New green building generates own electric power

One of China's first buildings utilizing innovative photovoltaic film coverings on the surface of its windows recently opened in Beijing's Future Science City.

The film can generate electricity as well as absorb heat, and so can reduce the electricity running costs of the building.

The building, designed by China Energy, is expected to generate 75,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, said Jiang Kai, deputy director of a green energy and building research center at China Energy.

"It is the first BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaics) center of such a scale in China," Jiang said.

Similar innovative projects have been coming out of Future Science City as a result of its continuous effort to optimize the local business environment.

Since its establishment in 2009, Future Science City has gradually established full-cycle industrial support covering a whole range of areas including attracting industrial investment to industrial services.

Energy Valley, a key project serving the energy industry, has attracted 330 new energy enterprises.

With 46 national-level and key municipal-level laboratories and engineering technology centers and 20 collaborative innovation platforms, Future Science City is home to more than 9,000 energy research professionals.

Huairou Science City, another science-focused development area, launched China's first Earth-system numerical simulation facility on June 23, which will use a virtual laboratory to simulate climate, environmental, ecological, Earth and space weather systems, and to predict and mitigate natural weather disasters.

As a major research project under the framework of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), it integrates the scientific research of seven subsystem models covering atmosphere, ocean, land surface, vegetation ecology, atmospheric chemistry, marine biochemistry and terrestrial biochemistry.

The launch of the device is a milestone achievement for Huairou Science City, and also a symbol of its transformation from its construction stage to operation as a comprehensive national-level scientific center, according to officials.

So far, more than 10 research and development platforms initiated during the 12th Five-Year Plan period have been put into use.

A total of 27 of the 29 science facility platforms planned during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) have completed their main structures.