The Ministry of Commerce has appointed Xingsha Tongcheng Plaza, adjacent to the Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone, as a pilot scheme for the development of a green shopping mall in Changsha county, Central China's Hunan province.

Based on design ideas of being "environmentally friendly, healthy and safe", green shopping malls will focus on energy saving and emission reduction, green commodities and waste recycling.

Nowadays, green-minded consumers not only care about the variety and quality of goods, but they also pay great attention to the shopping atmosphere in a retail environment.

Environmental labels and signs can be seen everywhere at Xingsha Tongcheng plaza with green plants dotted around the building for all seasons. Power and water consumption at the plaza are also far lower than those of the industry standard, local media reported.

Shoppers walk under a green canopy at Xingsha Tongcheng Plaza, Changsha county, Central China's Hunan province. [Photo by Zhang Di/csxrmt.com]

Compared with a normal shopping plaza, a principle environmental issue now affecting such kind of malls are intelligent building control systems which can carry out precise management on elevators, escalators, lighting facilities and water-saving equipment.

It will also help to construct green supply chain to sell healthy and green products, and strictly prohibit usage of free plastic bags and recycle waste to lead a green lifestyle and develop green-minded consumption habits among the public.

According to an employee at the mall, Tongcheng will pursue a higher quality of service and launch more green projects, to boost green consumption.