The economic boom in China shows no sign of stopping. This is also evidenced by the fact that in the most populous country in the world, two-digit growth rates are reported for the construction of new buildings. However, where the energy efficiency of buildings is concerned, China is still lagging behind European standards: Energy consumption for heating and cooling is much higher per square metre. But the country's energy reserves are continually dwindling, and there is an urgent need for action. Because it is often not possible to correct this retrospectively, or only with great difficulty, efficiency aspects must be integrated into the earliest project planning phase for the construction of new buildings.
Working together with the Federal Ministry of Construction, dena took a proactive approach. This resulted in the founding of the "German-Chinese Working Group for the Promotion of Energy-Efficient Building", with the participation of the Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MoHURD) and the Center of Science and Technology and Industrialization Development (CSTID), which is also under the MoHURD. At annual meetings, comprehensive collaboration measures were agreed upon. During this partnership, binding standards were developed which formed the foundation for further construction projects. At the same time, evaluations are being conducted to determine to what extent German efficiency directives can be applied to or adapted to the Chinese market.
The German-Chinese partnership in the sector of building efficiency is already bearing fruit. Since 2010, dena has been implementing quality-controlled pilot projects with low-energy and passive house standards in China. The first building supervised by dena quality assurance is the pilot project in Qinhuangdao, which was awarded the efficient house certificate. This high-rise residential building was planned and realised in compliance with the new Hebei standard (based on the German passive house standard), and consumes 75% less energy than conventional new buildings in China.
Currently, more than 40 efficient houses have already been completed or are currently being implemented, in part with the help of German technologies. In addition to the CSTID, the quality assurance system (QS) is now being implemented with other QS partners: Kangju Certification Center (KJCC), Hebei Academy of Building Research (HABR), Beijing University Assembly (BUCC) and others learn from project implementation and contribute to the dissemination of energy-efficient building in China. The spirit of collaboration is also evident in dena's participation in the annual Green Building Conference and other big fairs.
Source picture header: China Academy of Building Research
