Tag Archives: Shanghai

Mar 19 2011

Shanghai – Day 3

Having made the mistake of the train on the first day of the conference I am attending to reach the Ever-Rich Hotel, yesterday I grabbed a cab – just less than £10 for 26km! And door to door!

The French Concession Boutique Shop

It was my day to speak at the Conference I am attending; my subject was “Do Green Buildings attract a premium price“. It could be a short talk when you answer “No.” But I thought I had better explain… I will spare you the technicalities – but the market seems to be applying a slight discount to ‘green’ buildings at the moment. I tried to explain as best I could as to why this was happening. I am hoping it didn’t get lost in translation. I did get quizzed on my assumptions! It may have been a controversial-ish subject at a ‘green’ conference!

I enjoyed some of the other speakers too. I was really interested in some of the work Hyder are doing out in China – they ‘master-plan’ Cities. I mentioned in my last blog that 400 new Cities are being built. This must be fascinating work to start a City from scratch! But perhaps the most fascinating talk was from the Chairman of The Cross Flow Energy Company – they have designed a new wind turbine and are in the final throes of getting the development completed. It will bring a new look to wind farms!

The conference closed and I departed Jiading – back into Shanghai.

After dropping all of the brochures and business cards at my Hotel, I went in search of Starbucks (!) and then headed into the French Concession – a totally different part of Shanghai. It reminds me of the East Village in New York. As the light faded I decided this was not the place to hang around! A Taxi took me back to the sanctity of the Hotel and so ended my third day in Shanghai.

I have one more day left to explore this mad place…

Mar 18 2011

Shanghai – mini update – photo of the day!

John Lyle's doggies daddy

My mate John Lyles has got a new little Puppy dog. He reckons it’s for his kids, but I know better than that. And I may have seen the father to the new puppy.

Sometimes a picture speaks a thousand words. Or more. And sometimes there are no words you can use to help. Like here. Apart from the fact that this is Shanghai – a mad mad place…

Woof.

PS No photoshop was used in harming this poor animal.

Mar 18 2011

Shanghai – Day 2

It’s a strage sensation being in a completely different time zone as you very easily lose track of time. It was my second day yesterday – and the first day of the conference I am attending.

The Conference Hotel (The Universal Ever Rich Hotel) is quite a hike from my Hotel in Central Shanghai, and was a challenge at 8.00am. The subway cost me 45p – but dumped me rather unceremoniously in the middle of Jiading. I was offered a ‘ride’ on a moped which I declined. I eventually found a taxi, but there were a few anxious moments!

The conference was really interesting – it does require a high level of concentration – especially for the translators. They are impressive. The morning session highlight was the talk about Jiading – it is one of the growth suburbs and the masterplan is now set – and the building has started. It is home to the Shanghai Grand Prix circuit – but will also be home to a few million Chinese residents by 2012. As I mentioned yesterday the cranes punctuate the skyline – it is reckoned that one quarter of the world’s cranes are in and around Shaghai.

Places like Jiading are required to satisfy the moving population – it is estimated that around 15m move each year from the Country to the City. Which is why 400 new Cities are being built…

The afternoon session was a lively affair – as we split into groups for workshop sessions. Although there is a green agenda here I sometimes wonder if there is a little ‘lip service’ being paid. There is a rush to get buildings up. This is Country with an average GDP growth rate of 10% pa for the last 10 years. They think nothing of putting buildings up that are 2 or 3 million square feet. (Meadowhall at Sheffield is around 1m square feet in context)

The pace of change makes long term plans almost irrelevant. One comment that came out of the day was that they would clear a Quarter in 24 hours. So they just rid an area of en entire district – such is the speed of change.

China remains the largest producer of CO2, so they do need to address this particular issue!

So today is my turn – I am speaking about the ‘black art of valuation’…

Mar 16 2011

Shanghai – day one

I am glad it is a non-stop flight, but it is still a long time in the air – 11 hours. We were assisted by a 180mph tail- wind for much of the way.

Count the tower cranes game!

Sleeping on planes has never been a strong point – and last night was no exception. Three films didn’t really help either!

Our hosts in Shanghai kindly put on an airport transfer – but this deprived me of a ‘go’ on the fantastic maglev I went on last year. They also took us out to the Hotel where the conference I am attending is to be held. It is some way out of town – but this gave me an opportunity to see the vastness of this place.

One of the measures back home of the prosperity of a City is to count the number of tower cranes. Nottingham at the moment has a handful (I am desperately trying to count them in my head – but it has been a long night!) What I do know is that Shanghai wins in that particular competition – I counted 10 – in one housing development! Next to that were another 10 and so on!

The pace of development here is breathtaking.

I met up with Saffa Riffat from Nottingham University – who has now asked me to speak at the Conference I was just attending. So I shall need to write a talk in the next 36 hours! As the saying goes ‘no pressure’!

But for the meantime, I am back in my own hotel in the centre of Shanghai – unpacking and blogging (there must be a term for that?). I need to catch up on some sleep as I have been awake for nearly 23 hours…. I mustn’t overdo the sleep thing though because I need to fool my body into Shanghai time (8 hours ahead of the UK)….

Mar 15 2011

Shanghai China – my second visit

Today I leave the UK again -for the third time in a month – and this time I go East… to China. It’s my second visit to Shanghai. I was last there six months ago visting the Expo and attending some University of Nottingham events.

You could go by Prius, but it takes a little too long?

I stayed in Pudong last time – East of the Huangpujiang River. But this time I am staying in the heart of Shanghai on the West Nanjing Road.

This trip is also with the University of Nottingham. It’s a shorter trip than last time – principally to attend a conference on Sustainability on Thursday and Friday in Shanghai. I am looking forward to the event – it has a mix of UK based firms and Chinese Companies – some of who are developers, others manufacturers of ‘green technology’. Although I am interested in some of the technologies I am really keen to learn about some of the design elements. I hope that we are going to see how the technology is being integrated into new buildings at the start.

But I am also working on the research I have mentioned here – I am hoping to get some time to write up some of the details of the 12 hour plane trip! This is the worse part of the trip. And that Shanghai is 8 hours ahead of the UK – so it ‘takes’ 20 hours to get there – but only 4 to get back!

I am also keeping a diary this week for the Nottingham Evening Post – for publication next week. I guess they don’t want to follow someones ‘normal’ week of “I went to a meeting” ad nauseum?

But despite all of this ‘green’ interest and learnings my carbon footprint isn’t looking too good either this year – especially having racked up 22,500 miles in the last month. I will plant a tree I think on my return – remind me!

I will try to blog from China, but sometimes my wordpress account gets blocked…

Mar 14 2011

The end of an era – a Moleskine filled!

I have been a fan of Moleskine Notebooks for the last few years.

old and new Moleskine

I have settled on the “Carnet Quadrille” 8 1/4″ x 5″ model. Black variety – 240 pages. They last me around 12 months – and contain my ‘contemporaneous’ notes of my working life. Phone Calls made and received, to do lists, sketches of buildings, survey notes, lists, ideas, mind maps and general reminders. The book becomes your right hand pal after a while!

My biggest problem with the books is that the spine eventually falls apart – especially as it gets thrown around. So a couple of months ago I managed to source from America a leather cover. It has been brilliant – and has provided protection. I bought the molecover here. I couldn’t find one in the UK.

My last Moleskine (perhaps my 6th?) is full. Well, nearly full – there’s about 10 pages left. I hate this part – it’s like deciding when to jump ship. The books contain so much information that I find it difficult to part company – but the pages fill inevitably so I do need to jump. But should I travel to Shanghai with it this week – and have all that lovely information to hand – or should I start afresh?

I do need to transfer some information – but how much? The last week? A fresh to-do list? Some phone numbers (or shall I just put them in my phone?). What about those key data sets I carry (number of properties we manage etc.)

I think I am going to have to start the new book before I go, but it is a big move! I am yet to find an electronic replacement, but for now the Moleskine and my pen remain…

Feb 8 2011

Shanghai 2011

For the second time in a six months I will be in Shanghai, China. I have been invited by The University of Nottingham to attend a conference and workshop on Low Carbon Innovations. This event is being organised jointly by The University and The Chengxin Eco-integration Company.

The Bund - Shanghai

I met the Chengxin Group when I was at the China Expo last year.

My visit this time is relatively short – just four nights, with two days at the Conference and Workshop. I think I might try to work on UK time!

Stephen George International are working in Shanghai – in a deal forged at the last conference, but signed back here in Nottingham. I met with the guys from this practice at The Expo last year. It was good to hear of a UK company winning fee paying work from the Expo visit.

This latest exhibition is to bring together UK and Chinese companies to discuss new business opportunities on low carbon industry/building projects. As this new technology develops we are getting more involved in this arena.

There will be discussions on a wide range of topics including sustainable construction, building materials, low carbon technologies, architecture environmental design, energy management, smart grid, building information systems, water saving, water treatment, noise control, waste management, CHP, renewable energy, HVAC systems, energy saving devices and waste heat recovery systems.

I am looking forward to going back to this mad place – I thoroughly enjoyed my last visit. Partly because of the Expo, but partly for the trip I had to Ningbo. This time, it will be much more business focussed. I am looking forward to learning something at the two day conference, but also to the challenges of trying to win business…

There are huge opportunities in China, both to help them as they grow their economy, but also as they start to invest in our economy. We have already seen some of that investment in Nottingham. Hopefully we can capitalise on this – and bring some more!

Jan 5 2011

The highlights of 2010

I’m not a great fan of looking back – but after my blog post yesterday I perhaps I ought, so for fun here’s my very own highlights of 2010…

The China Expo Guards!

1. Favourite Building – The UK Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo. Just utterly brilliant. Will remain with me for some time to come. The Expo was a great experience generally (as was the trip to Ningbo) and for once the UK didn’t embarrass us – which it could have easily done!

2. Favourite Album – Always a difficult one, but judging by the number of plays on itunes, it looks like The Coral’s Butterfly House. I have played it to death, and it is only in the last few weeks I have replaced it with The Promise from Springsteen.

3. Best Gig – A very tough one, as The Isle of Wight always features highly, but I think from re-living memories of the late 1970′s I think it may have been The Stranglers at Rock City. Just brilliant and music from my formative years. And followed very closely by Squeeze at The Nottingham Concert Hall.

4. Proudest Moment(s) – being asked by my little girl’s (now) fiance if he could marry my daughter Jade. I felt very proud – but old… I said yes! The Wedding is planned for August 2011. I am going to be broke. But also Jak, my youngest passing his test was a high point too. And Adam appearing in a film – hopefully hitting the silver screen in 2011 will be good!

5. Best Corporate Event – Our Little Britain 2010 yacht race. You might recall we came second (to last) but we have a great time. There is no better place than the Isle of Wight to race yachts. Great fun and great company.

6. Best Gadget – Another tough one – and choice between my Apple ipad and the Panasonic GF1 camera with 20mm lens. Both deserve a mention and I’m not sure I can pick. If I was forced … no, I can’t choose!

7. Funniest TV – without a doubt The Inbetweeners. Brilliantly written and superbly executed. Cringeworthy throughout which makes it very funny.

8. Funniest Live show – Eddie “never put a sock in a toaster” Izzard. Full stop. Funny @ full bore.

Dec 1 2010

The future of the City?

Some recent research suggest that the human species is on the move – towards the City. More so than ever before in our history.

New York skyline

It is estimated that by 2040 some 65% of the population of the World will live in an urban area. In itself this is quite a shift – but add to the mix an estimated increase in population in the same period from the current 6.9bn to 8.8bn. As a direct result of this the population living in slums in our Cities around the World by 2040 is expected to increase from the present 1bn to 2bn.

And if you thought we had spotted a tend already think again. Many people have never heard of Chongqing in China. It sits on Yangtze River. The population is estimated to be 32m – in reality no one really knows because the edges of the urbanisation have begun to blur. But in context Greater London is supposed to be around 21m, New York Tri-State 22m.

Clearly this poses some important questions for our Cities. What will they look like? How will they function? How will they be sustainable (in the widest sense of the word).

When I was in Shanghai back in the warm August sun I was amazed at the size of Shanghai – it took us around 45 minutes on a reasonably fast carriageway to reach the outer limits of the City.

Clearly transportation is going to be key in these mega-Cities. Paradoxically New York is one of the most efficient urbanisation’s for transport – LA is one of the worst – the urban sprawl hinders it.

Energy is also going to be a big deal – a huge amount is going to be needed to keep the Cities alight – imagine all those light bulbs needed.

What is clear is that we are going to have to think very carefully about the infrastructure that makes our home places tick.

The tricky balance of social, economic and environmental pressures are going to be the real challenge for us as we stride forward…

Nov 28 2010

When buildings go wrong…

My good friends at The University of Nottingham’s Architecture Department were really impressed with some of the buildings we saw in Shanghai. I met them in China on my trip back in August. But they were less so with this one…

oops....

It seems that someone (who has no doubt run off) decided to build a car park adjacent this block of apartments. When they dug down they placed the spoil from the digging around the other side of the building. This somewhat spoiled the balance of things and the building just toppled over. Fortunately there were no buildings adjacent (which is unusual in China!) so it didn’t hit anything.

There could have so easily been a domino effect.

Apparently one person died when the building toppled, but it looks as though the building wasn’t quite finished. It is amazing that so much of it is still intact – notably the glass in the windows. You really do have to double take when you fist see the photograph.

I should imagine that the equivalent of the Health & Safety Executive might have had something to say. The only thing I wonder about is whether they have guns? I think they might decide on “fault” and ask questions later…

We were wondering in the office if you could just prop it back up? A bit of pointing of those cracks and all should look as good as new? Alternatively leave it as it is – and regard it as a giant bungalow – there won’t be much need for the lifts?