Zhuhai pioneers 'smart' energy-efficient buildings

China's maiden endeavor to manage and conserve energy throughout the life of a building took root in Zhuhai on April 2.

The Zhuhai Energy Consumption Monitoring Platform for Buildings is a key component of the government's Smart City program. Since March, it has synchronized information and integrated analysis, assessment, and verification of catalogued data for multiple city departments. An administrative system and database will soon monitor energy consumption of buildings from planning throughout design, construction, acceptance, and operation.

This will allow Zhuhai to implement architectural energy consumption quotas, energy-saving technology evaluations, tiered electricity pricing, and carbon emission trading, according to Wang Zhaohui, director of the Housing & Urban-Rural Planning & Construction Bureau.

Zhuhai Energy Consumption Monitoring Platform for Buildings

The platform was unveiled at the 14th International Conference on Green & Energy-Efficient Building & New Technologies & Products Expo (IGEBC). This is China's largest and most prestigious industrial gathering in the green building industry. It opened on April 2 at the Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center.

Themed New Era of Green Building in High Quality, the expo attracted nearly 400 renowned experts from home and abroad. They made speeches on 40 "green" subjects, including building design, prefabricated buildings, and ecological urban areas.

The New Technologies & Products Expo, held concurrently, saw more than 300 enterprises display their latest technological achievements and practical applications. These covered energy-efficient, green, and intelligent buildings; plus green design and building materials. The exhibition area was 10,000 sq m (2.5 acres) large.

The city government has strongly favored green innovation and low-carbon economy in recent years. Floorage of green buildings had increased to 20.38 million sq m (5,036 acres) by the end of 2017. Zhuhai Gree Group, Zhuhai Titan Power Electronics, and Zhuhai Singyes Green Building Technology are among 19 companies to register as doing green construction and energy conservation.

14th IGEBC in Zhuhai [Photos courtesy Southern Metropolis Daily]