FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
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Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Brings Clean Energy Trade Mission to Shanghai

SHANGHAI – U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke arrived in Shanghai today with representatives from 24 American clean energy companies for the second stop on a business development trade mission promoting exports of leading U.S. technologies related to clean energy, energy efficiency, and electric energy storage, transmission and distribution.
 
“The companies on this trade mission are at the vanguard of a movement to meet the world’s clean energy needs,” Locke said. “As they grow their global presence, they can help solve unprecedented energy and environmental challenges, while creating good paying jobs for Americans and people around the world. That’s a win for everyone involved.”
 
One project already underway in Shanghai with the help of a U.S. company is the 128-story, glass-and-steel “green” Shanghai Tower.  Designed by Gensler, a San Francisco architecture firm that specializes in green buildings, the Tower is on course to be registered for a high level of building certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and the China Green Building Committee.  
 
Today, Locke presented Shanghai Tower Construction and Development Company Chairman Qingwei Kong with a Certificate of Achievement celebrating the firm’s commitment to using U.S.-based Gensler’s architectural services and improving the global environment.
 
Locke also toured the engine center at Pratt Whitney, a U.S. company operating in Shanghai. Locke presented Pratt & Whitney with an award for receiving platinum-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council – the first LEED-certified building in China. Later in the day, Locke and the delegation traveled to the Shanghai Expo where they toured the USA Pavilion and other sites.
 
“Seeing the USA Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo and Gensler’s work in designing the Shanghai Tower gave us a glimpse of the future of clean energy and how U.S. and Chinese companies are working together to make that future a reality,” Locke said.
 
Locke is in China this week on the first cabinet-level trade mission of the Obama administration announced just after President Obama outlined details of his National Export Initiative, which aims to double U.S. exports within five years to support job growth.