CRI听力:Zhongguancun's Environmental Technologies Shine at CIECE

A series of new technological innovations developed by companies based in Beijing's Zhangguancun area, dubbed China's Silicon Valley, have been unveiled at an environmental exhibition in the Chinese capital.

CRI's Li Ningjing has more.

This year, new technologies that combine geo-information, environmental protection, urban planning and urban management stole the spotlight at this year's China International Environmental Protection Exhibition & Conference--the most prestigious environmental show in China.

One piece of technology that was the highlight of the show is a smart garbage-collecting system that uses cloud computing and "Internet of things," or IOT, technology to manage garbage collection in a city.

A mini-sized garbage truck is equipped with environment monitoring devices. The information collected will be processed through a cloud base, which will effectively connect the geo-information, the garbage truck and urban managers.

This system was developed by the Zhongguancun-based Sound International Environment and Hygene Research Group. The system's developer, Chong Zhongyi, introduces the functions of the mini-garbage truck.

"It can monitor the levels of temperature, humidity and noise of the environment. It can also monitor the air quality, such as the PM2.5 level of a specific spot. Our cloud system can also detect it when the garbage bin is full, and alert us."

On the cloud map, it clearly shows where the garbage trucks are located. The system can efficiently manage the time and work of the garbage men, while guaranteeing timely disposal of household garbage.

In a crowded and sprawling city, parks with ponds and greenery set along waterways are quite often the leisure center for urbanites who want to have a break from the city's hustle and bustle. However, these waterways are often plagued by an overgrowth of algae because of pollution. If allowed to go untreated, the water becomes murky and foul-smelling. The new environmental technology developed by the Beijing Ai-er-si, or I Love Earth Environmental Engineering Company, specifically addresses this issue.

Here's Zhou Jingshan, the company's Beijing Regional marketing director:

"When the algae and moss overgrows in the water, the bottom sediments will be covered. Our remediation technology can bring the eco-chain of the water system in urban parks back to order, restore balance of the bottom sediments' eco-system. Then, the water will become clean and transparent again."

At the moment, this water treatment technology has already been put to use to treat the dragon-shaped water system behind the Bird's Nest, which is Asia's largest man-made water system, and the Macaohe river system in southern Beijing.

Both technologies are developed by businesses from the Zhongguancun National Science and Innovation Industrial Park. This year, they have brought over 100 smart city projects to the exhibition.

Zhongguancun used to be the incubator for new tech startups and innovation businesses in Beijing. Today, environmental technology companies have been set up in the area, second only to electronic and information technology companies. Last year, new energy and environmental businesses earned a total of 525.6 billion yuan, or around 84.7 billion dollars, in revenue.

China International Environmental Protection Exhibition & Conference, which concluded recently, is the largest, longest-running show in China for environmental technologies, products and services.

Hopefully, the application of such environmental and IOT technologies will make the Chinese capital a "smarter" and cleaner city.

For CRI, I'm Li Ningjing.