The German-Chinese forum Urban Academy focuses on sustainable urban development as well as on the theme of World Expo 2010: Better City - Better Life. Eco-efficiency in building services, engineering, traffic, water and energy, social transformations and cultural industry stimulated by the city of Shanghai are the main issues of these discussions. Here the distinguished authors consider examples of Chinese best practice of ecological building and construction and leading Chinese architects present their position on the options for sustainable urban development. This book showcases 40 projects, among them works from Steven Holl, Atelier Deshaus, StandarArchitecture, Amateur Architecture Studio, Urbanus, Mario Cucinella and Liu Jiakun, accompanied by such questions as energy-efficient design, planning and construction.