China - Wind energy to play powerful role in Shanghai skyscraper

Eco City, a project on Shanghai's Nanjing West Road, scheduled for its official opening in April 2011, will be the nation's first wind powered property.

Andrew Lee, chief executive officer of Taipei-based Sunpower Development & Consulting Co Ltd, the developer of Eco City, said three sets of wind power generators will be installed at the top of the 125-meter-high building. The wind power will be used to provide light for the building's facade, hallways and other public areas.

In its design, construction and daily management, Eco City is a good example of low-carbon and environmentally friendly concepts, said Lee.

It will become central Shanghai's first Grade-A office building to have been granted the internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building gold certification, said Lee.

Wang Mingfang, director of Sunpower in Shanghai, told China Daily that, in addition to the wind turbines, many other energy-saving and environmentally friendly facilities, such as waste-sorting equipment, would be installed in the building, cutting its operating costs by 20 percent.

Different from traditional office buildings, Eco City uses a double-glazed facade, a window wall and a white aluminum external facade. The two layers not only give the building a unique and outstanding appearance, but also greatly reduce the amount of energy required for cooling and heating.

Air conditioners account for nearly 55 percent of an average office building's total energy consumption, while lighting accounts for 25 percent, and the remaining 20 percent goes to elevators.

"Buildings' carbon emissions account for between 30 and 40 percent of a city's total carbon emissions. Therefore, green and energy-saving buildings are required," said Chen Jie, a professor specializing in property research at Fudan University.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development is planning to reduce building pollution by drawing up stricter industry standards for future projects, said Chen.

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