Professional bodies form Chinese alliance

Fifteen professional bodies in the UK have signed an unprecedented pact to collaborate on working in China.

The 15 institutions, including RICS, RIBA and ICE, have come together to form Professional Institutions UK-China.

A statement from the group claims China is the most important country when it comes to the built environment. It says: “PI-UK China is a unique initiative among British professional institutions that recognises China as the key focus for built environment, construction and engineering activity.”

Members of the alliance have already organised a series of meetings and visits to China for its British members. This included a RICS presidential tour to Beijing in May and a conference for the construction charity Lighthouse in Hong Kong, also in May.

PI-UK China will be officially launched on 13 September at the RIBA on Portland Place in London as part of its China Fortnight programme.

China Fortnight will be a series of talks and exhibitions on the theme of sustainable building in China. This will include an exhibition on the world’s first zero carbon eco-city at Dongtan at the mouth of the Yangtze River by consultant Arup as well as a talk by architect Will Alsop on sustainable urbanism in China.