Time: One day in May, 2010

Place: Expo Shanghai Zone E Northern Simulated Urban Block

Character: "Haibao" 

When the morning sun comes up, the calm garden of Expo Shanghai heralds a new day.  

At the entrance to the Expo Shanghai Zone E Northern Simulated Urban Block, "Haibao" shakes his short hair naughtily and sets off the journey in a new day.

Residents' Room: Living a Happy Life

The place need not be very large, but it must be safe enough; it doesn't need expensive decoration, but it must be individualized enough.  However, that is far from enough, because an ideal room not only must be spacious, bright, comfortable and safe, but must be equipped with high-tech biological means and an intelligent control system, like a knowing friend accompanying you.

"Haibao" comes from Shanghai, so the first destination for the visit is certainly "Shanghai EcoHouse", the only one chosen as the urban best practice area representing Shanghai.

From the appearance, it seems that this exquisite village villa is ordinary except that the exterior windows and balconies are equipped with some red devices, which are called the "exterior sunshade system", such as the shutters outside the windows, shutter door outside the glass falling to the ground, and the bending awning outside the balconies. These devices can be opened or closed at discretion so as to prevent the sunlight, insulate the heat and lower the temperature in hot summer. In addition, the wall of the whole building is made of special material so as to preserve the temperature, insulate the heat and save energy,

"Haibao" stops the bicycle and goes into the "Shanghai EcoHouse". Upon entering the door, it gives a clear and elegant impression, without any complicated decoration or redundant furniture. With green plants dotted in wooden and cany furniture, it looks clean and tidy.

"Haibao" stops in the cortile of the first floor, where one wall is spread with blue tubes. The commentator explains that these are ground energy heat pumps that use ground heat to adjust the temperature of the whole building. In simple words, after some wells about 80 meters deep are dug around the house, U-type tubes containing liquid are put into the deep wells to bring up the underground soil temperature of 16-19℃ through the flowing of the liquid, and the hot hair is released through the blue tubes paved in the ceiling, like the central air conditioning.

The massive solar energy photothemal devices are an important energy source of the whole building, supplying power of three kilowatts per hour. This set of devices is connected to the power network of Shanghai proper. Thus, "Ecological Building" has become a small power plant, and the redundant energy may be provided to the entire network for use. A turbine-style wind power device is installed at one corner of the roof, which utilizes breeze to generate electricity.

There are hidden many ecological technical products in the "EcoHouse", for example, the "recycled water circulating system" in the toilet utilizes the collected rainwater and waste water to flush toilets for water conservation and environmental protection; "Cortile Lighting System" lets the sunlight into the room through the huge transparent glass dormer, and the opening angle can be adjusted at will, so that even the rooms facing the north can still enjoy the sunlight, and it is usually unnecessary to turn on the light in the daytime; In addition, there is a little circle hole at the corner of the wall, which is called "Central Cleaning System".  If you open the lid and connect the pipe, you can absorb the dustbin and dust directly to the terminal recycle bin of the area under negative pressure, so that the dustbin won't fall to the ground.

Ecological energy-saving means are the spirit of "EcoHouse", but "Haibao" is more interested in its "intelligent control system". This seemingly common building is full of spiritualism in fact, where the light, TV set, washing machine, air conditioning, cooker and even the curtain will provide human-centered service for you according to your instruction. For all this, you only need a computerized command platform, and wherever you are, you are only required to land on the command platform and enter the password before you direct anything in your home at your will.

On entering the dining-room, "Haibao" sees a device like a door control displaying various scenes and modes on the LCD screen, such as recreational mode, meeting mode, dining mode and sleeping mode, etc. When "Haibao" presses the "cinema model" lightly, the curtain in the meeting-room goes up slowly, the TV set is automatically turned on, and the light is adjusted to the dark color, creating an atmosphere of the cinema. How miraculous it is!

When "Haibao" goes out of the "Shanghai EcoHouse", it is attracted by a building wrapped by bamboo. This building takes its style from Madrid, Spain, and the case is called an "innovative experiment of public low-rent housing in Madrid".

In view of the hot climate of Madrid, this "bamboo-surface room" makes full use of the sunshade and airing function of the bamboo surface to control the ecological temperature effectively. "Haibao" also finds in surprise that the time and manner for opening the bamboo surface of each dwelling house is different from one another, bringing forth unexpected wonderful views full of the intensive effect of combining light and shadows.

After visiting the "bamboo-surface room", "Haibao" goes to the zero energy consumption development projects from London and the "Tango—Magic Box" EcoHouse from Malmo The former manifests how to combine a living and working space of low-level density and a comfortable environment, providing every inhabitant with opportunities to work at home. Apart from its unique style, the latter adopts various kinds of energy conservation and environmental protection opportunities. The interior space of the dwelling house can be divided and combined flexibly, so that each inhabitant may display his/her personality fully.

"How marvelous it is!" said "Haibao" in praise.

A Laborer's Place: Green Office

Under a good working environment, one will be happier and therefore the work performance will be improved. A person working is the most beautiful, and the work environment should also be the most beautiful.

"Haibao"stops in front of a perfect building, looking up into the sky.

This brand-new "24-hour Sun" Newspaper Headquarter is from Milan, Italy. It displays a "technological innovation of the buildup environment".

This building is designed by Renzo Piano, a modern international architect with a length of 160 meters and a height of 6 floors, covering a land of 28000 square meters, including the office and administrative rooms of the newspaper office, virescence landscape in the cortile, and the parking lot, as well as the equipment area, coffee bar, bar and conference center. To the south of the building there is a garden of 10000 square meters, equipped with both perpendicular virescence and roof virescence.

Based on the preservation and utilization of the original structure, the designer created new space and modern facade. There is a large central space inside the building, which created the style of combining the commercial activities, construction and nature by means of the facade, opening and inclusion of plants, penetration, and transparence.

The innovation of this building lies in its energy conservation and environmental protection. The designer adopted the sustainable design of low consumption according to the construction structure and equipment. The wall of the entire building is covered with a layer of specially-designed double-deck glass, in addition to a layer of adjustable shutters. The core technology lies in the software system that controls shutters, which may control the switch of the shutters according to such information as the temperature and weather conditions as gathered by hundreds of sensors inside or outside the room, and further control the irradiation of the sunlight in different seasons for the purpose of energy conservation.

The greatest highlight of the building is the use of a lot of recyclable materials, technology and craftwork. A lot of light, highly transparent and shake-proof filtration membrane double-deck glass is applied to the outer wall of the building. When night comes, the whole building is brilliantly lighted, like a "magic lantern".

Hearing the introduction by the commentator, "Haibao" imagines the bright nigh scene of the "24-hour Sun" Newspaper Headquarter.

When "Haibao" goes out of the "24-hour Sun" Newspaper Headquarter, its eyes are attracted by a building, of which one side is completely glass. It is a "new wearable construction projects" from Hamburg, Germany. This is a replication of the Home to Office located in Sandtorkai 64.

Bricks and glass is used in part of the outer walls of the building. The three facades are brick walls, which are warm in winter and cool in summer, and the other façade is complete glass wall, which provides enough illumination for the offices and dwelling houses without any cumulative effect. The building is retrenched in structure, and when necessary, renewable energy, solar energy, wind energy and terrestrial heat is used ad the additional energy sources for air-conditioning, heat and power supply. The central air-conditioning ventilation installation circulates the air beneficial to the human health, and it can also absorb the humidity of the air, and in addition, the energy can be exchanged and recycled though the pipeline inside the pillar. It is equipped with an outdoor solar energy device, which can regenerates electricity. The device can adjust the indoor temperature, the temperature of drinking water, as well as the heat supply and reduction in the space. It needs less quantity of power supply, owing to its water tank that gathers rainwater, no-water toilet, no-water washing system and the latest water conservation device, which play a crucial role in water conservation.

Seeing the "Water Center" of Calgary Canada, "Haibao", who is from the sea, feels very genial. "Water Sea" is a new sustainable building in Calgary. It assembles the personnel from 8 office places into one building, which reduces work costs and improves work efficiency. It is located in the center of traffic center, reducing the time going to and back from work, so is very suitable for office use. It is also designed in consideration of the cooperation and coordination between the employees, which is beneficial to the formation of the community within the building.

The innovation highlights of this building are as follows: The green management, construction temperature preservation and adjustable windows can help control and maintain the quality of the indoor air; The roof system for rainwater collection is used for virescence irrigation; The water recycling system can be used for toilet washing; It is equipped with a roof cooling system and a floor ventilation system; Recycled resources and materials are used.

"Haibao" cannot help praising that the people working are the most beautiful and the working environment here is also the most beautiful.

A Place of Rest: Understanding the Nature

Noise and bustling has become the main rhyme of modern human life. Maybe every heart of ours needs a rest place. Getting close to the nature and understanding the nature will relieve our weary hearts.

On the whole way, original and beautiful buildings come into "Haibao"s eyes one after another.

At this time, several buildings with grabbling plants come to "Haibao"s eyes, and the greenness full of the wall stirs up "Haibao". One river symbolized by means of lighted glass floor is flowing though the buildings. There is a bridge across the "river", and a Paris-style coffee bar with open-air seats by the "river water".

This is the "Plant Wall Building" from Paris, France. The world famous architect cooperated on designing the building. They applied soil-free plant research achievements to "grow" on the wall all the plants from all over the world, constructing a "perpendicular garden" full of natural atmosphere.

Not only does the Plant Wall makes the modern-style building melt into the gentle green landscape, adding natural vital force to the highly manual urban environment, bust also the perpendicular garden rich in various plants can absorb the pollutants in the urban street air, relieve the noise pollution, reduce the pollution of sunlight radiation and helps to relieve the urban thermal island effect.

When you are tired, you will feel much better at the sight of greenness.

When the sunshine after the noon becomes cruel, the "Water Curtain Solar Energy Building" from Alsace, France had begun to work silently.  

The solar energy wall from Alsace can be automatically opened and closed through the computer, equipped with solar energy thermal collector. It has double-layer sides, with the outer layer of partially opened glass curtain wall and the interior layer of perpendicular sunshade board made of heat-insular and preservation material. They can sense the temperature outside and inside the room through the central computer system so as to adjust the temperature inside the room.

The construction glass curtain wall will be cooled and wrapped by the water curtain, which is not only for aesthetic purposes, but also plays an important role in energy saving.  

Walking into the building, "Haibao" sees a miniature beer factory with an obvious production process. "Haibao" watches the production process with adequate power supplied by the solar energy collector as he drinks a cup of beer. In front of a complete process of waste water recycling, "Haibao" is very happy.

Walking out of the "water curtain solar energy building", "Haibao" sees a completely different vision: The shocking row upon row of tents is "Tent City Mina" from Mecca.

"Tent City Mina" is a unique city, displaying the best practice of urban construction and management under extreme conditions. Here, "Haibao" sees the life in a tent and gets to know the traffic of 500 thousand people per hour during rush time on Jaamala Bridge, in addition to a detailed model of the largest artificial water tank in the world.

"Haibao" thinks that the quality of tent life can also be so perfect.

"Haibao" goes a little way before he stops in front of a big character "Pawnshop". This is the hundred-year-old pawnshop "Tak Seng On" (The Virtue and Success Pawns) from Macau of China.

In 2001, the Cultural Bureau of Macau Government contributed 1.4 million Yuan to maintain the original site of "Tak Seng On", the largest pawnshop of Macau established in 1917. They restored the appearance of cultural relics, remedied the construction design and framework, and kept the instruments for pawning record and the management style of the pawnbroking profession. They also opened to the public the "Pawnbroking Exhibition Hall", added such cultural "spirits" as "Jin Yong Library" to the same building, and combined various kinds of "cultural assembly halls", which has become a main scenic spot for cultural tourism in Macau. Therefore, "Tak Seng On", which is located in the center of Macau, has restored its status as a landmark of cultural heritage in Macau.

After "Haibao" has experienced the "pawn" game and tasted the tea, he walks out of "Tak Seng On", very please.

Public Space: Free and Open

A person has the need to display himself, realize himself and communicate with others. It is every urban resident's wish to breathe air freely in open space.

Today, "Haibao" has chosen the bicycle as his transportation means for its freedom, convenience, environmental protection and Odense.

Odense is the third largest city in Denmark, and also the hometown of Andersen, a world-famous fairytale writer. "Revival of bicycles" is the real object exhibit case chosen for the best urban practice. "Haibao" likes the exhibition layout of Odense, which is exactly like the "Sun Face" in Anderson's fairy tales.

As early as the 1970's, when many other cities were wild about replacing bicycles with private cars as the urban transportation means, Odense Municipal Government had begun to build the bicycle roadway, Today, Odense has built a bicycle roadway network of more than 550 kilometers.

Odense has made outstanding achievements as expected in respect of increasing the number and proportion of bicycles in place of private cars as the transportation means and reducing bicycle traffic accidents. A series of positive effects have been obtained in respect of the improvement of public health, enhancement of urban environment and reduce exhaust emission, etc.

"Haibao" inquires the bicycle route map in the interactive internet webpage before going out. Then he rides a bicycle on the plat bicycle roadway. There are fountains for water drinking, tyre inflation stations on the way. The traffic signs allow bicycles to pass first on the crossroad, and the parking lot is safe and comfortable……

All this interests "Haibao" very much.

They daylight has gradually become dark, and "Haibao" rides the bicycle into the "Living Water Park". In this small world of water, "Haibao" feels much cooler.

The Living Water Park from Chengdu City of Sichuan Province is a park in integration of modern consciousness, oriental wisdom and Chinese garden technology, which embodies rich cultural, art and ecological significance. The Living Water Park pursues the "delicate and natural design" with the theme of water and the concept of the oriental "Combining Heaven and Man".

A flowing river goes from the south to the north. A pond with a "telesthesia" Zone is very exquisite; The pond full of lichen informs "Haibao" that water can also be frozen like this, because it is like hard rocks at one sight; The ponds full of float grass and calla and in different styles are wonderful. There are also all kinds of stone steps and stone ways, constituting a perfect arrangement.

In addition, there are romantic flowers, including purple flowers like forget-me-not, and orange flowers, as well as yellow and white flowers like butterflies. The music on the way is very relaxing and leisurely, and to "Haibao's amusement, he finds that it comes from the music box on the surface of the ground stone. 

The daylight grows darker, and the lights are lit. Another scene of the city begins to manifest a different charm.