A 'green' building rises amid Beijing smog.

Finally, the Chinese are not just talking 'green'. Sounds encouraging, a step in the right direction.
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A 'green' building rises amid Beijing smog.
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The new structure is China's first to pass the stringent, globally recognized LEED certification.
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BEIJING - The gray eight-story squeezed into a row of sedate official buildings seems innocuous. But from its radically efficient basement generator to the light volcanic ash soil on the garden roof deck, this is one of the cleanest and most energy efficient structures in China.

In a country both energy-starved and cash-conscious, the new ministry of science building is a small wonder. It uses 70 percent less energy than similar federal buildings, and saves 10,000 tons of water a year through rainwater collection. Wise use of quality materials inside a simple, plain design also make it far cheaper to build and maintain than comparable Beijing buildings.
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On March 7, as part of the newest five-year plan, the construction ministry issued a new edict requiring that by June all new construction be 50 percent more energy efficient.
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http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0403/p07s02-woap.html