A shanghai-designed concept house will be built inside the World Expo zone to exhibit the use of green and energy-saving techniques to build apartments that better fit the local climate.

The residential building to be demonstrated at the 2010 World Expo is named Shanghai Eco-Home.

Shanghai Xiandai Architectural Design Group, the government-authorized operator of the project, said on Monday that construction will begin in September and finish in October 2009.

Shanghai Eco-Home will be one of the four examples of residential buildings of advanced ecological designs at the Expo. The other three buildings will come from British, Swedish and Spanish architects to showcase their achievements in producing green and energy-saving houses that fit their climates.

The complex of four model ecological buildings will be set up in the Expo Zone on the west bank of the Huangpu River.

The Shanghai building will cover a total area of 3,225 square meters and include several apartments.

"About 70 percent of the design will base on matured technologies and materials featuring ecological architecture, while 30 percent will involve some pioneering techniques in this field," said Yang Ming, chief architect of the project.

The project will cost at least 35 million yuan (US$5.12 million).

(Shanghai Daily July 29, 2008)