Environment and energy savings in the building sector in China

Transcription

1 French Global Environment Facility * France China Environment and energy savings in the building sector in China * Global Environment Fighting the greenhouse effect and climate change

2 Thanks to the joint Chinese/French environment and energy savings program in the Building sector in China, 50% annual energy savings were achieved with a less than 7% additionnal investment cost.

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4 Global warming and T he greenhouse effect The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that maintains the temperature in the lower atmosphere close to an average of 15 C. 2 The greenhouse effect is related to the presence of certain atmospheric gases including water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane known as greenhouse gases. Without them, the Earth s temperature would be close to -18 C, which would prevent any form of life on Earth. Over the last few decades, the scientific community has observed that the planet is warming (+0.5 C to +0.7 C over the last century). This may be caused by an increased discharge of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, resulting from key human activities (including energy production, heating and air conditioning, industrial activities, transportation, and waste disposal). While the impact of greenhouse gases on the climate remains a complex topic, the constant growth in their concentration worries scientists. Carbon dioxide production, for example, currently exceeds the degree to which it can be absorbed naturally by our oceans and vegetation. More and more extreme and unexpected climatic events are observed. Based on this assessment and prompted by the increase in greenhouse gases, the international community has mobilized to respond to the potential threat of global warming Change in worldwide energy consumption Based on IAASA projected trends (source: IAASA 1995)

5 greenhouse gases S ustainable development in action Reducing greenhouse gases and fighting global warming have become major issues of global interest. As the world s eighth-largest economy, China is particularly implicated because its primary energy source is coal. The country s high economic growth calls for implementing new approaches to urban development and new, high-performance technologies for the use of coal and substitute fuels like natural gas. Beyond improving energy efficiency, China is concerned with protecting the country s quality of life, which is one of the keys to its economic and social development. Energy efficiency improvement programs like those supported by the French Global Environment Facility are an important mean of reconciling growth, social development, and environmental protection. These objectives represent China s commitment to pursuing sustainable development and global environmental protection. 3 R educing greenhouse gas emissions: the impact of the France-China cooperative program According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), China produced 12.7% of the world s 1998 emissions of CO 2, the primary greenhouse gas. By comparison, the European Union s share was 13.6%. Although emissions per inhabitant remain fairly low in China, they are growing rapidly, and increased by 21% over the last decade. Given the ongoing fast urbanization and an increased demand for comfort and mobility, the IEA predicts that China s share of world CO 2 emissions resulting from fossil fuel use will increase to 15.6% in 2010 and 17.7% in Today, heating a non-insulated residential household in Beijing generates about 7 tons of CO 2 emissions per year. This amount can be reduced by 50% through insulation and improved heating controls. China s cooperative environment and energy savings program, which covers roughly residential units, has made it possible to prevent tons of CO 2 emissions every year.

6 Environment and energy savings program i China Heilongjiang Living better while using less energy 4 West Central North central Southwest Beijing East Coast Beijing Harbin Shenyang Liaoning With 1.3 billion inhabitants, China is developing rapidly. Annual population growth is 0.8% (an additional 10.4 million people per year) and the economic growth in 2003 amounts 8%. The Chinese population seeks greater comfort, including larger living spaces that offer improved heating in the winter and, in many cases, air conditioning in the summer. China is the leading builder of housing worldwide, with 1 billion sq.m of construction annually, a pace that is projected to continue over the next 15 years. China already has 4.2 billion sq.m of housing in urban areas and 21.1 billion sq.m in rural regions. This situation has resulted in an increased energy consumption in the building sector as economic development has been accompanied by greater demand for comfort: increased heating and lighting, air conditioning equipment, and an upsurge in the number of households using home appliances. With coal being China s primary fuel, the building sector has become a significant source of atmospheric pollution in built-up regions. Like all large urban areas, several dozen major Chinese cities already face significant environmental problems air pollution, in particular. The rise in of inadequately managed energy consumption also has a considerable impact on our planet s environment, causing increases in greenhouse gas emissions and climate variations. The ability to manage this energy consumption represents a key challenge for China and the Earth, both from an economic, social and environmental standpoint, and on a local as well as global level. Part of the solution to this problem lies in improved building architecture and construction techniques. Chinese authorities, builders, and the general population share this concern and understand how important these improvements are for the country.

7 n the building sector in China A program that fits market conditions Drawing on programs already approved and financed at the local level, this program has eased the introduction of improvements in energy efficiency in new residential units (modification of plans to reduce losses and increase solar gains, plus insulation and heating improvements) while keeping additional costs at a level the local market can accept. Most of the assistance has been directed at providing support via consulting and engineering services and improving access to new technologies. The program also includes training for builders (laborers, project managers, and so on), local decision-makers, experts, and students, to ensure that results can be reproduced. 5 Reducing energy consumption by 50% A significant cooperative relationship has been established between France and China on the issue of energy efficiency in housing construction (affordable housing, for the most part). A cooperative program has been underway since 1999 involving central, provincial, and municipal authorities, and sponsored by the French ministries in charge of the environment and external economic relations, under the aegis of the French Global Environment Facility (FGEF). The program has received 3.28 million euros in funding, representing less than 3% of construction costs. Its primary goal was to achieve energy savings in housing. The program has been overseen by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), which, in conjunction with Chinese developers and decision-makers has coordinated a group of French architects and experts. Activities focused on the three northern provinces of Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Beijing, where severe winter temperatures (dropping to -40ºC) create significant heating needs. Some sq.m of energy-saving housing have been built to date, preventing the emission of an additional tons of CO 2 annually. The program has made it possible to achieve 50% savings in energy consumption and to improve comfort compared to conventional buildings, at an additional construction cost of only about 7%.

8 Program goals T he French Global Environment Facility 6 The French Global Environment Facility (FGEF) was funded in 1994 by the French government following the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. Its mission is to support environmental protection in developing countries and those in transition. Initially set up for four years, the facility s mandate has been renewed twice, in 1998 and The FGEF operates under the ministries in charge of the economy, foreign affairs, research, and the environment, as well as the French Development Agency (AFD), which is responsible for its management. The FGEF provides subsidies for financing sustainable development projects that will have a significant impact on one of four major global environmental concerns: biodiversity, the greenhouse effect, international waters, and the ozone layer. Additional concerns were added in 2002: soil depletion (including desertification and deforestation) and persistent organic pollutants. Project distribution by geographic location* Sub-Saharan Africa Mediterranean Asia Latin America and the Caribbean Central and Eastern Europe Rest of the world Project distribution by sector* Greenhouse effect Biodiversity Combined International waters 16 % 8 % 20 % 9% 4% 16 % 15 % 26 % 43 % 43 % Harbin s Taï Haï neighborhood Program objectives The program is based on three key objectives : To build energy-efficient buildings (saving at least 50% of the heating consumption) that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution at the local and regional levels. These savings must be achieved within the context of China s economic reality and without significant additional cost (added expenditure limited to less than 7% of construction costs). To promote the development and enforcement of local standards and regulations. To promote technology transfer that will ensure permanent energy savings in construction. * Between 1994 and 2002

9 and approaches 7 A three-target approach Apply innovative energy-saving building techniques on a large scale in the real estate industry. The technical advice provided to Chinese developers has focused on changing the orientation and positioning of buildings in order to increase exposure to sunlight ; modifying housing design in order to reduce the surface area of external walls ; decreasing the number of thermal bridges ; insulating walls and roofs ; water-proofing and insulating windows ; improving heat distribution ; and regulating temperature and ventilation inside buildings. Strengthen and initiate technical and industrial partnerships. Chinese investors are studying two French building-insulation processes concrete blocks with incorporated insulation (RTH blocks) and vertical-cell bricks. Several production facilities could be built in China. Support local institutions (at the city or provincial level) in adapting the regulatory framework and incentive system for controlling energy use in housing. Several significant initiatives have been launched: developing technical standards promoting energy conservation in the building sector ; improving systems for certifying energy-saving construction products ; modifying the regional tariff structure for heating services ; providing seminars on energy-saving policies and technologies in the construction sector ; and training young architects.

10 The cooperative program : projects and 8 A wide variety of projects yielding a range of results When this cooperative effort was launched, the Chinese State Development and Planning Commission proposed that FGEF work with three Northern Provinces Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Beijing that have significant heating needs. Given their diverse climatic, economic, and social conditions, the challenges they face differ widely. Recommended technical solutions and the results therefore vary by province, depending upon the context and support from local authorities. Harbin s Taï Haï neighborhood H arbin s Tai Hai neighborhood The program experienced its first success in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province. After receiving a warm welcome from local authorities, the program supported the construction of an energy-saving housing complex in Tai Hai neighborhood. The project s first phase, delivered in 2001 and totaling sq.m, showed that the amount of energy required for heating can be reduced by nearly 50% at an additional construction cost below 5.7%. Two other phases, representing sq.m, have since been delivered. Local authorities consulted French experts regarding changes to provincial regulations that could encourage energy savings by reducing heating tariffs in energy-saving housing units.

11 results «Sun Star City» project in Beijing Two pilot projects in Shenyang Two pilot projects were conducted in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, involving two housing developments ( sq.m) that demonstrated that energy savings of 50% could be achieved. T wo large-scale housing programs in Beijing The 8 million sq.m Tian Tong Yuan district is the largest affordable housing development in China s capital, Beijing. A sq.m housing unit, delivered in 2003, was built in a French architectural style inside Tian Tong Yuan. Modifications to layout and unit design, thermal insulation, and the addition of heating controls produced energy savings of more than 50%. The 2 million sq.m Sun Star City project is located in the green belt North of the capital. Construction will take place from 2003 to 2007, with French experts and heating engineers consulting on architecture and heating. In 2003, the building of sq.m of residential units has been launched. This project opens the door to interesting opportunities for cooperation in an urban environmental setting on a neighborhood-wide scale (transportation, waste disposal, and more). French architectural style in Beijing French architectural style in Beijing 9

12 Success: sustainable partnerships a 10 Success based on partnership The program s success is based both on the local players enthusiasm and the relationships of trust established between Chinese and French participants at every level: national, provincial and local authorities in addition to technical (design institutes, universities, etc.) and industrial partners. Workshop between Chinese and french partners The process promotes partnerships. French teams comprising an architect and a heating engineer are organized for each real estate development. The teams work on the basis of a concrete project designed and financed by the Chinese developers. Their job is to suggest changes while also evaluating the impact on construction costs and the reduction of energy consumption. The Chinese developers are the real project managers. They choose the proposals they want to implement in the buildings they are developing. The architect and heating engineer continue to provide technical support during construction and up to the marketing phase. A performance-monitoring campaign is carried out in occupied units to confirm actual energy savings.

13 nd technology transfers Technical and industrial partnerships These partnerships, initiated and developed as part of the cooperative framework, address several products that have an important impact on energy consumption in housing units : Building site in Beijing Vertical-cell bricks that provide all-in-one construction and insulation elements. Cement blocks with integrated insulation, Thin coatings on composite insulation systems, Rolling shutters and external blinds, Assisted natural ventilation systems, Heat distribution pipelines, Heating controls via automatic substations and thermostatic valves. 11 S ustainable knowledge transfer and innovative technologies One of the program s primary objectives is to encourage Chinese builders and developers to adopt and use new energy-saving methods and technologies. The creation of new construction markets, the building of factories to produce new materials, changes in building regulations, and local governments desire to incorporate energy efficiency into their housing renovation projects all illustrate the sustainable transfer of these technologies. To ensure that these new methods and technologies continue to be incorporated, two Chinese universities Tsinghua in Beijing and the Harbin Institute of Technology in Harbin have developed training seminars for architecture students in cooperation with French experts.

14 The outlook for 12 Thanks to the program s success, the partnerships developed and the experience gained on the ground by the Chinese participants, this cooperative effort will be expanded with renewed FGEF support. The priorities of the new cooperative effort include rural housing, renovating older housing, improving summertime housing comfort to reduce air conditioning needs, urban planning, and environmental management. Together, China and France have made progress in implementing development strategies that show greater respect for our planet.

15 development «The goal is to provide a sustainable approach to development that meets today s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to address their own requirements».

16 Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industry Directorate for External and Economic Relations French Global Environment Facility French Environment and Energy Management Agency Harbin Environment and energy savings in the building sector in China Réf. : 4932 December 2003 Design : E. Riche / Odyssée ( ) - Photo credits : D. Riffet, E. Riche, Yazhong Liu, ADEME / FFEM - Editorial coordination : A. Bernard et F. Clément, ADEME copies - Printed on recycled paper.