Three storeys, nine apartment units, 8,352 sq. feet and all in only 60 hours.
Green Home Canada was built at the Beijing International Convention Centre between March 24 and the evening of March 27 to demonstrate the speed, ease and environmental benefits of modular wood construction at the Beijing Green Building Show.
The seventh annual show started on Monday and runs until Wednesday, demonstrating environmentally-friendly building practices.
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.
"This building was assembled in front of the Green Building Show in just 60 hours. We'd hoped for three days, 72 hours, but the builder was very efficient and had it done in just 60," Bell said. "It just dominates the landscape [at the convention centre]. I think it sent a very positive message."
One full suite of the home was finished, but the remainder of the interior was left in various stages of construction to show the construction method.
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.
Green Home Canada has the equivalent of 77 tonnes of carbon dioxide sequestered in the wood components, he said.
"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."
At the end of the Green Building Show Crownhomes will donate the building to families in need, Bell said.
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.
Green Home Canada was built by Suzhou Crownhomes Co. A timelapse video of the construction can be viewed online at www.for.gov.bc.ca/pab/media/china/2011.
