Enforcing Building Energy Codes in China: Progress and Comparative Lessons

Abstract

From 1995 to 2005, building energy use in China increased more rapidly than the world average. China has been adding 0.4 to 1.6 billion square meters of floor space annually 2 , making it the world's largest market for new construction. In fact, by 2020, China is expected to comprise half of all new construction. In response to this, China has begun to make important steps towards achieving building energy efficiency, including the implementation of building energy standards that requires new buildings to be up to 65% more efficient than buildings from the early 1980s. Making progress on reducing building energy use requires both a comprehensive code and a robust enforcement system. The latter-the enforcement system-is a particularly critical component for assuring that a building code has an effect. China has dramatically enhanced its enforcement system for building energy codes in the past two years, with more detailed requirements for ensuring enforcement and new penalties for non-compliance. We believe that the U.S. and other developed countries could benefit from learning about the multiple checks and the documentation required in China. Similarly, some of the more user-friendly enforcement approaches developed in the U.S. and elsewhere may be useful for China as it strives to improve enforcement in rural and smaller communities. In this article, we provide context to China's building codes enforcement system by comparing it to the U.S. Among some of the enforcement mechanisms we look at are testing and rating procedures, compliance software, and training and public information.

Building Energy-Efficiency Best Practice Policies and Policy Packages

“…On-site inspections are carried out by construction supervision companies, testing labs, and quality control and testing stations throughout the construction process to assure compliance with energy-efficiency standards. Once construction has been completed, the developer obtains an occupancy permit by submitting to the local construction department a completion report that is based on inspections and testing results of the third parties (Evans M. , Shui, Halverson, & Delgado, 2010). The Code of Acceptance issued by MOHURD in 2007 has helped strengthen this final phase of project approval by providing specific details and a checklist of items that must be inspected as part of the completion report.…”

“…In addition to withholding the occupancy permit, the government also introduced in 2007 other penalties for noncompliance that include revocation of licenses, imposition of fines, and requirements to correct noncompliant buildings or building components (Evans M. , Shui, Halverson, & Delgado, 2010). …”

“…Second, MOHURD allows multiple software programs, including PKPM-EC, TianZheng and Si Wei Er, to be used for simulations to check building designs for compliance; because simulation results can differ among different software, developers can choose to use the program that produces the most favorable simulation results to ensure compliance during the licensing process. In addition, the lack of protocols for building simulation for code compliance, lack of protocols for testing the software, and the potential for user errors can all lead to inconsistent simulation results (Evans M. , Shui, Halverson, & Delgado, 2010). Finally, some of the allowed tradeoffs in the building codes can compromise a building's actual performance so that the building is only compliant on paper.…”

“…• Inadequate consistency or standardization in code compliance software and lack of protocols for using building simulation software, which results in user errors (Evans M. , Shui, Halverson, & Delgado, 2010).…”

A thorough assessment of China’s standard for energy consumption of buildings

“…The target of these standards is to provide a prescriptive compliance path so that the design of building components will meet specific efficiency requirements. In regard to the building envelope, lighting, and HVAC systems, the prescriptive requirements detailed in the Chinese standards are slightly less stringent than those in the United States (Evans et al, 2010;Feng et al, 2014;Hong 2009;Hong et al, 2015;Mo et al, 2010). However, similar to the United States (with federal and state code adoption pathways), the Chinese codes are mandatory at the national level, but local governments are allowed to adopt more stringent standards.…”