Over two-thirds of existing buildings in China are energy inefficient; this energy consumption accounts for about one-fourth of the country’s total CO2 emissions. Large buildings have particularly high energy intensities. In Changning District, located in downtown Shanghai, large buildings only take up 64 percent of floor space but account for over 90 percent of energy consumption in the building sector. Fortunately, Shanghai’s Changning District is now focusing on tackling this issue: China’s first building energy efficiency benchmarking policy was passed by Changning District early this year.
NRDC has been deeply involved with Changning’s building energy benchmarking policy development. NRDC introduced building energy benchmarking to Changning and provided years of support through study tours, expert workshops, feasibility studies, stakeholder outreach and technical consultancy. Lessons from these collaborative efforts helped steer Changning District’s benchmarking policy toward one that standardizes evaluation, promotes information disclosure, and provides a user-friendly system.Over two-thirds of existing buildings in China are energy inefficient; this energy consumption accounts for about one-fourth of the country’s total CO2 emissions. Large buildings have particularly high energy intensities. In Changning District, located in downtown Shanghai, large buildings only take up 64 percent of floor space but account for over 90 percent of energy consumption in the building sector. Fortunately, Shanghai’s Changning District is now focusing on tackling this issue: China’s first building energy efficiency benchmarking policy was passed by Changning District early this year.
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Source: NRDC