Building updates help save energy
Source: Xinhua |
October 24, 2010, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE heating supply in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, will not come on until October 28 even though the outdoor temperature has already dropped below zero at night.
The temperature inside Li Guiling's house was 14 degrees Celsius on Friday, warmer than before a government-funded building renovation was done.
"The indoor temperature would rarely reach 16 degrees Celsius in the past, even when the heat was on," she said.
Millions of other Chinese living in communities where houses were built before the 1990s still suffer through cold winters as their homes are not well insulated.
Zhang Wenhai, an energy efficiency expert with the Jilin Provincial Society of Earthwork Construction, said nationwide, 40 billion square meters of buildings need to be renovated to save energy and make homes warmer.
The Chinese government introduced in 2006 a program that aims to renovate 150 million square meters of buildings in north China by the end of this year.
Li's house was renovated this year.
"A 6-centermeter thick wallboard was affixed on the outside walls of the building and workers also replaced aluminum alloy windows with plastic steel windows," Li said.
Gong Wenyi, general manager of Jilin Tongxin Heating Group, said 60 percent of buildings in the province still need to be renovated to improve energy efficiency.
"Residents have repeatedly complained that the heat was not enough to keep their homes warm," Gong said.
He said the renovations have been effective.
In a pilot program completed last year, the indoor temperature rose from 16 to 20 degrees on average.
"Renovating older buildings can contribute a lot to energy saving and emission reductions," he said.
In Harbin, capital of the neighboring Heilongjiang Province, the renovation of 20 downtown apartment blocks has helped save energy while also giving the city a face-lift.
"The concrete-covered walls have been turned into European-style of white and pink ones with spires at the top. It's very beautiful," said Li San, a fruit vendor.
Making people pay for their heating costs on a metered basis is another way China is increasing energy efficiency. This is a radical change for the country as people only started to pay for their own heating in 2004. Before that, the government paid.
However, most people still are charged based on floor space, not energy use.
The temperature inside Li Guiling's house was 14 degrees Celsius on Friday, warmer than before a government-funded building renovation was done.
"The indoor temperature would rarely reach 16 degrees Celsius in the past, even when the heat was on," she said.
Millions of other Chinese living in communities where houses were built before the 1990s still suffer through cold winters as their homes are not well insulated.
Zhang Wenhai, an energy efficiency expert with the Jilin Provincial Society of Earthwork Construction, said nationwide, 40 billion square meters of buildings need to be renovated to save energy and make homes warmer.
The Chinese government introduced in 2006 a program that aims to renovate 150 million square meters of buildings in north China by the end of this year.
Li's house was renovated this year.
"A 6-centermeter thick wallboard was affixed on the outside walls of the building and workers also replaced aluminum alloy windows with plastic steel windows," Li said.
Gong Wenyi, general manager of Jilin Tongxin Heating Group, said 60 percent of buildings in the province still need to be renovated to improve energy efficiency.
"Residents have repeatedly complained that the heat was not enough to keep their homes warm," Gong said.
He said the renovations have been effective.
In a pilot program completed last year, the indoor temperature rose from 16 to 20 degrees on average.
"Renovating older buildings can contribute a lot to energy saving and emission reductions," he said.
In Harbin, capital of the neighboring Heilongjiang Province, the renovation of 20 downtown apartment blocks has helped save energy while also giving the city a face-lift.
"The concrete-covered walls have been turned into European-style of white and pink ones with spires at the top. It's very beautiful," said Li San, a fruit vendor.
Making people pay for their heating costs on a metered basis is another way China is increasing energy efficiency. This is a radical change for the country as people only started to pay for their own heating in 2004. Before that, the government paid.
However, most people still are charged based on floor space, not energy use.
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