September 1, 2023, Shanghai, China – Shanghai Panlong Tiandi, developed by Shui On Group, was recently awarded the LEED v4 ND: Built Gold certification for its full-lifecycle, green investment from planning, design and construction to operation. Shanghai Panlong Tiandi is the first large-scale neighborhood project in Asia to receive LEED v4 ND full certification, which recognizes Shui On's remarkable achievements as a pioneer in creating sustainable premium urban communities under its enhanced 5C (Clean, Community, Culture, Care, Corporate Governance) Sustainability Strategy.
Introduced in 1998, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building certification program that has been widely adopted globally for its universality, extensiveness and transparency. A green certification system jointly developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Congress for the New Urbanism, and Natural Resources Defense Council, the goal of LEED ND (LEED for Neighborhood Development) is to help create better, more sustainable, and well-connected neighborhoods. The LEED v4 ND consists of two stages, Plan and Built, providing two corresponding sets of guidelines for projects in the planning or construction phase and those that are near completion or were completed within the last three years.
Throughout its lifecycle, Shui On developed Panlong Tiandi in accordance to LEED v4 ND sustainability concepts, launching the project in 2014, with principal construction commencing 2019. Spanning an impressive 230,000 sq.m of green space, Panlong Tiandi was conceived as Xintiandi’s Rural Reinterpretation of its successful urban regeneration projects and dedicated to green, sustainable and people-centric design. Coupled with the introduction of sustainable commercial formats, Panlong Tiandi provides a harmonious and welcoming, lifestyle-driven Urban Retreat for urbanites with the destination attracting over 6.8 million visits in just over two months.
"Last year, we enhanced our 5C Sustainability Strategy, prioritizing our focus towards community-centered initiatives. Having Panlong Tiandi as Asia's first planned-community to receive the full LEED v4 ND certification is no doubt one of our key achievements and which further aligns with our vision of pioneering sustainable premium urban communities in the industry," said Ms. Stephanie B. Y. LO, Executive Director, Shui On Land Limited. “Shui On places great importance on sustainability practices, striving to integrate these principles into every project to establish future benchmarks for greener, healthier and more vibrant urban communities. ”
At the end of 2022, 100% of Shui On's new development projects and over 95% by GFA of existing projects have received at least one official certification from China Green Building Label, WELL, and/or LEED.
（From left to right）Ms. Jing Wang, Vice President of U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) North Asia, Mr. Andy To, Managing Director of USGBC North Asia, Mr. Allan Zhang, CEO of Shui On Xintiandi, and Ms. Vickie Chen, General Manager of the Sustainable Development Department of Shui On Land, attended the LEED certification ceremony
Panlong Tiandi: Green Investment in Full Lifecycle from Design and Construction to Operation
Panlong Tiandi prioritized energy-saving into its overall planning and design with the community's cultural building, the granary, meeting the requirements for LEED Gold certification and its residential and commercial buildings receiving the China Green Building Label certification.
Strategically located adjacent to Panlong Metro Station and with several bus stops nearby, Panlong Tiandi provides convenient public transportation options along with a pedestrian-friendly road network of interconnected streets featuring wide sidewalks and complemented by barrier-free facilities, green landscaping and shade trees. Numerous green parking lots and charging stations are provided for those who still need to drive.
Adhering to its "ecology first" principle, during construction, Shui On undertook extensive measures to restore the Panlong City River to its former health and is committed to protecting the biodiversity of the native flora and fauna of the area.
As a model project for suburban village renovation and heritage preservation, Panlong Tiandi has retained Panlong's water system and bridge culture and maintained its Cross Street layout. Historic landmarks were also restored to their former glory by utilizing green, low-carbon building materials and the recycling of 12,500 sq.m. of old stones, 16,000 sq.m. of grey tiles and 1,500 sq.m. of grey bricks for construction.
With a dedicated 230,000 sq.m of green space to outdoor sports venues and tree-lined walking trails, Panlong Tiandi and its eco-partners are committed to building a green and sustainable community in a variety of ways to provide residents with a diverse range of healthy outdoor activities and experience.
Enhanced 5C Sustainability Strategy: Continue to Lead the Way in Creating Sustainable Premium Urban Communities
In 2020, Shui On launched a 10-year 5C Sustainability Strategy, to inspire the company to adopt sustainability standards systematically, support business growth and encourage innovation, and maintain a balance between profitability and positively impacting the environment, society, and internal stakeholders. In 2022, Shui On reviewed its 5C Sustainability Strategy to assess its effectiveness and alignment with industry best practices and impending global trends.
The enhanced 5C Sustainability Strategy now takes a community-centric approach, emphasizing “Clean, Culture, Care, and Corporate Governance” to build communities that offer a unique identity, sustainable growth and a sense of belonging and happiness, and better aligns with the company's vision to be a pioneer of sustainable premium urban communities.
With the enhanced 5C Sustainability Strategy, Shui On has established higher environmental targets including achieving net-zero emissions by 2050; setting up 1.5°C-aligned science-based targets; reducing energy intensity by 20% and water intensity by 20% compared to 2019 by 2030; and diverting 45% of operational waste and 50% of construction waste from landfills by 2030.
The 1.5°C-aligned science-based targets will be met by reducing carbon emissions throughout the entire project lifecycle, from design to operation, to limit global warming to below1.5°C. Recently, these targets have been formally approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), making Shui On the first real estate developer and operator in the Chinese mainland to participate in the initiative and have its goals officially approved.