172 Lei Song et al.
to improve energy efficiency because of the social habits of occupants. Also, in
some cases, rather than taking a technological approach, similar impacts may be
achieved through cheaper non- technical efforts, such as taking advantage of
natural environments.
Furthermore, other risks raised by stakeholders from governmental groups
focused on behaviour lock- in, not only for the new building but also for retrofitted buildings. New buildings in Shanghai mostly met energy efficiency codes;
however, the city has seen a rapid growth in energy consumption of more than
55% in 2016 due to huge economic development and improvements in living
standards (especially building heating). Even though the building sector is transitioning towards green buildings, energy saving in the building sector is thought
to be diluted by high- energy consumption behaviours. For instance, more and
more residents in the Shanghai area are installing central air conditioning for
heating and cooling in order to improve indoor comfort. Energy consumption
for heating in southern areas is now increasing.
For energy- efficient building retrofitting, the perception and acceptance of
households also play very important roles in the process of a low- carbon transition. The 12th Five- Year Plan (from 2011 to 2015) specified that the northern
district should carry out ‘heating management’. Heating management includes
indoor temperature control and installing net metering in existing residential
buildings to promote energy saving in an area of more than 400 million square
metres. However, the achievements of retrofitting projects have differed among
the different climate zones. The target had been almost overachieved in
advance in northern areas – 750 million square metres of housing in the northern heating zone has been retrofitted since the end of 2014. However, in contrast with the northern district, retrofits of existing buildings in southern areas
has been hindered by several complicated factors. The energy- saving retrofits of
existing buildings in these districts are still maintained in the small- scale pilot
phases of large public buildings, especially retrofits of external walls’ insulation
membranes and coatings.
Furthermore, regarding the barriers to renewable energy installations, some
stakeholders from the general public had a low acceptance of renewable energy
installations. However, subsidies for solar PV installations have been provided
by national, municipal, and district level government respectively, providing a
subsidy of more than ¥1 per kilowatt hour in Beijing. Under these incentives,
the benefits are being recognised by the public. Each solar power installation
project is required to operate for at least five years (from 2015 to 2019) in
Beijing. Participants in these projects include not only distributed generation
companies but also households. Some households involved in this project considered that the cost would be recouped in ten years through governmental subsidies, self- consumption, and selling excess electricity not consumed in the
household to the grid.
For government stakeholders, the economic and financing risks are related to
energy efficiency of retrofitted buildings. The retrofits of existing buildings
mainly refer to buildings built before the year 2000 which cannot meet the
to improve energy efficiency because of the social habits of occupants. Also, in
some cases, rather than taking a technological approach, similar impacts may be
achieved through cheaper non- technical efforts, such as taking advantage of
natural environments.
Furthermore, other risks raised by stakeholders from governmental groups
focused on behaviour lock- in, not only for the new building but also for retrofitted buildings. New buildings in Shanghai mostly met energy efficiency codes;
however, the city has seen a rapid growth in energy consumption of more than
55% in 2016 due to huge economic development and improvements in living
standards (especially building heating). Even though the building sector is transitioning towards green buildings, energy saving in the building sector is thought
to be diluted by high- energy consumption behaviours. For instance, more and
more residents in the Shanghai area are installing central air conditioning for
heating and cooling in order to improve indoor comfort. Energy consumption
for heating in southern areas is now increasing.
For energy- efficient building retrofitting, the perception and acceptance of
households also play very important roles in the process of a low- carbon transition. The 12th Five- Year Plan (from 2011 to 2015) specified that the northern
district should carry out ‘heating management’. Heating management includes
indoor temperature control and installing net metering in existing residential
buildings to promote energy saving in an area of more than 400 million square
metres. However, the achievements of retrofitting projects have differed among
the different climate zones. The target had been almost overachieved in
advance in northern areas – 750 million square metres of housing in the northern heating zone has been retrofitted since the end of 2014. However, in contrast with the northern district, retrofits of existing buildings in southern areas
has been hindered by several complicated factors. The energy- saving retrofits of
existing buildings in these districts are still maintained in the small- scale pilot
phases of large public buildings, especially retrofits of external walls’ insulation
membranes and coatings.
Furthermore, regarding the barriers to renewable energy installations, some
stakeholders from the general public had a low acceptance of renewable energy
installations. However, subsidies for solar PV installations have been provided
by national, municipal, and district level government respectively, providing a
subsidy of more than ¥1 per kilowatt hour in Beijing. Under these incentives,
the benefits are being recognised by the public. Each solar power installation
project is required to operate for at least five years (from 2015 to 2019) in
Beijing. Participants in these projects include not only distributed generation
companies but also households. Some households involved in this project considered that the cost would be recouped in ten years through governmental subsidies, self- consumption, and selling excess electricity not consumed in the
household to the grid.
For government stakeholders, the economic and financing risks are related to
energy efficiency of retrofitted buildings. The retrofits of existing buildings
mainly refer to buildings built before the year 2000 which cannot meet the