Climate Group blueprints China green building development

The Climate Group China this week published a new report which takes the most innovative ideas from the country's leading green building projects, to suggest exactly how energy efficiency levels can be improved in the rest of China's buildings.

After decades of rapid economic development, China now has the world's largest housing market, yet energy efficiency in China's buildings is in dire need of improvements, the report says.

To find real suggestions to boost energy efficiency, the report identifies ways to boost energy efficiency through four case studies of green development: the Beijing Olympic Village, Nanjing Tiptop International Apartment, Siemens Centre Shanghai and Siemens Centre Beijing.

Focusing on the macro-environment of the sustainable building market in China, and in the context of policy, technology, cost and market demand, the report made a range of suggestions

First off, it calls for a more thorough integration of green building development with the country's stated goals of carbon emission reduction. This would require government producing standard industry guidelines, construction code and an extensive assessment system and tools as well as the establishment of an independent third-party rating system based on the current economic environment

The report also calls on China's government to adopt market-friendly land policies and incentives to reduce the property development cost, particularly for low-carbon buildings, which would engage more private enterprise businesses. The policies should focus on improvement of land resource allocation, adjustment of land-transferring fees and enterprise tax differentiation for green buildings.

In terms of financing policy, emphasis should be on tax exemption, industry subsidy and lower loan credit for green buildings businesses, the report says.

Governments should consider a wider coverage of the preferable policy package over the general residential property market. By imposing supportive policy stances on technology research and prize-awarding schemes on leading green building projects, green energy buildings are promoted throughout the property market, the report states.

Finally The Climate Group believes the principle growth of a low carbon market lies in like-minded consumers and requires a well-established public supervision system which will both protect consumers and allow a deeper market participation in the green energy property market.

For example, the report advises instituting preferable policies for the demand side of green buildings, such as lower tax rates on projects for residential, offices and renting agencies.

Government, it says, needs to work harder with the media and NGOs to educate the market and could consider awarding prizes to leading energy saving building projects to raise awareness among the public.