Sichuan Baishui River National Nature Reserve (BRNNR) is located in south of the Min Shan Mountains, within Pengzhou City in the northern Chengdu Plain. It has a total area of 301.5 square kilometers. Being only 100 km away from downtown Chengdu, it is the Nature Reserve closest to the city that aims to protect rare wildlife including giant pandas and local ecosystems. Along with the Longxi-Hongkou Reserve in its south and Longding Mountain and Qianfo Mountain in its north, it comprises the largest habitat for the giant panda Group B. There are abundant wildlife resources here. Besides the giant panda, other rare animals that live here include the golden monkey, clouded leopard, takin, the green pheasant tail rainbow, golden eagles, and the dove tree, yew and other plants that require Class-I national protection. To raise the conservation awareness of communities and tourists, WWF cooperation with Vancl invested to build the environment education center at the end of 2012.

​

​The newly constructed education center should be highly earthquake resistant. Besides, the weather in BRNNR is constantly cloudy and humid, which requires specific solutions to indoor conditions such as lighting and humidity. Moreover, as the location is remote, it needs to work more efficiently and self-sufficiently by integrating its health facilities and cutting down the water and electricity consumption. This also facilitates the future maintenance. Still, other environmental actions include the reduction of on-site garbage and consumption of other kinds. When initiating an overall design, experts from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and WWF, after negotiation, decide to utilize the light steel keel as main framework, enclosed by pre-assembled plates. Meanwhile, energy conservation is also considered to “green” the room.