
For details, see Page A10 of the Foshan Daily dated July 3, 2015 (link: http://epaper.citygf.com/fsrb/html/2015-07/03/content_39136.htm).
“Green building” does not simply refer to conventional concepts such as vertical greening, rooftop gardens, or green architectural landscapes. Rather, it represents a broader concept or symbol—a type of architecture that is environmentally benign, capable of harnessing natural environmental resources, and constructed without disrupting the fundamental ecological balance of the environment. It can also be referred to as sustainable development architecture, ecological architecture, nature-reconnecting architecture, or energy- and resource-efficient architecture.
Country Garden
Urban Forest-Style Corporate Headquarters
After three years of urban upgrading, more and more residents are asking: Why is Foshan—once dotted with factories everywhere—now brimming with lush greenery at every turn? Attentive citizens have noticed that behind the green spaces, trees, and parks, a growing number of “lush” buildings are springing up one after another. In this issue of “Tide of Technology,” our reporter has compiled for our readers an exhaustive overview of Foshan’s renowned and noteworthy “green buildings.” According to statistics, Foshan now boasts over 40 certified green buildings, making them a distinctive and vibrant green feature within the city’s architectural landscape.
In recent years, during urban and economic transformations, an increasing number of enterprises have incorporated green, low-carbon, and energy-efficient principles into the construction of office buildings and factory facilities—whether by integrating green plants, using energy-saving materials, or adopting uniquely designed green and energy-efficient buildings. This not only enhances companies’ awareness of environmental protection and boosts their brand reputation but also provides employees with comfortable workspaces while helping to reduce costs.
Anyone passing by the Guangzhu West Line Expressway in Shunde District can’t help but take a second look at a “green forest”: the 22-story main building and the 9-story podium are covered with 50,000 square meters of greenery, and the surrounding area is lushly planted with a variety of green plants, making one feel as if they’ve stepped into a tropical rainforest. The role of these green plants goes far beyond simply beautifying the building—carefully designed, they also play a crucial role in energy conservation for the building.
The new headquarters building of Country Garden was completed in 2013. The building’s remarkably unique vertical greenery ecological design was personally approved by Yang Guoqiang himself. Although the building eschews large glass curtain walls and modern metallic materials, this “entirely green-clad” structure standing along the Beijiao section of Bijiu Road in Shunde is truly one-of-a-kind and breathtakingly stunning. According to Zhang Lu, Design Director of the company’s Project Design Department, in summer, the various plants and climbing vines on the balconies help cool down the building’s exterior walls. In winter, specially selected tall trees serve as windbreaks, ensuring a warm interior even in cold weather and keeping it cool during hot summers. Moreover, different types of greenery are carefully coordinated with the building’s functional needs: for instance, low-growing trees are planted on windward sides to gradually reduce wind strength and provide typhoon protection; and certain mosquito- and insect-repelling plants are densely planted in areas frequented by many people.
AIA Financial Centre
An office building that’s warm in winter and cool in summer.
In September 2013, the first phase of the AIA Financial Center was unveiled in Qiandeng Lake, Nanhai District. It is a high-rise office building in Foshan that has received an international LEED pre-certification for green and environmentally friendly design. This office building innovatively features a fully glazed, double-layer low-E insulated curtain wall on its exterior, making it one of Foshan’s flagship eco-friendly office buildings.
As you step into the lobby on the first floor of the financial center, although the sunlight outside is blazing, once you enter the building, the sunlight becomes surprisingly “gentle.” According to the introduction, the entire building—from its architectural design to its construction materials—adheres strictly to eco-friendly principles. The exterior walls feature low-E double-glazed insulated glass curtain walls, which boast excellent soundproofing and thermal insulation properties. Low-E double-glazed glass, also known as low-emissivity glass, gets its name from the ultra-low emissivity of the coating applied to its surface. This glass has a low-emissivity coating that’s less than one percent the thickness of a human hair; it can reflect back more than 80% of mid- and far-infrared thermal radiation. The outer pane effectively reduces the amount of ultraviolet radiation, while the inner pane provides excellent thermal insulation and heat retention. As a result, this glass ensures that indoor spaces remain comfortably warm in winter and cool in summer.
Midea Air Conditioner Photovoltaic Roof
Sell surplus electricity to the power grid.
On the rooftop of the Midea household air-conditioning factory located in Beijiao, Shunde, there lies a “sea” of photovoltaic panels. Anyone stepping onto the rooftop for the first time is struck by the sight of a vast expanse of neatly arranged solar photovoltaic panels.
During the hot summer months or sunny winter days, these photovoltaic panels continuously generate “green electricity” for Midea’s manufacturing operations. The reporter learned that this distributed photovoltaic demonstration project is installed on the rooftops of 13 factory buildings, covering an area of approximately 330,000 square meters. It was officially connected to the grid and began operation last April. Currently, it is the largest single-site rooftop photovoltaic project in Asia. On average, it generates about 30.54 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. Based on Midea’s Shunde household air-conditioner factory’s annual electricity consumption of roughly 100 million kilowatt-hours, the electricity generated by this photovoltaic project accounts for nearly one-third of the factory’s total power usage.
"Not only can this project save enterprises millions in electricity costs, but it can also reduce the combustion of standard coal by approximately 10,400 tons," said Mr. Cen, the supervisor at Midea’s Shunde factory in the Household Air Conditioning Division, who deeply appreciates the multiple benefits the project has brought to Midea. Under the contract energy management cooperation between Midea and China Southern Power Grid, once the factory’s photovoltaic power station is completed, it will enjoy preferential electricity rates that are 5% to 10% lower. Any surplus electricity generated by the factory that isn’t used can even be sold back to the grid.
Lingyi Science and Technology Park
High space-energy utilization rate
Located on Langbao West Road in Chancheng District, Zero One Science and Technology Park is the corporate headquarters base and SME entrepreneurship platform developed by Zhengda Machinery & Electronics Co., Ltd. With a total construction area of 73,000 square meters, the park has already attracted major global companies such as Germany’s Siemens, Sweden’s SKF, Atlas Copco, and the U.S.’s Oracle.
In the central urban area—where land is at a premium—industrial parks are being developed with a design philosophy centered on “resource conservation.” According to this approach, the park will be equipped with a range of leisure and recreational facilities, including running tracks and basketball courts, providing employees with a high-quality working environment. During a visit to the park, reporters observed that the gardens nestled between the buildings feature winding, meandering walking paths. Meanwhile, the rooftops of the commercial podiums surrounding the park have been transformed into green spaces and sports amenities such as swimming pools, demonstrating an exceptionally efficient use of space.
This, coupled with the fact that it has become another green and environmentally friendly LEED Gold-certified building following the AIA Financial Center, means that all office buildings within the campus also feature double-glazed, low-E coated, dual-silver glass.
In addition, its underground parking lot is entirely paved with quartz sand, which prevents dust and is highly durable. The parking lot is also equipped with cocoon-shaped radar lights that automatically detect vehicle entry and exit, thereby achieving energy savings. Even the bathroom fixtures used in the office building are energy-efficient, capable of saving 20% more water compared to conventional products.
Nanhai Urban Dynamics Alliance Building
An average annual electricity bill reduction of 1.18 million yuan.
The Nanhai Urban Dynamics Alliance Building is a project in Foshan that has been awarded a three-star rating for green building design. It also serves as the headquarters of Guangdong Nanhai International Architectural Design Co., Ltd.
This “green headquarters” building boasts excellent energy efficiency: renewable energy generation accounts for as much as 10% of its total electricity consumption, resulting in annual electricity savings exceeding 1.18 million kilowatt-hours. At a rate of one yuan per kilowatt-hour, this translates into annual savings of 1.18 million yuan. Standing on the second floor of the building, surrounded by lush greenery in the atrium, you can feel refreshing breezes—“cross-ventilation”—gently brushing against your face. Guan Xuanhui, the building’s chief architect, says, “In summer, you’ll notice that it feels noticeably cooler here than in other buildings.”
Leveraging Guangdong’s abundant solar energy resources, Guan Xuanhui has installed a solar power generation system for the building. On the west side of the 6th-floor rooftop, 300 solar photovoltaic modules have been installed to supply the building with daytime electricity. Additionally, two small wind turbines, each with a capacity of 600 watts, have been mounted on the building’s rooftop to provide further power. Meanwhile, in the outdoor public areas, 16 30-watt solar-powered streetlights have been installed, equipped with an intelligent control system that optimizes energy savings and provides nighttime illumination for the outdoor parking lot. Solar thermal collectors installed on the building’s east side can produce 10 tons of 60°C domestic hot water. Furthermore, the building’s wastewater reuse system collects domestic wastewater generated within the building, subjecting it to advanced treatment before reusing it for landscape irrigation, environmental landscaping, and toilet flushing in the office spaces.
Editor’s Note: Since the beginning of this year, the vigorous development of Zero One Science and Technology Park has continued to attract sustained attention from a host of authoritative media outlets and government agencies, including Zhujiang Media Group, the Foshan Daily, and the Zhujiang Times. In April, the Foshan Daily published an in-depth report on Zhengda Machinery & Electric Co., Ltd., which has been dedicated to addressing both the future prospects and challenges facing Foshan enterprises.
Recently, the overall construction of Zero One Science and Technology Park—the flagship project of Guangdong Zero One Real Estate Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Charoen Pokphand Machinery & Electronics Co., Ltd.—is nearing completion. The park is set to become an integrated industrial complex in Foshan, offering office spaces, SOHO units, dining options, and leisure facilities all under one roof, once again drawing extensive media attention and coverage.
1. April 16, 2015, Page A02, Foshan Daily: Germany’s Industry 4.0 Showcases the Charm of Smart Manufacturing at the Hanover Fair
http://epaper.citygf.com/fsrb/html/2015-04/16/content_27203.htm
2. June 29, 2015, B06 page, Foshan Daily: Zhongchuang Case—Zhengda Machinery & Electronics: Employee Turnover Rate Below 5%
http://epaper.citygf.com/fsrb/html/2015-06/29/content_38435.htm
3. July 9, 2015, B02 page, Foshan Daily: Thanks to the Foshan Daily for helping me find a great job.
http://59.38.110.229:81/fsrb/html/2015-07/09/content_39926.htm
4. On July 1, 2015, the Zhujiang Times reported today that Chancheng’s 03:01 Science and Technology Park is creating a ten-minute living and working circle.
http://szb.nanhaitoday.com/zjsb/html/2015-07/01/content_243822.htm?div=-1