China Unveils World’s Largest Solar Building

The building pictured above  is probably the largest solar building  in the world. Shaped to resemble a sundial,  it was  recently completed and opened in the city of Dezhou, Shandong Province in China. The 75,000 square meter (that’s a whopping 807,293 square ft) building, not only houses offices, but also contains exhibition centers, meeting rooms, business and scientific research  facilities and, as if that weren’t enough, a luxury hotel.

95% of the building’s energy needs will be met by the solar panels that fan out across the semi-circular exterior. In addition, green technology has been used throughout so that the Sundial (as the building has been dubbed) will operate with about 30% more energy efficiency than the national standard. The striking structure will serve as the central venue for the 4th World Solar Cities Conference, to be held in September of 2010.  It’s extraordinary profile and cutting edge, symbolic design have already made it a local as well a a national and international landmark.

According to the website China.org:

“The design of the building is based on the sun dial and underlines the urgency of seeking renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels. The design also features the Chinese characters for sun “日” and moon “月”, and the color white predominates, symbolizing clean energy.”

Dezhou, The Solar City

Dezhou, a city of 5.5 million, is known as China’s ” solar valley”.  More solar water heaters are made here than anywhere else in the world– and most city residents have one. More importantly, Dezhus’s increased production has been instrumental in bringing down the price of solar water heaters  worldwide– thus providing an enormous boost to the global green movement. The city is a world leader in solar panel manufacture as well. Two major international solar corporations are headquartered there. Estimates are that through the use of solar water heaters and solar energy, the residents of Dezhou have reduced their carbon emissions by over 50% in the last several years.

What more fitting place to unveil the world’s largest solar building than in Dezhou, where it will serve as a lasting reminder of the enormous contribution local people are making to greening their nation and the world?