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Building low-carbon city
By Fei Lai |
January 6, 2010, Wednesday
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EVEN as it aims high and expands, Hangzhou is building itself into a low-carbon city based on the conviction that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Fei Lai reports.
Hangzhou aims to become a model low-carbon city. While definitions of low carbon dioxide emissions vary, Hangzhou has set its own ambitious goals for a low-carbon economy, low-carbon buildings, low-carbon transport, low-carbon lifestyle, low-carbon environment and low-carbon society.
The government aims to make Hangzhou a pioneer in environmental consciousness among Chinese cities. It has announced the goal of reducing CO2 emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 50 percent compared with 2005 levels. That is five to 10 percent higher than the national goal.
The added value of the city's service industry will account for more than 60 percent of the GDP by 2020, while that of the creative industry will account for more than 18 percent and high-tech industries more than 35 percent.
By that time, many carbon-free and low-carbon enterprises will have been established, providing low-carbon technology and products.
The city will also keep an energy-saving record for buildings.
In terms of US greenhouse gas emissions, the building industry accounted for 38 percent of the total, according to a report in 2008 by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In cities that number rises to around 60 percent.
In view of this, Hangzhou will optimize architectural design to increase savings of energy, land, water and materials to reduce carbon emissions.
It will promote new low-carbon technologies.
There will be more buildings with "green roofs" - planting trees, shrubs and grass on rooftops to reduce buildings' carbon emissions and help clean the air.
Starting in 2012, "green assessments" and approval certificates will be required for all residential buildings for sale, rent or under construction.
By 2013, solar panels will cover 500,000 square meters of rooftops in Hangzhou.
Emissions from transport will be limited as exhaust from road vehicles, trains, aircraft and ships are major causes of global warming.
Special bicycle paths will become transport fixtures to encourage bicycle use. By 2020 a free bicycle system will cover all eight city districts, involving 175,000 free bicycles.
By 2020 Metro lines will total 278 kilometers and an integrated, low-carbon transport system will feature energy-saving buses, taxis, water buses and other vehicles.
"It's good for Hangzhou to build itself into 'a city of life quality,' and becoming a low-carbon city is important to achieve that goal," says Zhou Guomo, principal of Zhejiang Forestry University and a consultant to Hangzhou's low-carbon city project.
"To become a low-carbon society, we need not only guidance in policy but also participation of residents," says Zhou.
The power of a low-carbon city lies in its people and more is needed than just more trees, energy-saving lights, less driving and turning off computers when they're not in use.
In the Dongpingxiang residential area of Hubin Community last month, 10 families took part in a low-carbon experiment, keeping a family record of energy use and savings and competing with each other.
They tested microwave ovens, refrigerators and electric cookers to find the best ways to save energy.
"Most of the 10 families are elderly and their energy usage and savings are relatively low compared with big enterprises," says Tian Meisheng, who participated in the experiment.
The Hangzhou Bureau of Statistics reported the city's total energy consumption in 2008 reached 31.8 million standard tons of coal. CO2 emissions were estimated at more than 60 million tons a year.
"The most important thing is to root the low-carbon concept into the next generation," Tian says. "They are the hope of the future. There will be more low-carbon methods and technologies for them to explore."
Professor Zhu Dajian of Shanghai Tongji University, an environment consultant to the upcoming World Expo 2010, says a low-carbon city should realize growth in GDP andsocial welfare, and keep carbon dioxide emissions from increasing.
Hangzhou aims to become a model low-carbon city. While definitions of low carbon dioxide emissions vary, Hangzhou has set its own ambitious goals for a low-carbon economy, low-carbon buildings, low-carbon transport, low-carbon lifestyle, low-carbon environment and low-carbon society.
The government aims to make Hangzhou a pioneer in environmental consciousness among Chinese cities. It has announced the goal of reducing CO2 emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 50 percent compared with 2005 levels. That is five to 10 percent higher than the national goal.
The added value of the city's service industry will account for more than 60 percent of the GDP by 2020, while that of the creative industry will account for more than 18 percent and high-tech industries more than 35 percent.
By that time, many carbon-free and low-carbon enterprises will have been established, providing low-carbon technology and products.
The city will also keep an energy-saving record for buildings.
In terms of US greenhouse gas emissions, the building industry accounted for 38 percent of the total, according to a report in 2008 by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In cities that number rises to around 60 percent.
In view of this, Hangzhou will optimize architectural design to increase savings of energy, land, water and materials to reduce carbon emissions.
It will promote new low-carbon technologies.
There will be more buildings with "green roofs" - planting trees, shrubs and grass on rooftops to reduce buildings' carbon emissions and help clean the air.
Starting in 2012, "green assessments" and approval certificates will be required for all residential buildings for sale, rent or under construction.
By 2013, solar panels will cover 500,000 square meters of rooftops in Hangzhou.
Emissions from transport will be limited as exhaust from road vehicles, trains, aircraft and ships are major causes of global warming.
Special bicycle paths will become transport fixtures to encourage bicycle use. By 2020 a free bicycle system will cover all eight city districts, involving 175,000 free bicycles.
By 2020 Metro lines will total 278 kilometers and an integrated, low-carbon transport system will feature energy-saving buses, taxis, water buses and other vehicles.
"It's good for Hangzhou to build itself into 'a city of life quality,' and becoming a low-carbon city is important to achieve that goal," says Zhou Guomo, principal of Zhejiang Forestry University and a consultant to Hangzhou's low-carbon city project.
"To become a low-carbon society, we need not only guidance in policy but also participation of residents," says Zhou.
The power of a low-carbon city lies in its people and more is needed than just more trees, energy-saving lights, less driving and turning off computers when they're not in use.
In the Dongpingxiang residential area of Hubin Community last month, 10 families took part in a low-carbon experiment, keeping a family record of energy use and savings and competing with each other.
They tested microwave ovens, refrigerators and electric cookers to find the best ways to save energy.
"Most of the 10 families are elderly and their energy usage and savings are relatively low compared with big enterprises," says Tian Meisheng, who participated in the experiment.
The Hangzhou Bureau of Statistics reported the city's total energy consumption in 2008 reached 31.8 million standard tons of coal. CO2 emissions were estimated at more than 60 million tons a year.
"The most important thing is to root the low-carbon concept into the next generation," Tian says. "They are the hope of the future. There will be more low-carbon methods and technologies for them to explore."
Professor Zhu Dajian of Shanghai Tongji University, an environment consultant to the upcoming World Expo 2010, says a low-carbon city should realize growth in GDP andsocial welfare, and keep carbon dioxide emissions from increasing.
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