Wooden houses in danger
Yangpo Village is located deep in the Mount Fanjing. The small village features preserved wooden houses built more than 100 years ago, including the residence of renowned Qing dynasty calligrapher Yan Yinliang. However, hidden beneath the antique woods were great risks that have been overlooked.
Most of the wooden houses were poorly protected against risks from outdated and crude electrical systems. For example, wiring in the houses was usually worn out, haphazard and lacked proper protection. Some residents even used telephone cables for power connection. As a result, the village was very vulnerable to accidents like fires and power shocks.
Protection of ancient villages
To help the traditional village upgrade and transform the power distribution systems and ensure electrical safety, Copper Association joined hands with Building Electricity Branch of Architectural Society of China to initiate the “Traditional Village Electrical Safety Protection Project”. Yangpo was chosen as the place to start the project.
The traditional structures in Yangpo are gifts from history. Our goal was to implement the transformation in the most economic manner without damaging the houses, even to ensure villagers’ electricity safety.—— Hu Hongyu, Standardization and Regulation Manager of Low Voltage Products of Smart Infrastructure of Siemens Ltd., China
What a song can do
Considering that majority of residents were children and the elderly, Siemens adapted a local folk song named Axilixi, integrating easy-to-grasp electrical safety tips into the lyrics. Siemens employee volunteers not only recorded the new Axilixi Electrical Safety Song but also travel to Yangpo and local schools to teach the children and residents to sing, helping them remember the knowledge in a simple way.
