91视频

In the midst of booming development in China, University of Oregon graduate student Hong Wu knows the country’s developers and design professionals have a lot to learn about sustainable urban growth.

It’s why Wu, who is pursuing a doctorate in landscape architecture, organized an eight-day West Coast tour for a dozen Chinese design and development professionals. She also is serving as translator for the trip, which spotlights environmentally conscious projects in Portland, Seattle and San Francisco.

鈥淚 have always been willing to become a bridge to offer my part to promote urban sustainability in China,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e defined the theme (of the tour) as sustainable urban development, which we think is the thing to do in China.鈥�

After a three-day visit to Seattle, the Chinese landscape architects, architects, interior designers and developers made a two-day stop in Portland. On Tuesday, they toured Portland’s South Waterfront District, where they ogled, photographed and measured stormwater planters, green roofs and other sustainable features of the neighborhood.

The visit included a stop at Zidell Yards with representatives from Maul Foster & Alongi. The engineering and environmental consulting firm contributed to an extensive cleanup of the Willamette River waterfront site left contaminated after years of industrial use.

Robert Liberty, director of Portland State University’s Urban Sustainability Accelerator, helped lead the tour. The PSU program helps cities implement sustainability projects or programs.

Liberty, who has traveled to China to share Oregon’s philosophy on urban growth boundaries, said the country is feeling the consequences of relentless development with little consideration of environmental impacts. There is now more awareness of the need to protect the environment, the importance of mass transit and a desire to enhance the quality of life for the increasing ranks of middle-class citizens, he said.

鈥淭he pace of change in China is mind-boggling; along with it is the hammering of the environment,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat would be helpful for China is to avoid our mistakes.鈥�

The challenge is the lack of knowledge among Chinese design professionals about sustainable project implementation, Wu said. Showing projects like Zidell Yards, which required extensive collaboration between government agencies, the property owner and design team, is crucial to demonstrate the work required, she said.

鈥淚 feel like we have a long way to go to gain this cross-disciplinary development,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are too many gaps in both knowledge and experience.鈥�

The Chinese visitors are eager to learn more about sustainable development and have asked many specific questions, Wu said.

鈥淭hey are really interested in the design aspects 鈥� the depth, the cost,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey care a lot about the details.鈥�

At Zidell Yards, Maul Foster & Alongi senior engineer Erik Bakkom explained how the site was contaminated by a ship dismantling operation that dumped asbestos, lead, oils and other harmful compounds into the river and onto the bank. The worst contamination was removed and transported to a landfill while the rest was contained within an 11-acre cap, he said.

Liberty pointed out that the portion of the Willamette River near the site formerly was uninhabitable for fish.

鈥淚n the summer, people swim in the river now,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t also has people catching salmon in the river.鈥�

Getting to this point wasn’t easy, Liberty told the Chinese visitors.

鈥�(The site has) made a lot of progress, and it requires a lot of effort,鈥� he said. 鈥�(To) clean up later, it’s much more expensive that way.鈥�

Wu translated a comment from one of the visitors who said that Chinese designers and developers are starting to realize this.

鈥淭hat’s why you’re here,鈥� Liberty said.