'Keep buildings simple to save energy'

BEIJING - The central government is urging its branches at all levels to avoid constructing public buildings that are peculiar shapes in a bid to cut down on energy consumption.

A statement jointly issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday points out that energy consumption per square meter of public buildings must be cut during the coming years. The government plans to slash energy bills by 10 percent during the next five years for regular buildings and 15 percent for large public buildings.

However, energy consumption in large public buildings is still increasing sharply, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said on its website.