CHINA Vanke aims to build more than 1 million square meters of energy-efficient homes this year, mostly in Shanghai and Beijing, the company's Chairman Wang Shi said during an Expo forum in Nanjing yesterday.

The homes will comply with the country's green construction standard and promote environmental concepts in the property industry.

"It costs more money to use these methods, but the property industry can afford the costs because of its high profit margin," Wang told the Environmental Protection and Urban Responsibilities Forum. "It's our responsibility to do this and it will bring us benefits in the long term."