Green buildings house hopes of low carbon future

Visitors view mechanical equipment models at China Building Science Conference and Green Intelligent Building Expo in the national convention and exhibition center in Tianjin, north China, June 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

TIANJIN, June 28 (Xinhua) -- With a few clicks on a screen, the apartment's lighting and air conditioning systems can be operated, the skylights can be opened or closed, as well as the curtains... In a smart room displayed at an expo held in north China's Tianjin Municipality, all futuristic home ideas have been translated into business reality.

The smart room made its debut at the China Building Science Conference and Green Intelligent Building Expo, which concluded on Sunday, along with over 500 exhibitions with their environment-friendly construction technologies.

"The room is recyclable and renewable, and can respond to environmental changes," said Yang Wei, project leader and professor at the School of Architecture of Tianjin University.

Photovoltaic materials are installed on the apartment's facade to collect solar energy to power the apartment and surplus electricity can be shared with the city's power grid, bringing both environmental and economic benefits, Yang added.

Zhong Jing Building Materials, another exhibitor at the expo, showcased its latest construction materials produced by 3D printing.

Giving the appearance of wood, the floorboards are made of siliceous and calcium materials, said Zhang Bo from the company. "We can also process pollutants from chemical plants such as haze and dust into marketable panels and boards."

Visitors view exhibits at China Building Science Conference and Green Intelligent Building Expo in the national convention and exhibition center in Tianjin, north China, on June 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

A scale model of Huoshenshan Hospital grabs the attention of many participants as the hospital was originally built in Wuhan in just ten days and was the first makeshift facility of its kind for treating patients infected with the coronavirus.

Yu Dihua, a principal engineer involved in the construction of the hospital, said they adopted the method of prefabrication.

"The hospital consists of a number of building blocks as all components are produced in the factory and transported to the construction site for assembly," Yu said, adding that it greatly reduced consumption and construction waste.

High-tech has also taken center stage at the expo. China Construction Second Engineering Bureau Ltd. showcased a digital platform that can record the life cycle of steel used for construction.

"The platform can monitor the whole process of steel from designing, purchasing, transportation to installation, which can help effectively avoid installation errors and reduce waste of construction materials," said Wu Libo from the company, adding that each steel has its own QR code for further tracing.

Photo taken on June 24, 2021, shows an external view of the national convention and exhibition center in Tianjin, north China. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

Nowadays, green buildings have sprung up across China, and intelligent energy-saving technologies have created new possibilities for home design and lifestyle.

The expo, featuring green building materials, ecological city, and the latest technologies in the construction industry, is positioned to promote green and smart buildings and help achieve peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality goals.

Wang Jun, president of the China Academy of Building Research, said during the expo that green building is important for China's green and low-carbon development.

According to Wang, the carbon emissions of China's construction sector reached about 2 billion tonnes per year, accounting for about 20 percent of the country's total carbon emissions.

"In the future, the construction industry will integrate low-carbon and smart technical measures to promote the large-scale and high-quality development of China's green buildings," Wang said.