The Green Intelligent Building Expo kicked off at the National Convention and Exhibition Center in North China’s Tianjin on Thursday. Photo: Courtesy of China Construction Science and Technology Group Co

The first Green Intelligent Building Expo kicked off on Thursday at the National Convention and Exhibition Center, in North China's Tianjin, with the participation of about 500 enterprises.

The National Convention & Exhibition Center is a world-leading complex featuring green and intelligent technologies that support displays, conferences, retail and office areas, and hospitality services. It is the third largest exhibition center in China after the venues in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Liao Guoxun, Mayor of Tianjin, said the first exhibition focuses on the green development of architecture towards the goal of achieving the national carbon neutrality target by 2050.

Liao said the exhibition center is a flagship project in Tianjin's implementation of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and would help promote its opening-up. 

Ren Hongbin, Assistant Minister of Commerce, said the expo is the first comprehensive exhibition in the country's architecture and construction sector, adding that the event facilitates the exploration of opportunities for participating businesses to help in the reduction of carbon emissions.

Experts attending the expo said zero-emission buildings and low-carbon cities would be a key aspect in China's carbon-reduction programs. The construction industry is looking for new developments and a transition to a new type of industrialization that relies on intelligent systems and green concepts. 

Li Congxiao, Deputy General Manager of the China Construction Science and Technology Group Co, told the Global Times that green construction should be key for this industry to achieve China's carbon reduction targets.

The construction industry contributes to roughly 40 percent of total carbon emission, Li said, adding that "the construction process creates huge amounts of emissions and should be improved. More environmentally friendly construction materials should be further prompted, and design and construction of a building should be more integrated with low-carbon approach in mind."

The National Convention and Exhibition Center was built by the China State Construction Engineering Corp, the largest construction company in the world by revenue.