The Inner Mongolia autonomous region’s first Leadership in Energy Environmental Design (LEED) winner was inaugurated on May 26, marking international recognition of the autonomous region’s efforts in developing green construction. The award will also serve as a driving force for green construction on a large scale.

The office building of the Inner Mongolia Hesheng Eco-Technology Research Institute, the LEED winner, is a complex integrating a tree research base, a visiting spot and an office area. The building includes effective energy solutions such as inductive lights to decrease lighting density in the office building, coating technology to optimize the shading coefficient of the glass and a high reflective roof to reduce the heat island effect.

Moreover, the building uses ground source heat, solar photovoltaics and wind energy to cut consumption of energy and water.

The project was designed to be a “sustainable and green building” by referring to the LEED’s standards in the early stage of its design.

It was rewarded with the LEED certification after one year of design and construction, as well as follow-up systematic testing.

Inner Mongolia plans to build 15 million square meters of green building by the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), including the new building and re-constructed and expanded buildings. By then, the green construction will account for 20 percent of new civil construction in the region.

An initiative of LEED is an evaluation for green construction. It was put forward by the US Green Building Council. It is recognized as the most authoritative third-party certification regarding green construction.

Edited by Liu Yufen and Michael Thai