Shanghai hosts underground space development forum for World Cities Day

Shanghai hosted an international meeting on underground space development on Wednesday as part of the World Cities Day series of events.

The event focused on the planning, construction, and management of urban underground spaces. Experts discussed new technologies and how they could make cities more resilient and sustainable.

Shanghai is using the conference to promote smart and green development in underground spaces, according to the Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute, the city's key infrastructure designer.

The two-day event is part of celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the institute and the 20th anniversary of its underground space division.

"Two decades ago, Shanghai pioneered the underground space discipline, reshaping traditional ways of urban development," said Zhang Liang, president of the institute. Zhang said iconic projects included the Bund and the Hongqiao Transport Hub.

One of the key topics was how to integrate technology to enhance the efficiency of underground space. Experts presented ideas for smart construction, resilience assessments, and low-carbon innovations.

Qian Qihu, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, discussed how underground storage contributes to China's dual carbon goals.

He explained that using underground space for storage helps free up surface land for green spaces.

Shanghai has already built over 43,000 underground projects, covering more than 155 million square meters. These spaces include commercial centers, transport hubs, and utilities.

The city aims to continue its digital transformation and green development in these areas, according to the Shanghai Housing and Urban-Rural Development Administration Commission.