In the past decade or so, with the rapid iteration and integration of the global digital wave and emerging technologies, the rapid development of human settlement technology has become an important supporting force to promote the high-quality development of the city and the better life of the people.
On December 17, the China(Xinyang) Habitat Sci-Tech and Better Life Symposium was held in Xinyang. With the theme of “Human Settlement Technology and Better Life”, the Symposium invited relevant representatives from the domestic fields of human settlement technology to conduct in-depth discussions and exchanges to seek common development strategies.
The event was hosted by the Xinyang Municipal People’s Government and jointly organized by the Xinyang Future Human Settlements Innovation City Special Group, the Yangshan New District Management Committee, and the SUC Human Settlements Think Tank. Cai Songtao, Party Secretary and Mayor of Xinyang City, Lai Ming, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, Deputy Secretary-General and Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of Jiusan Society, Li Bingren, former Chief Economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), Liu Xinfeng, Director of the Science and Technology and Industrialization Development Center of MOHURD, Guo Suichen, Secondary Inspector of the Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Sun Tongzhan, Chairman of the Municipal CPPCC, and Li Xiang, Chairman of the Human Settlements Think Tank Committee of the China International Association for Promotion of Science and Technology (CIAPST) attended the Symposium.
It is learned that in order to implement the goal of “Building a better old revolutionary area and let the people there live a better life” put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping for Xinyang, and speed up the revitalization of the old area, Xinyang City is resolute to vigorously develop the human settlement technology industry, promote the construction of the first “Future Human Settlement Science City” in China and create a city brand as a model for better life.
How should the human settlement technology industry develop? How should the Human Settlement Science City be built in the future?
Centering on the theme of “Human settlement technology, leading a better life”, focusing on the future development direction and innovation frontiers of the human settlement technology industry, experts and entrepreneur representatives from relevant national ministries and commissions and the human settlements field carried out in-depth discussions on many hot topics in the fields of human settlement science and technology, including human settlement science, urban and rural planning, future communities, low-carbon buildings, smart homes, carbon neutrality, industrialization of buildings, smart manufacturing, clean energy and biotechnology.
Cai Songtao announced at the Symposium: “In order to comprehensively promote the businesses and investment attraction for construction of Future Human Settlement Science City in Xinyang, and vigorously promote the industrial application of human settlement technology and international cooperation, Xinyang will hold the first “International Forum on Human Settlement Technology and Urban-Rural Development” in April next year, which will be the first international forum with the theme of human settlement technology in China.
At the seminar, three experts, Li Xiang, Xu Hanguo, and Liang Jun, were appointed as consultants to the Xinyang City Government. Among them, Li Xiang was formally appointed as the “Chief Consultant for the Construction of the Future Human Settlement Science City in Xinyang”.
Cai Songtao, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, issued an appointment letter to the Chief Consultant
Group photo of Cai Songtao, Municipal Party Secretary and Mayor and the first batch of Chief Government Consultants
During the symposium, a round table on the construction of Xinyang Future Human Settlement Science City was held. Experts and scholars attended had in-depth discussions and exchanges on major topics, including the establishment of the platform “Government + Capital + Market + Technology” to achieve in-deep combination of technology integration, business models, and innovation orientation, enhancement of technology utilization, promotion of smart life in urban and rural areas, improvement of orientation of party building, innovation of technological means, and recycling of waste etc.
Opening speech
Speech by Sun Tongzhan, Chairman of Xinyang CPPCC
In this new era, the construction of Future Human Settlement Science City is a major development opportunity that closely follows the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation and conforms to the major development needs generated during industrial and consumption upgrading. This is an essential decision made by Xinyang, with comprehensive considerations in terms of its own location strengths, human resources, industrial foundation and ecological endowment, which is also a practical way to speed up the implementation of “Two Better” goals proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping.
Speech by Lai Ming, Deputy Secretary-General of CPPCC and member of its Standing Committee, and Vice Chairman of Jiusan Society
The scientific development of human settlement must be guided in a high-quality and sustainable manner. With the guidance of the new development philosophy, it is a must to accelerate the development of green industries, advocate green lifestyles, and promote the green transformation of urban and rural construction. It is also necessary to promote the coordinated development of urban-rural construction and the human settlement. By doing so, a positive interaction between the human settlement technology industry and the better life in urban and rural areas could be well-established.
Xinyang vigorously develops the human settlement technology industry, accelerates the construction of urban and rural future communities, and works together to create the path of urban-rural transformation for Future Human Settlement Sci-Tech City, which does not only grasp main task, but also find the means. There’s a long way to go, but there must be a bright future for Xinyang to make a better life.
Speech by Liu Xinfeng, Director of the Science and Technology and Industrialization Development Center of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
The five years of “the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan” is the key period for the country to implement a new round of mid- and long-term plans for national science and technology development. It is the time that we comprehensively and thoroughly implement the new development philosophy, integrate into the new development pattern, give play to the supporting and leading role of science and technology in urban construction. It is the right timing to build Future Human Settlement Science City in Xinyang, which should be built into a smart, innovative, green, humane and resilient city for sustainable development with the orientation of technology and innovation.
Keynote Speech
Human settlement science: It is a field where science and humanities are interwoven with each other. How do we fulfill the needs of people aspiring for the better lives during the course of practices, focused on the trend of the era and based on the innovations and refinements in terms of theories and practices?
Future Human Settlement Science City, a concept that you couldn’t find in any dictionary, carries the lofty dreams and expectations of more than 9 million people in the old district. How can we built the Future Science City? How could Xinyang be the model for better life?
Wu Weijia, deputy director of Tsinghua University’s Center for Human Settlements, and Li Xiang, SUC executive director of United Nations Sustainable Cities and Communities Programme, and founder of Beijing Future Human Settlement Technology Research, answered those questions above in their keynote speeches respectively.
Li Xiang, SUC Executive Director of the United Nations Sustainable Cities and Communities Programme, and founder of Beijing Future Human Settlement Technology Research
Being Innovation-Oriented and Complying with International Standards, Build a Future Human Settlement Science City
The positioning of Xinyang Future Human Settlement Science City is: to be a future human settlement demonstration area and a human settlement technology industry cluster with international standards and Chinese characteristics. It is necessary to take the lead in applying the United Nations SUC guidelines to speed up the construction of “Two Better”; focus on the theme of “future human settlement” and explore new breakthroughs and new paths for the city’s high-quality development; scientifically make the plan for the future direction of Xinyang’s industrial development; comprehensively arrangement the layout of Xinyang’s key areas of scientific and technological innovation and optimize the “three spaces” of urban areas, communities and villages. The goal is to create an habitable environment for all, build thousands of industries and usher in a bright future of the city. Be a model for Better Life! - Xinyang.
Wu Weijia, Deputy Director of the Center for Human Settlements of Tsinghua University
Wu Liangyong’s Contributions to Human Settlement Science
Mr. Wu Liangyong pointed out that “the people are the foundation of the country, and the country will be more robust if its people have a better life”. The development of the country must be people-oriented, and more attention must be paid to well-being of the people when it comes to policy making. Human settlement is the fundamental place for people’s production and lives. Urban-rural planning and construction must protect the vital interests of the people, which shouldn’t be regarded as a commodity as real estates. We should take human settlement construction as the fundamental course to promote social development. By showing more cares towards people’s well-being, it is possible to maintain the justice and solidarity of the society, so as to realize the dream building a harmonious society.
Featured Speeches
The blueprint of Xinyang’s Future Human Settlement Science City has been made, and practical measures has been underway! How should the human settlement technology industry develop? How should the future science city be built?
Li Bingren, former chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, as well as representatives of relevant national ministries, local governments, scientific research institutions, international institutions, and Chinese and foreign enterprises, centered on the theme of “Human settlement technology for a better life”, have given speeches respectively in terms of macro policy, cutting-edge technology, application innovations and other aspects, sharing great experiences and ideas.
Li Bingren, former chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
The Development of Low Carbon Buildings has Achieved the Goals of“Dual Carbon”(Peak Carbon Dioxide Emissions & Carbon Neutrality)
Important conferences like the CPC Central Economic Working Conference have proposed to vigorously promote green, low-carbon and circular development in China, which is the trend of the world as well. Green development is an important part of overall development, covering resources and environment conservation, which are exactly the core.Comparing with other countries, China has developed a large industry, which is the construction industry. Therefore, when it comes to architectural decoration, it should create a safe, healthy, environment-friendly, comfortable working and living space for all of us.
Liu Xuan, Party Committee Secretary of Management Committee in Yangshan New District, Xinyang City
Development Philosophy of Yangshan Core Zone, Xinyang Future Human Settlement Science City
Yangshan New District will strive to build itself into a a state-level sci-tech innovation base for human habitats and a future community model for the whole province and even the country. When it comes to integrated development of“Green + Finance” and cultural tourism and innovation, Yangshan New District shall also take the lead in the whole city. “Being a city of future that can be shared, permeated with the traces of habitat science and technology everywhere” will become a real depiction of Yangshan New District in the future.
Zhang Shuoying, School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Exploration on the Scientific System of Human Settlements in China with Multidisciplinary Integration
In the study of human settlement, we especially advocate “scientific community”, a very comprehensive and complex research subject, which needs time to become mature and well-proven. One of the tasks of establishing “Science of Human Settlement” is to formulate a “template” for the current Science of Human Settlement in China.
Zhao Tao, GA Director of TOB Business Department Intelligent Ecology,Xiaomi Communications Co., Ltd.
Full-Scene Application and Integration of Xiaomi Smart Ecology
Smart life will thoroughly affect all of us, for which Xiaomi will continue to strive for a better life for the people. In the words of our boss Lei Jun, “The great things are about to happen”, and I believe that good things will keep happening during the cooperation between Xiaomi and Xinyang.
Liang Hao, Director of Sci-Tech and Industrialization Development Center, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
Green Building Industry and Construction Industrialization
Compared with the requirements of green development, there is still a big gap and deficiencies in the new construction industrialization, which is represented by prefabricated buildings. Here are four main issues: high consumption, high emissions, low efficiency and low quality. Therefore, it is necessary to speed up the industrialization of new buildings, effectively solve the existing problems, implement the requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping for the work of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, so as to promote the high-quality development of green buildings.
Guo Xingtian, Chairman of Wanhua Hexiang Ecological Technology Co., Ltd
The Practices of “Carbon Neutrality” in the Industry of Green Home
Indoor pollution causes up to 111,000 deaths in China every year, with an average of 304 deaths per day. According to a Study conducted by the World Bank, it is estimated that annual losses caused by indoor pollution in China reach $10.6 billion in terms of willingness to pay.
Tu Jianjun, former Director of IEA’s Cooperation Department in China and Representative of China’s Affairs of the Agora Energy Transition Forum in Germany
Inspirations on China’s Urban-Rural Energy Development Strategies from the Global Transition of Clean Energy
With the inevitable global transition of clean energy, the process and trade patterns of the energy industry are undergoing profound changes, which is both a major challenge and a major opportunity for the development of urban and rural energy across the country. Energy development in a clean, low-carbon and distributed manner will change the existing landscape of urban-rural energy industry in China.
Zhang Weihong, CEO of Liebherr Group in China
Intelligent Manufacturing Helps in Living a Better Life
The river silt polluted by heavy metals has transformed to raw materials for green building materials manufacturing after after harmless and surface modification treatment, thus reducing the consumption of natural sand in building materials industry and saving lots of lands for landfill use. The recycling utilization of silt contributes a lot to the sustainable development of human settlements.
Gao Chao, Deputy Director of Urbanization Expert Committee of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and Senior Planner with the Rank of Professor
High-quality Planning for Urban-Rural Settlement Under the Background of “Green and Better Life”
Human settlement is the important carrier of a better life, which is always the highest aspiration of people since ancient times. Urban-rural planning of human settlement originates from the western planning ideology and must be combined with Chinese traditional culture. General Secretary Xi’s “Two Mountains Theory” opens the way for high-quality development of urban and rural planning in the future.
Zhang Baogui, Chairman of Public Art Committee of CAEDA and Chairman of Green Environmental Committee of ACSC
Artistic Presentation of Urban and Rural Architectures in the Context of Low Carbon
Environment conservation is a kind of attitude for designing and a kind of new building language. In the future, urban and rural areas take advantage of “material language” and make the philosophy of green, low carbon and environment protection an ideological orientation for cities, the society and even the country. Thinking of those environment-friendly materials in an in-depth and thorough way, they are no longer the materials literally, but represent an attitude being closer to the core and nature of this era.
Zhang Feng, vice president of Pan-China Group
Regional Energy Contributes to the Sustainable Development of Human Settlement Science City
With the strategic goals, peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, energy and environment have been Xinyan’s comparative, ecological and cost advantages comparing to adjacent cities and counties. Observing Xinyang from a perspective of spectator, integrated solutions like prefabricated buildings and passive solar building might be one of effective measures for transformation of Xinyang Iron and Steel.
Fang Chao, president of Anhui Research Institute of Intelligent Industry Co., LTD
Smart Life and Efficient Utilization of Resources in Urban and Rural Areas
The innovations in terms of management means and modes in cities and communities have been made through digitization, intelligence and smartness. Making cities more intelligent and smarter is the only way to realize the modernization of urban governance system and capacity.
Yu Jingcheng, Chairman of Beijing CanFit Resource Technologies Inc.
Application of Biotechnology in Reusing and Treatment of Domestic Waste
Waste sorting itself is a comprehensive system representing the governance capacity of the whole city, for which it is difficult for us to deal with a system like this using only one technology. There are six main factors to build a good waste sorting system: overall planning, organizational measures, management measures, technical issues, economic measures and results presentation. Everyone should take the responsibility of waste sorting, which is the representation of our soft power.
Summary Speech
Summary speech was given by Cai Songtao, Municipal Party Secretary and Mayor of Xinyang City
In order to speed up the implementation of “Two Better” proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, with great importance attaching to it, Xinyang has proposed a development path of urban transformation, which is to “vigorously promote the development of human settlement sci-tech industries, accelerate the construction of urban-rural future community and jointly establish Future Human Settlement Science City”.
During the implementation of “the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan”, Xinyang will focus on the key areas of human settlement technology industry. Based on the resource endowment and conditions, Xinyang will uphold the theme of human settlement technology to lead the industrial transformation of the whole city, so as to create the optimal business environment and drive for quality development in Xinyang. Xinyang will also play an active role in coordination of the industrial transfer of the Greater Bay Area, create an industrial collaborative innovation zone, build a human settlement technology industry demonstration area and a dreamland for better lives, so as to build the city brand of “the Model of Better life”. We hope that all entrepreneurs, experts and scholars will join hands with Xinyang to “make good things happen in Xinyang and be the witness for Xinyang achieving a better life”.