The town of Panyu is less than an hour from both Hong Kong, and Guangzhou, south China’s largest city. The town is growing rapidly as a major residential district adjacent to these two major work centres. At the Jinshan development, developers China Merchants Property Developments are building 8,000 homes along with a community centre and some retail units. Along with the developers and other design team partners, BioRegional developed an outline Sustainability Action Plan for this development.

China Merchants are leaders in green development in China already with a LEED silver building completed in 2004, and are building on this experience to achieve 65% reductions in energy demands, and 50% reduction in water demands. The strategies at Panyu Jinshan also include developing a ‘cultural street’ and space for local Cantonese Opera, and solar hot water panels on all the possible roof areas in the development. The Zero Carbon target is most challenging in the context of this project, and BioRegional is coordinating technical and commercial studies to develop a financially and technologically viable way of meeting it.

Last updated 19th February 2008