China Should Develop Green Building IndustryBy James JaoAll over the world, buildings are normally constructed by using one of thr ee mentalities and/or methods. One, to construct a building with conven tional materials and tools; two, to construct a building with modularized p roduction methods with repetitive pieces; three, to construct a building wi th the latest eco and green technologies in order to save resources with out sacrificing the comfortable living environment, harming and destroying nature.Although China has abundant cheap labor, it lacks sufficient resources a nd energy reserve. With the rapid growth of China’s overall strength an d economic power, and being the third largest economy in the world, as well as a nation with the most foreign reserve, China can not continue the use of “fighting-the-war-with-bare-hands” mentality in its construction i ndustry. China must develop its high-tech and eco housing both in its c ities and rural regions.When one does urban planning, usually two mindsets will quickly appear in ones head. Some hold that we should plant trees now so our futur e generations could enjoy the shades. And some believe that one shoul d resolve one’s own immediate problems now and leave the consequenc es for the future generations to solve.When you are poor, you will opt to take the second option as staying al ive is important. But once you are an able individual, the first option sh all be the only way to go. One must realize that it takes years for a pl anted tree to mature and years to clean out a polluted river. Our future generation will pay a dear price for our mistakes and unwise decisions made today. The wealthier and more civilized a society is, the more att ention its citizen will pay to its future g eneration’s welfare.Chinese people know that resources are becoming scarcer, food prices a re rising, the environment is worsening and global warming seems here t o stay. China can no longer afford not executing energy and resource conservation. China must build more green buildings for the sake of its future generations.For a long time, I have been recommending to the Chinese government to require its governmental buildings mandatorily adopt the use of green building technologies. I am glad to hear that many governmental buildin gs, especially at the central governmental level, are now being built with such energy-saving techniques.In my lectures to Chinese government officials, I have said that Green B uildings are the trend of future. It is an important direction in sustainabl e development. Green building does not mean to plant more trees and grass areas, but it refers to the careful design, construction, operation an d reuse or removal of the built environment in an environmentally, energ y-efficient and sustainable manner. Green and Eco Architecture is not as king man to live in a primitive life style. It is a revolution to challenge a new way of designing architecture. It is what we are seeking in our era. It is for the long term benefits of man-kind. In addition, the essen ce of Eco Architecture is based upon its respect of nature, protecting ou r environment thus to sustain the human race.We need to know that energy consumption represents the single largest controllable operating expense for a building, typically a third of variable expenses. A thirty percent reduction in energy consumption could be re adily achieved by improving the building operating standards.In 2004, green building comprised approximately two percent of the new US “nonresidential” construction market, which translates to approximatel y a $3.3 billion industry. Based upon the research findings, McGraw Hill Construction (MHC) projects that by 2010, between 5 percent and 10 percent of new non-residential construction starts will be designed using t he principles of green building.MHC forecasts US nonresidential construction starts will be worth approxi mately $204.5 billion in 2010. A projected growth of 5-10 percent transl ates to a green building market valued between $10.2 and $20.5 billion.For all industry professionals, the largest obstacle to green building is th e higher perceived initial investment, which is about 8 percent of the tot al construction cost. And more importantly for the Chinese government t o know is that currently there is not a dominant “green” building product manufacturer in any building product category. This is the biggest moti vation for the market, and this could be a great business opportunity for China to seize.I hope within the four trillion RMB stimulus plans China is undertaking, t he Chinese Government would take this unprecedented opportunity to pr omote more green building technology, not only in urban centers but als o in its vast rural re-buildings.I would also suggest that China learns from the US whereby the archite cts are called in to provide ideas for rural housing prototype design so t he design can be both interesting and efficient. Many architects would welcome a design competition on this subject. Architects are here not o nly to serve the rich but more importantly to help the poor. This could be a win-win situation for everyone involved, and it could also provide a leading example for the rest of the world to learn from. By doing so, China will not only help foster and develop a brand new industry based upon the green building technology thus generating new jobs; but it will also gain the respect of the international community.(James Jao is a certified Foreign Expert by the State Council on plannin g and economic development. All views expressed herein are of his.) 文章来源：/123539353.html中国应大力发展绿色建筑产业由杰姆斯乔世界各地的建筑物，通常采用三个心理和/或方法。