A lot to bring to the table
Updated: 2013-06-22 09:00
By Cecily Liu and Yang Yang (China Daily)
|
|||||||||||
To understand Benoy's rapid China expansion, one must examine the country's breakneck speed of urbanization.
China's urban population was only 18 percent in 1978 when the country first started to move away from a planned economy, but in 2011 urban dwellers outnumbered rural dwellers for the first time, reaching 51.3 percent.
China's urbanization has in effect completed many European countries' century-long journey in a little more than 30 years. But more striking is the potential for growth, as the country advances toward the developed countries' norm of having 70 to 80 percent urban population.
This pace of change has placed immense pressure on municipal planning departments across the country, not only for housing but also infrastructure, transport and other facilities such as education and healthcare services.
Sue Riddlestone, CEO of BioRegional |
"It is important to have an integrated approach to urban planning, as the built environment can influence people's living habits," said Sue Riddlestone, CEO and co-founder of the charity BioRegional, whose headquarters are in the UK.
Since 2005, Riddlestone's team has acted as consultant to help the Chinese developer China Merchants Property Development embed sustainability measures into a new mixed-use development comprising 8,000 homes, known as Jinshan, near the city of Guangzhou.
With BioRegional's help, the Jinshan community successfully reduced energy and water demand, and carbon emissions partly because the buildings had green features such as renewable energy sources, rain water collection and green roofs.
To improve the wellbeing of residents, a community center in Jinshan offered information about healthy eating. Meanwhile, nearby agricultural land was divided into allotments to distribute to residents so they could grow their own vegetables, Riddlestone said.
"When I visited Jinshan, I saw the residents smiling and happy, so I'm glad that the sustainability measures we helped to introduce have improved their living standards," Riddlestone said.
Related Stories
Architecture expo to be held 2011-05-19 15:59
Sinopec's engineering subsidiary to issue H-shares 2013-05-10 10:32
Aircraft engine project to be established 2013-02-28 22:07
Honeywell, AVIC to jointly oversee engine programs 2013-01-30 16:04
Today's Top News
France wants more Chinese investment
FM: China rejects US' claim on Snowden
Public interests Party's top priority
Overseas sellers upbeat on China
PBOC will act 'if necessary'
4 Chinese killed in Papua New Guinea
'Heavy losses' if China-EU solar sector talks fail
Riots in Xinjiang kill 27
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Yunnan brews up cups of success |
Getting the point of TCM |
Highlights of luxury China 2013 |
Recovery gives youth new chance at life |
Passing down the business |
Pumping up power of consumption |