scene of the signing ceremony

layout of the renovation project of old factories

The Italy Environment, Land and Sea Ministry announced today that they will provide 850,000 euros (US$1.33 million) to old factory renovation projects in Expo 2010'a Urban Best Practices Area.

It is the first time that a foreign government body has donated fund to Shanghai Expo.

The 850,000-euro fund will be used in renovating 500-square-meters of old factories into exhibition halls in the UBPA and for new public facilities, said Massimo Martinelli, special advisor of the Italian ministry, at the press conference today.

Shanghai Expo organizers have chosen more than 55 projects in the 15-hectare UBPA, offering a stage for cities around the world to propose solutions to urban issues from different perspectives.

The ministry also promised to shoulder part of the design fees for building another exhibition hall in the area and will consider donating more if the expenses for renovation projects are beyond budget.

The organizers set four groups of 34,000-square-meter factories for the UBPA exhibition. Italy will be in charge of one of them. Two others go to Tongji University, and the other will be renovated by a Japanese company, said Bai Wenhua, chairman of Shanghai World Expo Land Holding Co Ltd.

"The Expo organizers will make full use of these factories," said Huang Jianzhi, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination. "The renovation plans have been decided and the construction will start in June."

The Italian design team also presented its concept and model for the renovated factories. The plan presents "a comparison between old and new."

Italy is the leading country in eco-building and energy-efficient technologies, Martinelli said.

All the materials for the pavilions will be environmentally friendly and apply cutting edge technology. The structure for the newly built pavilion could be disassembled after the Expo and be used in building other structures, Martinelli added.