Green building solutions for energy efficiency
US President Barack Obama again praised the landmark China-US climate deal in his State of Union address. China's extensive coal-burning factories and auto emissions are widely blamed for the poor quality air in the country, but one important sector is often overlooked - its runaway real estate sector.
A staggering 40 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from buildings, and China's rapid economic growth and ambitious urbanization plans have spurred equally rapid construction. Within China's reach is one of the biggest levers to limit carbon emissions, that is, improving energy efficiency in new and existing buildings.
Under President Xi Jinping's new urbanization plan, China will build more than half of the world's new buildings to accommodate 100 million people relocating from the countryside to cities over the next six years. As a result, the total building energy consumption and commercial floor space are expected to double by 2050. China currently has 50 billion square meters of buildings, and will add another 2 billion sqm each year.
