China Construction

Archive for the ‘commercial’ Category

The Great Wall of China is a monument that testifies to the ingenuity of ancient man. It is a realization that we today do not have the monopoly of stellar achievements. Surviving thousands of years of war and conflict, it stands today as a reminder that no amount of technology can equal the simple power of human dedication.

The Great Wall of China had one apparent goal: to keep the northern barbarians from China. Construction was carried out during the Ch’in Dynasty period, around 221 to 207 B.C., though it has been learned that earlier foundations of the Wall had already existed by then, even going further back to the fifth century B.C. Emperor Shih Huang Qi incorporated earlier smaller segments of the Wall into this great structure we know today: rising about 20 to 30 feet high, stretching a little over 5,500 miles from Shanhaiguan to Lop Nur.

Original Chinese wall-building is now known to have existed in the region around 800 B.C., a period of constant attacks from northern barbarians. As with any other basic engineering techniques developing during that time, earth was used. And it continued to be used three hundred years later, during the Period of the Warring States (the fifth century to 221 B.C.), when it was imperative for the feudal territories such as Qi, Yan, and Zhao to create their own walls and protect their borders. Defending against sword and spear attacks, the engineers of this era made use of stamped earth and gravel encased within broad frames.

For about four hundred years, the Great Wall was maintained. But there is a pronounced trend in Chinese history where the final years of a dynastic reign is marred with political corruption and negligence of public responsibility and accountability. Though it was not much seen during the Ch’in Dynasty period-Emperor Qi being its only ruler and had left no rightful heir-it was evident in the succeeding Han Dynasty (202 B.C. to A.D. 221). The period of political weakness meant neglect for the Great Wall. And for three and a half centuries, China allowed the Wall, its earthen symbol of strength and unity, to erode. So great has been this natural damage that it has worn away any trace of extent to which the Emperor Qi intended his wall to reach. Though latter re-buildings did occur, they were done in such a minor scale, reminiscent of the pre-Ch’in era when the states warred against each other.

It turns out that there was more wrong with the recent US housing cycle than just bad loans and predatory lenders. It has recently come to light that many homeowners are experiencing Chinese drywall problems that are making them sick and destroying what they paid so much to build.

Some people estimate that as much as half of a billion pounds of toxic drywall was shipped into the US from China during the boom. This is a major problem, as now people are reporting the smell of sulfur emanating from that drywall. Would we expect anything more from the country that brought us toxic toothpaste and over-leaded kids’ toys? But this looks like it could be a much more far-ranging conflict than those isolated incidents.

The first consumer complaints came from the state of Florida, where not surprisingly much of the fake real estate boom occurred. Beyond that there were major hurricanes there, especially in 2006, that prompted a lot of low-cost buying of drywall.

There have also been complaints about further Chinese drywall problems coming out of other southern states such as North Carolina, most recently. Some people have speculated that this is because the warm climate activates the toxicity within the drywall and releases its stench.

The origin of the problem may lie in the dirty coal mines of China. The truth is not known, but some believe it is likely that waste ash from these mines was transported over to drywall factories, where it was then mixed into the ultimate end-product.

China has seen great economic development over the decades. This has taken place largely to the benefit of their population, but some problems have arisen. China air pollution has become quite a significant concern. They are aware of it of course and some progress has been made in rectifying it. That said, they have a long way to go.

Since 2007, China has been the world’s #1 emitter of greenhouse gases, making air pollution in Asia, including China, a serious global issue. It is at least as serious a problem for the Chinese people. China air quality contributes to the deaths of three quarters of a million people every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

China’s economic growth, combined with industrial equipment that could now be replaced with cleaner technology, is largely responsible for the current China air pollution situation. A major example is cement making. China’s construction and infrastructure-building boom have led the to this country becoming the world’s leading maker of cement. Just over half the worldwide output now comes from China. Concrete production is polluting and highly energy intensive and methods currently used in China compound the problems. Many producers use inefficient shaft kilns, which the West started to abandon at the beginning of the 20th Century. Overall, 6% of the nation’s electricity is used in operating cement-making plants, and much of it is wasted. These unscrubbed kilns also emit vast quantities of mercury, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and other substances of interest. Unscrubbed means the facility is operated without the use of additional technology specifically designed to reduce emissions.

Much of the power requirement of these kilns is met by old-fashioned, unscrubbed coal-burning power plants. Almost 70% of China’s electrical demands are met using coal. The overwhelming majority of China’s greenhouse gas emissions come from this type of source and fuel.