Inspire Designers at China’s Leading Designer Network

By: Lance Tao

Communications Manager, Canada Wood Group

On September 24, Canada Wood China worked together with the Embassy of Canada in Beijing to participate in the 4th Design China Beijing expo and host a sub-forum titled “Sustainable Buildings – a Pathway to Carbon Neutrality”. This event was organized in partnership with Green Connections, a non-profit cross-disciplinary sustainable design and development industry group that works as a part of Design China.

Francis Huot, Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Canada in China giving opening remarks

We invited experts including leading architects and engineers from home and abroad to address the necessity of green design to cope with environmental changes and a low-carbon future. The speakers shared important strategic thinking on the sustainable development of the green design industry and discussed the future trends and market potential for the sustainable development of the global green design industry.

Xu Zhigang, Deputy Chief Engineer of China Human Settlements Engineering & Materials Institute, emphasized the importance of prefabricated timber structures for rural public welfare projects.

With opening remarks delivered by Francis Huot, Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner of the Embassy of Canada in China, and Jim Wang, Senior Director of Business Development of Canada Wood China, six experts shared views on panel discussing future-oriented urban design, smart building solutions, and methods of decarbonizing buildings in various stages such as raw material extraction, design, modular processing, installation, building operation and maintenance. Panellists included Lily Sun, Director of Business Development of Canada Wood China; Huang Boren, Senior Associate of Smart Places of WSP; Zhu Weiwei, Founder of Shanghai Green Architects; Wang Ruiqun, Partner of Yuangou Architects & Consultants; Xu Zhigang, Deputy Chief Engineer of China Human Settlements Engineering & Materials Institute; and Zhao Jianmin, Senior Engineer of Delta Controls Canada.

Panel discussion on the topic “Sustainable Buildings – a Pathway to Carbon Neutrality”

Canada Wood China also shared exhibition space at the event, where the team featured the wood-frame construction demo projects along with information on the programs available in China. Being Canada Wood China’s first collaboration with Design China, this new platform offers the chance to promote wood applications to a new audience. Many of the participants were unfamiliar with the advantages of designing with wood, so the sub-forum provided a great opportunity for architects and designers in industrialized construction as well as furniture manufacturing sectors to learn more about the benefits of wood materials and spark new interests to design with wood in the future.

ABOUT DESIGN CHINA BEIJING – ASIA’S LEADING DESIGN EVENTS

Design Shanghai, Design China Beijing and Design Shenzhen create Asia’s largest network of annual design shows with an annual circuit of events in China. Attracting leading international and Chinese manufacturers, design-led brands, global industry leaders, architects, interior designers and design enthusiasts, the shows also aim to bring cultural programming to each city.

ABOUT GREEN CONNECTIONS

Green Connections is a cross-disciplinary design industry leadership under the Design China Beijing platform, with a vision to bring together leaders in various sustainable design and innovation realms. Through workshops, exhibits and collaborative projects, Green Connections community is always dedicated in sharing the most cutting-edge sustainable design trends and ideas, and in searching for the best sustainable practices in future design.