​Connie Zhao won the Architecture Art Award at 2022 CACP-- Chinese American Construction Professionals“Better Buildings, Better Future, Better Planet” Painting Contest.

“I drew this drawing in the imagination of what an environmentally-safe city would possibly look like in the future. Starting off with a solar panel road, sturdy enough to be driven by electric cars, using the sun as power for electricity would help the environment greatly by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In case of a day with the sun covered by clouds, the windmills behind the city can help power the city. Though I'm aware that windmills aren't usually placed near the city, the ones in this painting are likely to be farther than it looks (since they're huge). The plants and greenery on the roofs are used for rooftop farming, since it reduces the energy cost of food production and transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. The lights are also solar powered. In the worry that global warming will get worse, I hope that one day we will all be able to save and return the Earth to how it was before with the help of new technology.” - Connie Zhao