160 Lei Song et al.
the construction industry contributed 26.4% of China’s GDP, and building
energy use accounted for 33% of the total energy use in China (Yuan et al.,
2017). Total carbon emissions from China’s building sector increased from
984.69 million tons of CO 2 in 2005 to 3,753.98 million tons of CO 2 in 2014
(Jiang and Li, 2017). Between 2001 and 2014, both primary energy consumption and electricity consumption in China’s building sector increased more than
two- fold (Li et al., 2017) Rapid urbanisation and economic development have
driven the demand for higher quality living spaces, including improved indoor
comfort, with a corresponding increase in energy consumption. Therefore,
energy conservation in new buildings and increasing demand in the existing
building stock have become two of the largest challenges for China’s energy
conservation and emissions- reduction work (IEA and Tsinghua University,
2015). Building energy- conservation plays an important role in ensuring that
emissions peak before 2030, a commitment set by the Chinese government in
China’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Guidance and support
from government policies are crucial for achieving the energy conservation
targets for the building sector (Yuan et al., 2017).
The low- carbon transition pathway for the Chinese building sector is determined by national regulations and plans related to building energy conservation. This narrative addresses two key components of a green building
low- carbon transition pathway: energy- efficiency efforts to reduce emissions,
and green energy consumption in buildings with an emphasis on scaling up
renewable energy. (‘Green buildings’ are commonly understood as the practice
of creating resource- efficient and healthier approaches for building design,
construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance (Fastenrath and Braun,
2018).) Both pathways focus on urban residential buildings Although energy
consumption in public and commercial buildings represents a dominant share
in China’s building sector – almost three times greater than residential buildings in rural or urban areas – rapid urbanisation has boosted continuous development and scaled up the construction industry, especially with regards to
residential buildings. For new buildings in China, the construction areas of
residential housing accounted for about 75% and for public buildings about
25% (NBS, 2016b). Furthermore, residential buildings in urban areas are now
the highest energy consumers. For instance, space and water heating in urban
buildings in northern China is the largest energy consumer, representing 52%
of total building energy consumption in the region. In addition, demand for
space heating and cooling for southern households in urban areas has been
increasing rapidly due to climate change and higher living space comfort
(Tsinghua University, 2016).
A low- carbon transition in residential buildings is more complicated than
other building categories. This increased complexity is due to the wide range of
housing types; differences in household demographics; varying climate conditions across China that impact households’ ability to regulate indoor temperature; and economic- social contexts such as the housing rental market, social
customs, and culture. This chapter illustrates how these factors may shape a
the construction industry contributed 26.4% of China’s GDP, and building
energy use accounted for 33% of the total energy use in China (Yuan et al.,
2017). Total carbon emissions from China’s building sector increased from
984.69 million tons of CO 2 in 2005 to 3,753.98 million tons of CO 2 in 2014
(Jiang and Li, 2017). Between 2001 and 2014, both primary energy consumption and electricity consumption in China’s building sector increased more than
two- fold (Li et al., 2017) Rapid urbanisation and economic development have
driven the demand for higher quality living spaces, including improved indoor
comfort, with a corresponding increase in energy consumption. Therefore,
energy conservation in new buildings and increasing demand in the existing
building stock have become two of the largest challenges for China’s energy
conservation and emissions- reduction work (IEA and Tsinghua University,
2015). Building energy- conservation plays an important role in ensuring that
emissions peak before 2030, a commitment set by the Chinese government in
China’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Guidance and support
from government policies are crucial for achieving the energy conservation
targets for the building sector (Yuan et al., 2017).
The low- carbon transition pathway for the Chinese building sector is determined by national regulations and plans related to building energy conservation. This narrative addresses two key components of a green building
low- carbon transition pathway: energy- efficiency efforts to reduce emissions,
and green energy consumption in buildings with an emphasis on scaling up
renewable energy. (‘Green buildings’ are commonly understood as the practice
of creating resource- efficient and healthier approaches for building design,
construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance (Fastenrath and Braun,
2018).) Both pathways focus on urban residential buildings Although energy
consumption in public and commercial buildings represents a dominant share
in China’s building sector – almost three times greater than residential buildings in rural or urban areas – rapid urbanisation has boosted continuous development and scaled up the construction industry, especially with regards to
residential buildings. For new buildings in China, the construction areas of
residential housing accounted for about 75% and for public buildings about
25% (NBS, 2016b). Furthermore, residential buildings in urban areas are now
the highest energy consumers. For instance, space and water heating in urban
buildings in northern China is the largest energy consumer, representing 52%
of total building energy consumption in the region. In addition, demand for
space heating and cooling for southern households in urban areas has been
increasing rapidly due to climate change and higher living space comfort
(Tsinghua University, 2016).
A low- carbon transition in residential buildings is more complicated than
other building categories. This increased complexity is due to the wide range of
housing types; differences in household demographics; varying climate conditions across China that impact households’ ability to regulate indoor temperature; and economic- social contexts such as the housing rental market, social
customs, and culture. This chapter illustrates how these factors may shape a