BIM Insights | Shanghai's Achievement in Ultra-Low Energy Use for 5 Million sqm and Renovation of 20 Million sqm

Shanghai Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Management

Notice on Issuing the 14th Five-Year Plan for Green Buildings in Shanghai

Hujian Building Materials [2021] No. 694

To all relevant units,

We hereby issue the “14th Five-Year Plan for Green Buildings in Shanghai.” Please implement it carefully according to your actual situation.

November 3, 2021

Overview of the 14th Five-Year Plan for Green Buildings in Shanghai

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, Shanghai earnestly implemented the spirit of the Central Urban Work Conference, adhering to the development concepts of coordination, innovation, green growth, openness, and sharing. Guided by building policies focused on applicability, economy, environmental friendliness, and aesthetics, the city upheld the highest international standards. This resulted in continuous improvements in the quality and level of green buildings, steady progress in building energy conservation, and remarkable achievements in green ecological urban development.

The scale and quality of green buildings have significantly improved, with breakthroughs in green ecological urban areas. The public building energy consumption monitoring platform has become the largest in China in terms of coverage and building area. The goals set out in the “13th Five-Year Plan” for green building development were fully met, laying the foundation for high-quality green building advancement.

Main Achievements

1. Integration of Green Building Standards into Construction Management
   During the 13th Five-Year Plan, all new buildings in Shanghai were mandated to fully implement green building standards. Government office buildings and large public facilities were required to meet two-star or higher green building ratings, with related requirements embedded throughout the construction management process. Standards and specifications for green building design, review, testing, and acceptance were enhanced. Green building criteria were strictly enforced at stages including land supply and design review, greatly improving the scale and quality of green buildings.

   By December 2020, Shanghai had reviewed green building construction drawings for 233 million square meters of building space. The city had 874 green building evaluation projects totaling 80.51 million square meters, with over 80% rated at two stars or above.

2. Demonstration and Leadership in Green Building Operation
   Green design has extended into green building operation, with projects earning two-star or higher green building operation labels receiving financial support and district-level subsidies. Training sessions on green building operation, maintenance, and management were organized, alongside the publication of the Shanghai Green Building Operation and Management Manual to enhance operational efficiency.

   As of December 2020, 49 projects totaling 5.91 million square meters had green building operation labels. Notably, the Shanghai Center Building, the tallest green building worldwide, and the National Convention and Exhibition Center, the largest in China, both achieved three-star operation labels, setting models for super high-rise and large public buildings. During this period, Shanghai won 19 National Green Building Innovation Awards, representing about one-sixth of awards in 2020’s national demonstration projects.

3. Breakthroughs in Green Ecological Urban Areas
   Shanghai advanced green ecological urban areas through standards, policies, and management. The city led the nation by issuing the local standard “Evaluation Standards for Green Ecological Urban Areas” and promoting related policy documents. Innovative regional promotion models were developed, such as the “Chongming District Green Building Management Measures” and the planning guidelines for Chongming Ecological Island, integrating sponge city concepts, green infrastructure, and comprehensive pipe corridors.

   By December 2020, eleven green ecological urban pilot projects covering 31.4 square kilometers were successfully established. The Hongqiao Business District core area received the first national three-star certification for green ecological urban area operation and management. Additionally, Putuo Taopu Zhichuang City, Baoshan Xingu City, and Pudong Qiantan became Shanghai’s first green ecological urban area pilots.

4. Comprehensive Implementation of Building Energy Efficiency Standards
   Shanghai promoted building energy efficiency standards throughout design and construction, reaching 100% implementation in design and completion acceptance stages by December 2020. The cumulative energy-saving building area reached 652 million square meters. Research into ultra-low energy buildings led to the publication of the Shanghai Technical Guidelines for Ultra Low Energy Buildings (Trial), with such buildings included in special support programs.

   Renewable energy building applications expanded, supported by technical regulations for operation and accounting standards for renewable energy use. During the 13th Five-Year Plan, the newly added renewable energy building area was approximately 17.13 million square meters, incorporating solar photovoltaic power, solar hot water integration, and shallow geothermal technologies adapted to the city’s conditions.

5. Advancement in Energy Efficiency of Existing Buildings
   Shanghai actively promoted energy efficiency upgrades for existing buildings, including public buildings, hospitals, and campuses. The city used its “1+17+1” large-scale public building energy consumption monitoring platform to conduct energy audits, statistics, and awareness campaigns. Residential building energy-saving renovations were encouraged through the publication of a technology catalogue and the promotion of green renewal evaluations.

   By December 2020, over 12.7 million square meters of public building energy-saving renovations were completed, with 1,378 energy audits conducted, including 50 for super large public buildings. There were 1,031 energy efficiency announcements and 79 green transformation demonstration projects, all yielding positive social impacts.

6. Expansion and Enhancement of Energy Consumption Monitoring
   The integration of city-level and district-level energy consumption monitoring platforms expanded the online monitoring scope for public buildings. The platform’s functions and services deepened, supporting energy statistics, audits, and efficiency publicity. The annual Shanghai State Office Buildings and Large Public Buildings Energy Consumption Monitoring and Analysis Report serves as a key industry reference.

   By December 2020, the platform monitored 2,017 public buildings covering 92.08 million square meters, including 34.884 million square meters completed during the 13th Five-Year Plan. The platform is China’s largest and most stable building energy consumption monitoring system. During COVID-19, it utilized big data to assess public building energy use and occupancy, supporting urban safety management.

Key Lessons Learned

Standard Guidance: Shanghai developed a comprehensive green building standard system, covering design, construction, acceptance, and operation. Group standards and local regulations ensured green and energy-saving goals were met.

Pilot Demonstrations: Special support policies fostered projects demonstrating green building operation, green ecological urban areas, and existing building renovations, promoting best practices in management and energy efficiency.

Cutting-edge Research: Collaborations with scientific organizations supported innovation in green building management, ultra-low energy buildings, indoor air quality, and green construction technologies, underpinning sustainable development.

Challenges Identified

1. The green building and ecological urban development processes require further improvement. Although green building operation labels increased, the overall proportion remains low. Regulatory systems need stronger enforcement in acceptance and operation stages, and user awareness of green technologies requires enhancement. Mechanisms for green ecological urban development need better coordination, supervision, and dynamic updating, especially integrating green renewal in existing urban areas.
2. Building energy efficiency and consumption quota systems are not yet fully integrated. Though preliminary energy consumption guidelines exist, comprehensive management from design to operation is incomplete. Closing the gap between design-stage and operational-stage energy controls remains a priority.
3. Building energy consumption monitoring platforms need enhanced construction and service capabilities. Despite a complete supervisory system for existing public buildings, regional platform management varies, requiring ongoing improvements. Current data usage focuses on macro-level analysis; exploring deeper data-driven energy-saving applications is essential for the 14th Five-Year Plan.

Context and Drivers for the 14th Five-Year Plan

Concept Upgrade: “Putting people at the center” is the core philosophy, reflecting societal development goals toward better living standards and balanced growth. Green building evaluation standards have been upgraded accordingly, emphasizing safe, healthy, comfortable, resource-efficient, and livable environments.

Leadership on Carbon Peak: Responding to global climate challenges, China aims to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve neutrality by 2060. Buildings are key to energy conservation and emission reduction. The Plan promotes green buildings and ecological urban areas as vital to resource conservation and environmental protection.

Regional Integration: As part of the Yangtze River Delta integration strategy, Shanghai is tasked with leading green innovation and development, fostering ecological urban areas aligned with urban master plans, and emphasizing sustainable, compact, low-carbon urban growth.

Overall Requirements of the 14th Five-Year Plan

1. Guiding Ideology: Implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and Shanghai Municipal policies, focusing on “people’s cities built by and for the people.” Adhere to innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing, with green buildings as a core development strategy to enhance quality of life and urban soft power.
2. Basic Principles: Center on people’s needs, upgrading green building concepts and systems to improve health, comfort, and functionality. Emphasize quality throughout the building process, ensure green building standards in new civil buildings, establish energy quota systems, and promote coordinated regional development aligned with international standards.
3. Development Goals: Achieve high-quality green building and ecological urban area development, upgrade concepts and systems, improve building performance and user experience, and lead green building initiatives in the Yangtze River Delta. Employ full lifecycle management, energy quota design, and ultra-low energy building promotion to realize effective energy savings.

Key Targets for High-Quality Development

1. New civil buildings must meet at least basic green building standards. Government office buildings, large public buildings, and government-funded projects over 5,000 square meters must achieve two-star or higher ratings. Super high-rise and large public buildings in the five new cities must meet three-star standards. Green ecological urban areas must align with their specific green ecological planning.
2. Enhance the supervision system for green buildings, include green content in building acceptance, and explore mechanisms for green building delivery and use.
3. Promote pilot projects for green ecological urban areas, aiming for over 25 projects by 2025, including five updates and two demonstration projects.
4. Improve building energy efficiency, control construction sector carbon emissions to about 45 million tons by 2025, establish ultra-low energy building technologies and standards, and implement over 5 million square meters of demonstration projects.
5. Create a comprehensive renewable energy utilization system in buildings, requiring all new public, residential, and industrial buildings from 2022 onward to incorporate renewable energy sources, with photovoltaic installations promoted on suitable new buildings.
6. Complete energy-saving renovations on over 20 million square meters of existing buildings and build green renovation demonstration projects.
7. Expand energy consumption monitoring to cover over 100 million square meters of public building area by the end of 2025, while enhancing urban management services.

Key Tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan

1. Upgrade Green Building Systems and Promote Legal Management

The Shanghai Green Building Management Measures will legally embed green building requirements and promotion mechanisms. New civil buildings must meet at least basic green standards; government and large public buildings must meet two-star or higher ratings; super high-rise and large buildings in new cities must meet three-star standards.

Supervise the entire green building lifecycle and industry chain, addressing energy conservation, prefabrication, fully decorated residences, and green building materials. Institutional measures will cover information disclosure and indoor pollution control to protect residents.

Standards will be revised and issued across design, review, and acceptance stages, including guidelines for public and residential buildings and quality acceptance forms to enhance residential green performance.

Green building requirements will be integrated into construction management, with strict control during land supply and design review. Energy-saving acceptance will transition to green building special acceptance, extending regulatory oversight to construction implementation and operation phases.

Operational standards and incentive mechanisms will be formulated, training provided, and the operational quality of green buildings improved.

Residential health performance will be enhanced, focusing on sound insulation, air and water quality, and epidemic prevention resilience. Residential health indicators will be publicly disclosed, supporting green and healthy residential area demonstrations.

2. Promote Green Urban Development and Expand Regional Green Ecology

Building on 13th Five-Year experiences, green ecological urban area planning and construction will be summarized and promoted, with evaluation standards revised. New urban areas will be guided toward green ecological development, aligned with Shanghai’s overall urban plan.

Regional coordination mechanisms will support key development zones such as the Five New Cities, Lingang Free Trade Zone, Yangtze River Delta Ecological Integration Zone, and Hongqiao Business District. Pilot projects and demonstration areas will be expanded, with two demonstration projects targeted by 2025.

Supervision mechanisms will be strengthened, including regulatory frameworks for pilot projects, incorporation of green ecological planning into approvals and construction management, and interdepartmental coordination for indicator reviews and enforcement.

Green renewal of existing urban areas will be promoted through renovation of old districts, industrial land, and urban villages. Pilot demonstrations, evaluation standards, and construction experience will be developed, aiming for five green renewal urban demonstration areas by 2025.

3. Accelerate Energy Conservation and Carbon Peak Actions in Construction

A carbon peak action plan will target controlling construction-sector emissions to around 45 million tons by 2025. Key measures include energy-saving design for new buildings, energy efficiency upgrades for existing buildings, and large-scale renewable energy applications.

Building carbon emission standards will be established, alongside market mechanisms for carbon trading in construction. Energy consumption quota systems for building design will be developed, with new buildings fully implementing energy consumption and carbon emission quota standards by the end of the Plan.

Supporting mechanisms, including standardized calculation tools and compatible review and acceptance processes, will ensure implementation of energy limit designs. Research on performance-based design methods and energy quota-related technologies will provide technical support.

Ultra-low energy building technologies will be researched and standardized to fit Shanghai’s climate and urban context. Demonstration projects totaling no less than 5 million square meters will be implemented, with concentrated demonstration zones in the Five New Cities. Integration with prefabricated buildings and material restrictions will be promoted, along with research into near-zero and zero-carbon building technologies.

Renewable energy building development will be scaled up, with standards quantifying renewable energy use requirements. From 2022, all new public, residential, and industrial buildings must utilize renewable energy sources, supported by design and acceptance management systems.

“Photovoltaic+” renewable energy deployment will be accelerated, with at least 50% rooftop photovoltaic installation in new government, educational, and industrial buildings by 2022. Innovative renewable energy projects will be promoted, integrating photovoltaics, energy storage, and flexible electricity use.

Green and efficient refrigeration products will be promoted through updated energy efficiency standards, green government procurement, and inclusion of green indicators in project bidding.

4. Promote Green Renewal and Energy-Saving Renovation of Existing Buildings

Urban renewal and old area renovation will integrate energy-saving renovations, with task decomposition and district-level promotion. Key public buildings, including super large buildings, hospitals, campuses, agencies, and data centers, will be prioritized to improve functions and urban ecological quality.

Over 20 million square meters of energy-saving renovation demonstration projects are targeted during the Plan. Technical standards and evaluation mechanisms for green renovation will be refined. Public buildings will lead green transformations, and green low-carbon communities will be encouraged.

Energy efficiency improvement mechanisms for existing buildings will be developed, including quota management, benchmarking, energy audits, and carbon emission rankings. Market-oriented energy-saving service models, contract energy management, carbon trading, and green finance policies will be explored.

Efficient computer rooms and air conditioning subsystems in existing public buildings will be upgraded, supported by energy management teams and building adaptation standards. Demonstration projects exceeding 500,000 square meters are planned.

5. Expand Energy Consumption Monitoring and Strengthen Regulations

Policies will be improved for energy consumption monitoring system construction and operation, with evaluation mechanisms for effectiveness. Financial budgets and social funding will support platform development and maintenance.

The scope of monitoring will expand, integrating data from various municipal platforms into a smart carbon emissions monitoring system. Monitoring will extend beyond electricity to include water, gas, cooling, and heating consumption. Building information requirements will be clarified to enhance data value.

Design and construction supervision of energy consumption monitoring systems will be strengthened, expanding regulatory coverage to at least 100 million square meters of public building area by 2025.

Data applications will deepen through user demand research, top-level design, and functional upgrades. Diagnostic analysis, real-time energy environment tracking, benchmarking, trend analysis, and operational health evaluations will be implemented.

6. Foster Scientific Innovation and Green Industry Development

Digital technologies such as 5G, IoT, big data, and AI will be integrated with green building operation and management. Demonstration projects will explore intelligent building systems, energy-saving operations, and green performance perception.

Building energy system monitoring and evaluation based on IoT and big data will be researched and demonstrated, promoting intelligent urban development.

Green building materials will be promoted through product evaluations, credit mechanisms, and government investment leadership, emphasizing pre-mixed concrete and expanding categories and proportions of green materials.

Industrial guidance will support green and energy-saving products, including doors, windows, insulation, interior decoration, shading, heat recovery, air purification, refrigeration, and smart home systems. Enterprises in consulting, design, construction, testing, and operation of green buildings will be encouraged.

Guarantee Measures

1. Organizational Coordination: Strengthen collaboration among departments involved in building energy conservation and green building development. Implement responsibility assessments, innovate work methods, and coordinate labor division across land transfer, planning, design, construction, acceptance, and operation. Publicize annual work results.
2. Policies and Regulations: Improve the legal framework through the Shanghai Green Building Management Measures. Include green building requirements in acceptance procedures. Implement financial support policies for green building operation, ultra-low energy demonstrations, and existing building renovations. Organize summaries and improvements to maximize demonstration effects.
3. Standard System Enhancement: Continuously research and revise local and group standards focused on green ecological urban areas, energy limits, ultra-low energy buildings, and integrated exterior insulation. Ensure standards align with Shanghai’s green development goals.
4. Market Mechanism Innovation: Leverage market forces for energy-saving and green building services. Promote market-oriented models such as building adaptation, energy management, and contract energy management. Develop green finance and carbon trading mechanisms to support low-carbon construction. Build service platforms connecting industry, finance, and third-party agencies to drive green building market growth.
5. Publicity and Training: Advocate green lifestyles and consumption through campaigns like Energy Conservation Week and National Low Carbon Day. Encourage nationwide participation to deepen societal understanding and support for green buildings. Enhance technical and management training for industry professionals, promoting continuing education and cultivating high-quality talent.

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