Constructing and operating buildings can take a terrible toll on the environment.
The energy consumed in manufacturing and transporting building materials, constructing homes and offices, and heating and cooling structures represents almost 45 percent of China's total energy use.
Thoughtful design and construction can minimize this impact.
Green buildings -- buildings designed for environmental sustainability -- can reduce energy and water consumption by up to 70 percent.
They can also cut land use by 25 percent, protecting agricultural and wildlands.
NRDC helps minimize the environmental impacts of Chinese buildings by:
- Working with the Ministry of Construction to develop energy efficiency standards for residential buildings in the Yangtze River and southern regions that reduce energy consumption by 50 percent
- Providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Construction on national energy standards for government and commercial buildings
- Working with the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Science & Technology to translate and adapt LEED, the U.S. green building standard. LEED buildings reduce environmental impacts by between 30 percent and 70 percent
- Conducting seminars, workshops, and professional development tours on green buildings and standards in China and the United States
NRDC works with municipalities to develop green construction programs. Our projects include:
Beijing
- Coordinating the environmental and energy efficient features for China's first internationally certified green building for MoST
- Helping the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Science & Technology develop green construction standards for the 2008 Olympics
Chongqing
- Working with the Chongqing Construction Commission to develop energy standards for residential buildings
- Conducting seminars and workshops on energy efficiency codes and standards
Shanghai
- Implementing energy efficient building standards
Shenzhen
- Developing a municipal green building program and a high performance green building demonstration project
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NRDC Green Buildings
Victories |
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2003: NRDC achieves an important milestone when the number of buildings and construction projects around the world -- including in China -- following the green building standard developed by LEED, the green building certification system chaired by NRDC, exceeds 1,500.
1996: NRDC advises Russia's State Construction Ministry on developing mandatory energy-saving standards for residential buildings -- reducing energy consumption by up to 40 percent.
1981: NRDC helps establish residential building standards in California, reducing energy use in new houses by 50 percent.
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