Speed construction demonstrated in Beijing

Three storeys, nine apartment units, 8,352 sq. feet and in just 60 hours. Green Home Canada was built at the Beijing International Convention Centre between 24 March 24 and the evening of 27 March to demonstrate the speed, ease and environmental benefits of modular wood construction at the Beijing Green Building Show.

B.C. Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Minister Pat Bell was in Beijing to drive the last nail on the project, which was sponsored by the B.C. and Canadian government. The project cost $200,000 - including $100,000 in lumber donated by the two governments, Bell said. The objective is to break into the massive walk-up apartment market in northern China.

China builds up to seven million housing units of walk-up apartments per year. And in its last five-year plan, the Chinese government pledged to build 10 million affordable housing units in 2011.

China is also seeking to curb its greenhouse gas emissions, Bell said, which is good news for B.C. wood producers. “To build it in concrete would have released 50 tonnes of carbon (dioxide),” Bell said. “I continue to believe the opportunity around modular or prefabricated housing is substantial.”

China is B.C.’s second-largest export market for lumber. In January B.C. shipped 246 million board feet of lumber to China - more than double the amount for January, 2010.