China and the United States are cooperating in constructing an energy-saving building in which the most advanced technologies will be employed.

At the ground-breaking ceremony organized by China's Ministry of Science and Technology, Deng Nan, vice minister of science and technology, and representatives from the US Department of Energy helped lay the foundation of the high-tech building.

Located in western downtown of Beijing, the eight-story office building, which will be owned by the ministry, covers more than 2,000 square meters of floor space and costs 62 million yuan (US$7.47 million).

A showcase of state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies will also be arranged in the building.

Yi Haisheng, an energy expert with the National Research Center of Science and Technology Development, said that the building will consume 30 to 50 percent less energy than the new national standards for energy consumption in buildings. Energy efficiency of the building is three times that of common buildings in the country, he said.

US Department of Energy has encouraged US-based manufacturers in high-tech construction materials to provide energy-saving products, new kinds of external wall, glass and lighting systems.

Experts said that worldwide buildings consume about 40 percent of the total amount of energy. China wants to use more effective technologies in buildings so as to save energy.

According to inter-governmental agreements in scientific and technological cooperation, China and the United clinched the energy efficiency demonstration project in July 1998.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2002)