(CFP Photo)

The 2023 Jiangsu Green & Low-carbon Building International Expo opened in Nanjing on October 10, attracting over 100 domestic and foreign enterprises to showcase advancements in energy-efficient buildings, eco-friendly practices, and sustainability technologies.

The expo came as the province increasingly applies new technologies to empower green development in both urban and rural areas. By the end of 2022, 99% of new buildings in the province were rated as green, leading the country in overall green building scale.

More than 53% of the exhibitors specialized in new energy, new materials, digitalization and intelligent manufacturing. Notable displays included a photovoltaic module developed by the Urban Planning & Design Institute Co Ltd of Southeast University and new products from SmartHeat.

The expo also highlighted Xidong New Town in Wuxi City and the High-speed Rail New Town in Suzhou City, both included in the national pilot program for carbon-neutral construction. The two areas, each covering over two square kilometers, aim to peak their carbon emissions in construction by 2028.

In terms of current initiatives, Xidong is promoting the construction of high-quality low-carbon projects. Plans include having 66% of new buildings to attain a 3-star green building rating and achieving ultra-low energy consumption in 23% of floor areas.

Co-hosted by the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Jiangsu Province and the Jiangsu Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Jiangsu), the event also included discussions among experts and scholars.

“The architectural design should also learn from China’s traditional architecture, which provides insights for low-carbon buildings,” said Liu Jiaping, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and vice president of the Architectural Society of China.

"All buildings will eventually go green," he added.