People

Realty czar leads fight

By Si Tingting (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-09 07:57

COPENHAGEN: Unlike most of us who try to understand climate change issues through the media, Wang Shi looks for traces of global warming when climbing the world's highest peaks.

From 1997 until now, Wang, a mountain climbing enthusiast and the head of one of the most well known real estate developers in China, has made it to the top of the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, seven times.

He said he could clearly see that the snowline was receding each time he went back up there.

"To sustain my adventurous lifestyle, it is imperative that I do something about global warming," he said.

As the head of Vanke Co, China's largest real estate developer, Wang Shi perhaps has a better understanding of climate change than most others. According to him, 70 percent of the world's illegal lumber is sent to China and nearly 70 percent of it is used in construction projects.

"At least I can do my bit to reduce the use of wood in our construction process," he said, adding that the illegal logging of rainforest was a big contributor to global warming.

In addition, Wang said he would also increase the use of renewable energy in the residential community he develops.

Vanke's new headquarters has made wide use of solar panels, which can contribute 15 percent to the building's total energy consumption. Wang is now pushing for the adoption of solar, wind and bio-fuel facilities in other new building projects.

"By 2013, we may have a renewable energy generation capacity of 10 million kwh," he said.

However, Wang said the wide adoption of renewable energy facilities in residential areas was not cost-effective in China. "When we retrofit buildings in China, the expensive solutions, like renewable energy and double layer glass windows, might not be the best," he said.

Some easier and cheaper alternatives, such as making the building walls a little bit thicker and making the windows and doors fit better into the wall, can achieve the same result, he said. Both these initiatives can keep the room warm in winter and cool in summer.

"It won't cost much, but it works well and, more importantly, it will improve the quality of the building," he said.

Wang Shi is now in Copenhagen on behalf of a bunch of successful business entrepreneurs in China to voice the industry's commitment to carbon emission reduction. He is also closely monitoring what the Chinese government will pledge to subsidize green projects.

The billionaire has rented a bicycle to commute between his hotel and the conference venue.

(China Daily 12/09/2009 page7)