Energy-efficient construction is central to achieving climate goals. China has great potential here. A federal project supports making the world's largest construction sector more sustainable - with Swiss know-how. INFRAS contributes its own project experience.
Almost 40 percent of the world's energy-related CO2 emissions come from buildings and the construction sector. China's construction sector is the largest in the world. A higher proportion of emission-free buildings in China is therefore an important step in achieving the Paris climate goals.
In a project for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Switzerland supported this change in China. INFRAS participated in the project with technical expertise on the Swiss building sector. Project partners were Intep and Skat Consulting AG.
More ambitious standards and demonstration buildings
The project was intended to contribute, among other things, to quantifying the reduction potential of CO2 emissions in the Chinese building sector based on Swiss experience. It developed evidence-based proposals for strengthening Chinese standards for emission-free construction. In addition, demonstration buildings were built or retrofitted in China – and experts and students were trained in the planning of emission-free buildings.
Project also for the public health
The project worked with various actors: with Chinese authorities, building planning experts, universities and training institutions, private real estate developers and public investors, as well as with owners, residents and users of the demonstration buildings.
In addition to the actual climate goals, the project also served China's public health: the thermal comfort of buildings was improved and air pollution from heating and cooling was reduced.
Further information
- Final Report
- Detailed project description of the SDC
- Project documentation: Swiss decarbonization roadmap until 2050
- Project documentation: Swiss experiences with technical regulations in the building sector
Links to project partners:
Further INFRAS projects on the subject
Project team
