China to save energy in "Green" Hall of the People

BEIJING, Jun 17 (Reuters) China's Great Hall of the People is slated for renovation to make the Soviet-era behemoth that is home to the country's parliament more energy-efficient, local media reported today.

The renovation work would take three to five years and was aimed at reducing energy consumption by 20 per cent in the four-storey building that covers roughly four football pitches.

''Presently, we are asking experts to begin appraisals, including for air-conditioning, the use of lamps and fire hoses,'' the Beijing Daily quoted Kong Xiangyi, one of the officials in charge of the building, as saying.

The renovation of the building, which has loomed over Tiananmen Square since it was built in 1959 to mark the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic, is part of a nationwide drive to curb energy use.

China, the world's second-largest energy consumer, aims to quadruple GDP by 2020 while only doubling energy consumption, amid worries about reliance on imported oil and polluting coal.

With half of the world's new buildings built in China every year, energy-efficient construction is a key battleground.

REUTERS SHB HT1437