, we felt compelled to
highlight some of the most intriguing projects, groups and individuals
that we came across - these are certainly ones to watch.
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begin with, we present our |
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on the Qingdao Ecoblock Project - |
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is a concept that originated from Harrison Fraker, Dean of the
College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley and his students.
As a potential energy, waste and water independent replacement
for the typical Chinese residential ‘superblock’,
the Ecoblock, if adopted on a mass-scale, could save the Chinese
government a significant part of the $35 billion a year it
currently spends on new community infrastructure. |
| OTHER
PROJECTS TO WATCH |
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Lianyungang
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an eco port city concept
Currently
Lianyungang is a relatively small city (around 5 million inhabitants)
but in January 2007 it was visited by a high-ranking member
of the central government and encouraged to take big steps forward
towards development into a major trade linkage city
for the country.
Their
planning bureau is determined to accomplish this in a way that
integrates these dreams with ecologically-sound principals.
Large investments that might pollute that vision have
already been turned down and an ecocity concept competition
has been won by ARUP. If the correct investment is found,
Lianyungang will indeed become a city of dreams.
Deputy Director General of the Urban Planning Bureau:
a remarkable individual playing an important role in this project.
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Knowledge
& Innovation
Community (KIC)
Currently under development by Shui On, the
KIC is a compelling new type of project planned for
the Yangpu district of Shanghai. The vision is to create
a high- density and high-tech living, retail and office
community that will attract China’s best young
thinkers alongside leading organizations in R&D,
technology, business and education.
KIC
Plaza (above) is the office hub portion of the development.
Linked wirelessly to a 10GB optical fibre system. ‘Linkage’
is a key word for KIC - it is linked to a major public
transportation network, linked to residents, linked
to retail and linked to the dozen higher education institutions
that surround it. Herein lies the key to it being one
of China’s most promising models of mixed-use
sustainable living. |
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Linked Hybrid -
an eco chic residential
community)
Modern Investment Group's Linked Hybrid is an 8-tower apartment complex and mixed-use
community rising (at least last time we checked) from
the earth just north of Dongzhimen at a rate of one
floor per week - for all 8 towers. It is currently the
largest geothermal project in the world - some 600 pipes
have been laid 100m below ground when the towers themselves
rise 60m. There is also on-site wastewater recycling,
clean air filtration and ventilation and green roofs.
When our guide, Hideki Hirahara, (shown below) a Japanese
architect working on the project, began describing the
swimming pool to be contained within one of the skybridges
so that swimmers can look down and admire the undulating
green roofs below ... you realize that China’s
high end eco-residents may take the green lifestyle
to a whole new level. |
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| PEOPLE
AND GROUPS TO WATCH |
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JUCCCE
(The Joint US-China
Cooperation on Clean Energy)
This
new NGO is a powerhouse of highly networked individuals
driving some highly strategic programs designed to facilitate
the adoption of energy efficiency and clean energy in
China.
Programs
include mayoral training in conjunction with the Ministry
of Construction, an online energy efficient product
marketplace, a program to swap out 10 million incandescent
bulbs for CFLs and an online who’s who bilingual
matchmaker directory.
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JASON
HU
Deputy General Manager and Senior Engineer, China Merchants
Property Development Co. Ltd.
One
of Jason’s most notable projects is the LEED silver-rated Fraser Place Hotel in Shenzhen, the first Chinese commercial
development to gain LEED certification. He is also responsible
for the annual 'International Green Development Forum' which continues to grow in size every year.
Jason is passionate about green development
in China - his committment and his knowledge are humbling. He is now developing a ‘One
Planet Living' community in Guangzhou. |
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ROB
WATSON
CEOof Eco-Tech International Group.
Rob
has a rich and impressive history in the international
green building industry.
He
is often referred to as the ‘father of LEED’. having
acted as their steering committee chairman from 1994
to 2005.
Since 1997, Rob has worked with China’s Ministry of
Construction to develop green building standards and
energy codes for residential and commercial buildings.
His green technology company is also helping to meet
demand. |
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JASON
HU
Deputy General Manager and Senior Engineer |
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EMSI
(Environmental
Market Solutions Inc.)
EMSI is the leading green building design consultancy firm
currently in China. Though headquartered in the US,
EMSI now has two offices in China and is growing fast.
The central component of their work is the promotion
and execution of LEED accredited projects. Within the
last decade such projects have risen from virtually
zero to over 4 million square meters of space, and it
is rising rapidly. EMSI remains the consulting company of choice
for many fortune 500 companies developing environmentally
sensitive commercial space in China. |
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STANLEY
YIP,
Director of Planning and
Development, ARUP China
Originally
from Hong Kong, Stanley has designed and implemented
many major urban developments around the world. Within
ARUP, Stanley spends a good deal of time working on
the Dongtan ecocity project. He also has a true and
unique expertise in understanding the economics of green
project implementation, specifically within China. He
has an extremely broad and in-depth understanding of
the real opportunities within China’s green building
movement. |
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CHINA
NEWTOWN
DEVELOPMENT GROUP
One
of China New Town Group’s most notable green developments
is Anting New Town, a German-themed town for 50-80,000 residents
located just outside Shanghai. Since then, together
with some other international and domestic developers,
China New Town signed a strategic development cooperation
plan with the city of Chengu in southwest China. This
will involve the historic restoration of Zhengxing Town,
expected to take 8-10 years to complete. Zhengxing’s
geo-advantage will be fully utilized while its natural
environment is to be strictly preserved. |
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