Current trends of developing energy efficiency projects in the building sector of China

Energy consumption has been considerably increased in the building sector over the years due to population growth, economic development and increased demand for building functions and indoor environmental quality. Buildings account for over 30% of total energy consumption in China which is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies over the globe. China has experienced fast-paced economic growth and has been in a stage of rapid urban development for the last decade; however, challenges from natural resources and sustainable development have accompanied its economic development. In recent years, increasing public concerns on the negative impacts of the construction industry on energy use and climate change has made energy efficiency in buildings becomes a fertile area of research. However, the existing literature consists of diversified topics and issues that when more efficiently classified and integrated for better understanding of energy efficiency in building sector, would pave a way for future scholars and practitioners to undertake more intensive and efficient research. Based on a comprehensive review of contemporary studies on green buildings and energy-efficient buildings, this chapter reviews current issues about energy efficiency in buildings in China and Hong Kong including energy performance contracting, energy efficiency retrofit and net zero carbon buildings, supplemented with case studies in developed cities in China to provide insightful directions for further studies in the area of development of energy efficiency projects.