A country of over 1 billion people, China is often at the heart of extensive infrastructure improvements and construction.
But with the building industry in China booming, many may be asking the question – can this pace of development be sustainable?
According to Broad Group – a company that specialises in a range of different technologies including air conditioning and sustainable building – protecting the environment should be a priority.
The enterprises' founder and chairman, Zhang Yue, recently spoke to Reuters in an exclusive interview about the importance of sustainable development in the construction industry.
"There is an urgent need for construction security, especially energy-saving in construction, and this touches on conserving materials," he said.
This is in line with China's goal to have green buildings account for 30 per cent of new construction projects by 2020 – an objective that was announced earlier this month by the ministry of finance and the ministry of housing and urban-rural development.
Wang Youwei, deputy head of the China Association of Building Energy Efficiency, commented on the new strategy.
"The document indicates that the country's green construction sector is moving into a fast development phase, and shows the government's resolve to speed up energy-saving and emission-reduction efforts," he said.