U.S. gives Olympic Village gold for going green
BEIJING, CHINA - The United States awarded the Beijing Olympic Village with its own gold medal, lauding its environmentally friendly design and holding it up as a model for energy efficiency in China.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson presented the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Award to Chen Zhili, Mayor of the Olympic Village and Vice-Chairwoman of China's National People's Congress.
Paulson called the Village an example of U.S.-China cooperation on energy and environmental issues, urging more work along those lines. The U.S. Department of Energy provided technical assistance for the project.
"China's leaders know that the development of green buildings is a critical need, and the Olympic Village can serve as a model for this development," Paulson said.
"China, given its current economic growth and prosperity, can be a leader in deploying and using advanced energy and environmental technology."
Organizers have made "Green Olympics" one of the official slogans of the Games, and many of the venues have incorporated innovations such as systems to collect rainwater.
The Olympic Village itself includes a near-zero energy building that generates most of its power, heating and cooling through renewable sources such as solar cells and geothermal heat pumps.
This is one discipline, though, in which gold does not mean top spot. The U.S. Green Building Council, which issues the LEED certifications, has an even more elite category: platinum.
Related News

U.S. Nonprofit Invests $250M in Electric Trucks for California Ports
CALIFORNIA - In a significant move towards sustainable transportation, a prominent U.S. nonprofit has announced plans to invest $250 million in leasing electric trucks for operations at California ports. This initiative aims to reduce air pollution and promote greener logistics, responding to the urgent need for environmentally friendly solutions in the transportation sector.
Addressing Environmental Concerns
California’s ports, particularly the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, are among the busiest in the United States. However, they also contribute significantly to air pollution due to the heavy reliance on diesel trucks for cargo transport. These ports are…