China Building Energy Consumption: Definitions and Measures from an Operational Perspective

Abstract

China building energy consumption (BEC) has been gradually derived and also sparked attention. However, something worth discussing is estimating the BEC based on the definition of life cycle or building operation. In addition, there exists discrepancy in the previous studies and the real status of BEC has not been known well. In order to settle the disputes over the calculation of BEC, this paper establishes an appropriate accounting method of building energy to present the BEC situation in China and lays the foundation for policymakers to develop appropriate energy saving policies. Meanwhile, this study attempts to clarify the BEC to help policymakers assess the effect of environmental policies. Using the method in this document, we find that the energy consumption of buildings just accounts for 15%-16% of the final total energy consumption in China; by contrast, the previous studies usually have double accounting through a top-down approach if central heat supply of buildings was taken into additional consideration.

A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)-Based Biogas-from-Waste Generation System for Residential Buildings in China: A Feasibility Study

“…Prior research has highlighted buildings' energy performance and greenhouse gas emissions [25][26][27], and the proposed system is intended to improve the former and reduce the latter over a building's whole life cycle. The lifespan of the proposed system is estimated as 15 years.…”

Effect of Summer Ventilation on the Thermal Performance and Energy Efficiency of Buildings Utilizing Phase Change Materials

“…However, even the most efficient, newest models always occupy the top of the home energy consumption pyramid. Statistics show that in developed countries the most energy used in a typical home is for heating and cooling, which is 38% of the total energy use [4][5][6] and the energy demand for heating and cooling will continue to increase due to population growth, extreme weather conditions and thermal comfort levels [4]. Given the high demand on electricity, there is an increased risk that many cities/suburbs will be subject to periods of low power or outages affecting essential facilities and services, including health, security and so on.…”

“…Given the high demand on electricity, there is an increased risk that many cities/suburbs will be subject to periods of low power or outages affecting essential facilities and services, including health, security and so on. Undoubtedly, the energy efficiency of buildings has become a prime objective for energy policy at regional, national and international levels [6].…”

How to Measure Carbon Emission Reduction in China’s Public Building Sector: Retrospective Decomposition Analysis Based on STIRPAT Model in 2000–2015

“…Therefore, this study utilized the data from CABEE [17] (i.e., CMBECSS Ver. 2.0) which has been widely accepted by a variety of existing works [2,5,6,10,[17][18][19][20]. Moreover, the data sources of and were accessed from the China Statistical Yearbook.…”

“…In comparison with CBEM, the data issued in the CMBECSS are comparatively credible, as this systematic estimation approach provides sustainable, complete, and comparable time-series data involving CPBCE, which is an essential requirement for assessing CERCPB in [2001][2002][2003][2004][2005][2006][2007][2008][2009][2010][2011][2012][2013][2014][2015]. Moreover, these BCE data have been accepted widely by various other studies [2,5,6,10,[17][18][19][20]. Furthermore, the IPAT equation, including its derivative versions (e.g., the STIRPAT model) and LMDI decomposition analysis are appropriate for identifying and evaluating the different effects on the factors that affect carbon emissions in specific industries [20][21][22][23][24].…”