China Urged to Tap Benefits of Green Buildings
As China moves forward with one of the largest building programs in history, the nation should continue its focus on green buildings, the head of the U.S. Green Building Council told Chinese building industry leaders.
By CleanLink Editorial Staff
As China moves forward with one of the largest building programs in history, the nation should continue its focus on green buildings, the head of the U.S. Green Building Council told Chinese building industry leaders.
Green, high performance, intelligent buildings are an immediate and measurable way to mitigate climate change, said Rick Fedrizzi, president, USGBC, at the third International Conference on Intelligent Green and Energy Efficient Building and New Technologies Conference in Beijing. He called on building industry leaders in China to “build only green buildings.”
“This is not a ‘nice to do,’ it’s an absolute must,” says Fedrizzi, citing a litany of negative impacts that climate change is already having on the earth. “But by using and pioneering smart, green strategies for growth, China will be able to fuel its exponential rise far into the future and set an example for the world.”
Fedrizzi applauded the work of several individuals and organizations who are helping drive green building in China, among them China’s Minister of Constructing Qiu Baoxing, who is presiding over one of the largest rebuilding efforts in the history of the world, and doing so with a strong vision for a green future. Fedrizzi also noted the efforts of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, which has stated its intent to green the Olympic Village as a showcase for green building practices.
Fedrizzi noted several reasons for building green, one of which is the positive impact of green buildings on the world’s energy and carbon problems.
“Energy efficiency is less expensive than building new power plants,” he says, pointing to the fact that green buildings save, on average, 30 percent more energy than conventional buildings. He applauded China’s aggressive efforts to balance its economic development targets with increasing efforts to diversify its energy sources and increase energy efficiency.
Fedrizzi also cited the measurable impacts green buildings have on improving human health and productivity, which are especially important considering most people spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors. Children in green schools have higher test scores and lower absentee rates, because the buildings are full of natural daylight and cleaner, healthier air, says Fedrizzi.
Green buildings also foster innovation, the cornerstone of a growth economy, says Fedrizzi. But he noted that the bigger challenge is transferring knowledge and technology into the global supply chain and across the global building industry.
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