Beijing will insist that new urban developments meet pre-defined sustainability targets and existing estates will need to be retro-fitted to improve their green rating by 2015.
According to a new report in the People’s Daily, these mandatory energy-saving standards have been developed by the country’s top economic planner.
These green standards of green buildings are expected to be mandatory for all government-invested buildings from 2014, according to an official with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), who was interviewed by the People’s Daily, but declined to be named.
“As of 2014, the standard will also be applied to affordable housing projects in the four provincial-level cities, provincial capital cities and the five cities at the vice province level as well as to public constructions with an area of more than 20,000 sq m in a single building,” the official is quoted as saying.
“It takes an extra cost of only 50 yuan (US$8) per sq m to meet the minimum requirements for green buildings, compared with common buildings, according to the official. Renovations will be carried out on urban buildings to improve the efficiency of their heating systems.”
The report went on to note that China has set targets to construct 1 billion sq m of environmentally-friendly buildings during the 2011-2015 period.
