Home / Environment / News Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
'Grass House' highlights environmental concern
Adjust font size:

A cube-shaped building coated with a brushy, green layer of real grass emerged recently as the Olympic Exhibition Hall for China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China's Largest Oil Producer, near the Olympic Park in northern Beijing, the Beijing Evening News reports.

This photo, published on July 7, shows the CNPC 'grass house' near the Olympic Park in northern Beijing. [Photo: Beijing Evening News]

This photo, published on July 7, shows the CNPC "grass house" near the Olympic Park in northern Beijing. [Photo: Beijing Evening News]

"The 'grass house' is the first architecture in the world that adopts a "full scale" dimensional grass canopy decoration and will serve as the venue for an exhibition in August heralding CNPC's achievement in the field of environmental protection," said Mao Yu, who is in charge of its construction program.

The hall is 50 meters long, 20 meters wide and 10 meters high. It is covered by 2,400 pieces of grass canopy measuring one square meter.

"Now there are gaps between each green square, but it will grow into a perfect condition in a matter of weeks," Xu Yang, a field manager at the construction site told reporters.

Mao said the grass plantation is nurtured with pesticides to resist insects and high temperature. Workers water the grass twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

Despite not being fitted with air-conditioning systems, the "grass house" can do a decent job keeping visitors cool. "The temperature inside the 'grass house' is an average of 10 centigrade lower than it is outside," said Liu Chuang, who is in charge of the exhibition hall.

Besides echoing the "Green Olympic" theme, the "grass house" also excels in saving energy with its natural cooling ability. "On gross calculation, electricity for the hall will only cost us 150,000 yuan during the exhibition, less than one-tenth the money compared with other buildings." said Liu.

"In the night, with the illumination lights, the architecture is like flowing oil. It is so beautiful!" A constructor said.

The "grass house" will be demolished in September.

(CRI July 8, 2008)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous

China Archives
Related >>
- Latest developments on 'Green Olympics'
- Capital bans high-emission vehicles
- Sky gets bluer in Beijing as pollution controls pay off
- Beijingers see air quality improving
- Beijing adds new forest park for Olympic games
Most Viewed >>
- Panda couple's happy life at new home
- Mt. Sanqingshan added to World Heritage List
- First major emissions drop reported
- Quake damage to the Wolong Nature Reserve
- US$290 million proposed to rebuild panda reserve
Air Quality 
Cities Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter I
Guangzhou particulate matter I
Chongqing particulate matter II
Xi'an particulate matter II
NGO Events Calendar Tips
- Environmental English Training (EET) class
- Hand in hand to protect endangered animals and plants
- Changchun, Mini-marathon Aimed at Protecting Siberian Tiger
- Water Walk by Nature University
- Green Earth Documentary Salon
More
Archives
Sichuan Earthquake

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Sichuan Province at 2:28 PM on May 12.

Panda Facts
A record 28 panda cubs born via artificial insemination have survived in 2006.
South China Karst
Rich and unique karst landforms located in south China display exceptional natural beauty.
Saving the Tibetan Antelopes
The rare animals survive in the harsh natural environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
More
Laws & Regulations
- Forestry Law of the People's Republic of China
- Meteorology Law of the People's Republic of China
- Fire Control Law of the People's Republic of China
- Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters
- Law of the People's Republic of China on Conserving Energy
More
Links:
State Environmental Protection Administration
Ministry of Water Resources
Ministry of Land and Resources
China Environmental Industry Network
Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base