Qualification of Key Actors on Energy Efficiency in the Building Sector

Project description

Title: Qualification of Key Actors on Energy Efficiency in the Building Sector (KABEE)
Country: China
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB)
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Housing and Urban/Rural Development (MoHURD), Department for Buildings Energy, Science and Technology
Overall term: 2013 to 2016

Context

Only a marked improvement in energy efficiency, especially in the building sector, will enable the world to attain the internationally agreed target of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius by 2100. In China, buildings account for over 30 per cent of national primary energy consumption, which is still largely based on fossil fuels. This percentage will continue to rise as standards of living and urbanisation increase.

The Chinese Government has recognised the enormous potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. Its twelfth Five Year Plan (2011 to 2015) promotes increases in energy efficiency of buildings. This is embodied in targets for new developments and renovation in the 2013 Green Building Action Plan.

Nevertheless, key actors in Chinese cities and municipalities still have a lack of knowledge of how to cut energy use of buildings. To implement the measures required in the Green Building Action Plan, they need to know much more about practical solutions as well as about how to successfully put effective plans into action. The required materials and technologies are often yet unknown or not ready to be put on the market. Also, there is usually little understanding of how to carry out a building project professionally and correctly, meaning the tremendous energy savings potential in cities has not yet been efficiently exploited.

Objective

The project ensures the swift and widespread transfer of up-to-date knowledge on climate-friendly practices, technical concepts and innovative financial models to key actors in Chinese cities and municipalities. These key actors are able to identify appropriate and feasible energy-efficient and climate change mitigation measures for the building sector, which they implement to high quality standards in a sustainable manner.

Approach

The project helps familiarise leading policy-makers and administrators in local authorities as well as public and private sector organisations involved in the implementation of policies with knowledge of applications and measures in the area of building energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. It takes into account the particular characteristics of Chinese cities.

German knowledge brokers, the Chinese partner ministry (MoHURD) and four Chinese implementation partners are jointly developing training materials and formats in order to transfer German expertise. The close cooperation with the four implementation partners allows channelling information to a cross section of key players at different levels, comprised of:

  • policy and decision-makers: these stakeholders are reached through the Chinese Academy of Governance (CAG) and the National Academy for Mayors of China (NAMC);
  • public administration engaged in town planning: they are informed by NAMC and the Chinese Society for Urban Studies (CSUS);
  • implementing agencies and actors: these stakeholders are involved through the Science, Technology and Industrialisation Development Center (CSTC).

The project will combine four approaches to reach its objectives:

  1. Training for trainers
    Building up a pool of Chinese trainers is essential both for a widespread knowledge transfer and to ensure the continuation of the project.
  2. Development of training courses and training material
    At the same time, new training curricula, materials and formats will be designed and trialled in cooperation between the future Chinese trainers and the German experts. The project takes care to devise fee-paying arrangements as well as systematic, replicable training modules. This will ensure knowledge will continue to be evenly transferred and future development costs accounted for.
  3. Study tours
    Decision-makers, trainers and other key players will visit Germany on study tours in order to familiarise themselves with the German experience regarding energy efficiency and low-carbon urban development.
  4. Briefing on the inclusion of buildings in the carbon market
    In consultation with MoHURD, key stakeholders will be briefed on new developments concerning the inclusion of the building sector in a Chinese carbon trading system.

Results

Training needs in Chinese cities have been identified in thorough consultations between all partners. German and Chinese knowledge brokers have designed training curricula and formats. More than 1,000 people took part in a series of classes piloted in September 2014 and Chinese trainers attended two seminars. They will later act as multipliers for transferring German expertise.