When a South African realizes his green dream in China

Grant Horsfield (L) and his wife Delphine Yip (M).

Because of the resort, Horsfield has carved himself a name in China, particularly in the resort business circle, as an eco-warrior.

But, Horsfield says he is just following his heart and reveals initially, he faced some challenges.

Communication with the locals was difficult, as instinctively, locals do not trust laowai, he says. The best way to build trust, according to Horsfield, is to display honesty. He also learned to drink Chinese distilled liquor, baijiu.

He also never expected keeping construction under control and following the planned design to be so hard.

"Being a leader requires great determination," Horsfield says.

His first priority was maintaining the natural environment around the resort. Buildings only cover 5 percent of the land.

His design team, led by his wife Delphine Yip, an architect, has ensured that they protect the fauna and flora, use green materials and recycle.

The project recently became the first resort in China to achieve LEED (Leadership in Environmental Energy Design) Platinum Certification.

His company, located in Shanghai has identified a few projects near Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and plans to invest 1 billion yuan to build new resorts.

"My concept is simple. The resorts will be close to the mega cities, yet peaceful and close to nature. It is what China lacks now, and it is what people want," Horsfield adds.