Green design is the source and first link of green development. The Pinglu Canal promotes intensive and economical use of resources. The three navigation locks are designed as water-saving ones, with a water-saving rate of 60% for Madao and Qishi Locks and 50% for Qingnian Lock; 339 million cubic meters of earthwork excavation will be utilized. He Junhui, Director of the Engineering Management Department of Pinglu Canal Group, said, "The efficiency of the three-tier water-saving pool will reach more than 60%, saving about 1 billion cubic meters of water every year, which is enough for about 10 million ordinary households."

In addition, along the whole Pinglu Canal, efforts will be made to build one animal-specific passage bridge and one dual-purpose passage bridge, set up fishways, fish breeding stations and 36 ecological conservation areas, and construct ecological revetments, flexible slopes and biodiversity observation stations to forge an ecological corridor.

Wei Dejian, Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer of Pinglu Canal Group, said that it will start construction on a green power project of the three locks, plan the layout of a clean energy corridor, and promote the building of green wharfs in inland port areas along the canal and the demonstration application of new energy ships, in a bid to foster a near-zero carbon canal.