164 Lei Song et al.
consequential risks, and uncertainty under green building pathways in different
climate zones.
Three workshops and two focus group interviews were held in Beijing and
Shanghai respectively. The participants in each focus group were invited from
different stakeholder groups including local governments, architects, constructors,
NGOs, experts on green building design, urban planning and low- carbon technologies, and researchers. The events counted a total of 189 participants, including
132 governmental officials, 18 experts, six architects, six NGOs, four constructors,
eight residents, and 21 researchers. The workshops helped to outline and specify
the transition pathway, achieving a general understanding of the drivers for uptake
by stakeholders and the barriers to a low- carbon transition. The interviews aimed
to gain in- depth expert and practitioner knowledge. Most of the participants came
from the local administration and experts in Beijing and Shanghai’s building
sectors, which identified the risk categories (implementation and consequential
risks, as well as uncertainty) and their potential impacts under the transition
pathway for the building sector.
Stakeholders for this research project were chosen as key informants in order
to identify risks associated with low- carbon transitions in the building sector.
Therefore, stakeholders were included who are involved in the building industries
or engaged in the fields of policymaking, research, and consulting with respect to
low- carbon development. These stakeholders are familiar with the low- carbon
transition process in China. Policymakers play an important role in bringing about
low- carbon transitions in China and consequently formed the largest stakeholder
group. The opinions from the other stakeholder groups complemented the policymakers’ perspectives.
Energy efficiency in the building sector
Energy efficiency in new green buildings
The transition pathway for China’s building sector aligns with the goals set out
in the 13th Five- Year Building Plan. By 2020, China envisions achieving a 20%
improvement in energy efficiency for new buildings in urban areas compared to
2015. In less than two years, the proportion of urban new buildings defined as
‘green buildings’ shall be improved to 50% and the proportion of green building
materials would exceed 40%. The green buildings targets shall mainly be
achieved by upgrading the energy efficiency standards and certification system,
which has been emphasised in the policies of 13th Five- Year Plan for Building
Energy Efficiency and Green Building Development and the Energy Development Strategy Action Plan (2014–2020).
In the near future, new buildings will be constructed in line with energy efficiency standards such as the Three Star System certification standard. This certification system is expected to encourage technological innovation and improve the
management of green buildings by means of two different certifications: design
label and operation label. Design label is a pre- certification that can be granted to
consequential risks, and uncertainty under green building pathways in different
climate zones.
Three workshops and two focus group interviews were held in Beijing and
Shanghai respectively. The participants in each focus group were invited from
different stakeholder groups including local governments, architects, constructors,
NGOs, experts on green building design, urban planning and low- carbon technologies, and researchers. The events counted a total of 189 participants, including
132 governmental officials, 18 experts, six architects, six NGOs, four constructors,
eight residents, and 21 researchers. The workshops helped to outline and specify
the transition pathway, achieving a general understanding of the drivers for uptake
by stakeholders and the barriers to a low- carbon transition. The interviews aimed
to gain in- depth expert and practitioner knowledge. Most of the participants came
from the local administration and experts in Beijing and Shanghai’s building
sectors, which identified the risk categories (implementation and consequential
risks, as well as uncertainty) and their potential impacts under the transition
pathway for the building sector.
Stakeholders for this research project were chosen as key informants in order
to identify risks associated with low- carbon transitions in the building sector.
Therefore, stakeholders were included who are involved in the building industries
or engaged in the fields of policymaking, research, and consulting with respect to
low- carbon development. These stakeholders are familiar with the low- carbon
transition process in China. Policymakers play an important role in bringing about
low- carbon transitions in China and consequently formed the largest stakeholder
group. The opinions from the other stakeholder groups complemented the policymakers’ perspectives.
Energy efficiency in the building sector
Energy efficiency in new green buildings
The transition pathway for China’s building sector aligns with the goals set out
in the 13th Five- Year Building Plan. By 2020, China envisions achieving a 20%
improvement in energy efficiency for new buildings in urban areas compared to
2015. In less than two years, the proportion of urban new buildings defined as
‘green buildings’ shall be improved to 50% and the proportion of green building
materials would exceed 40%. The green buildings targets shall mainly be
achieved by upgrading the energy efficiency standards and certification system,
which has been emphasised in the policies of 13th Five- Year Plan for Building
Energy Efficiency and Green Building Development and the Energy Development Strategy Action Plan (2014–2020).
In the near future, new buildings will be constructed in line with energy efficiency standards such as the Three Star System certification standard. This certification system is expected to encourage technological innovation and improve the
management of green buildings by means of two different certifications: design
label and operation label. Design label is a pre- certification that can be granted to