QINGDAO has constructed two eco-friendly residential buildings in its countryside as models for energy-saving buildings.

    Located in Hongcaoling Village in Jiaonan City, the two buildings were built with straw bricks.

    Abundant in resources, the straw bricks are cheap and have better performance in heat preservation, said Shan Suxin, vice director of Qingdao’s energy-saving building reconstruction office. In addition, the use of light straw bricks can reduce the use of cement and reinforced steel bars, and can also reduce the pollution caused by burning straws, Shan said.

    Solar panels covering an area of 3.08 square meters were installed on the roofs of the buildings, providing power for heating, boiling water and electricity.

    The solar panels can generate more than 40 kilowatt hours of electricity each day under sound weather conditions, which is enough to meet the buildings’ power demand in the day time.

    The waste water from toilets is directed into a methane pool in the northwest of the buildings, generating methane after ferment.

    The methane is then directed into the buildings’ kitchens.

    Qingdao is encouraging the construction of more eco-friendly residential buildings in the countryside.(Li Hao, Cui Wu)