The Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will launch a grassroots campaign in two cities following a US$518,000 grant from the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.

The project will encourage public involvement in green building and use incentives to increase compliance with the China’s stricter building energy codes.

China’s government is aiming to make new buildings 50% more energy efficient by 2010.

The country has the world’s second highest building energy use, behind the US, and half of the world’s new construction is expected to take place within its borders in the next ten years.

“China and the United States are in the midst of developing a productive partnership that deals with local, national and global energy and climate change issues,” said Shui Bin, PNNL project manager.

“This project aims to contribute to the on-going efforts to improve building energy efficiency in China.”

Under the grant, PNNL will work with the China Academy of Building Research and the Beijing Energy Efficiency Centre.

The team has also been awarded a grant of US$295,000 by non-profit organisation the Blue Moon Fund, which will be also be used for the project.

The organisations will use the two grants to test two incentive programmes and information campaigns, to train building inspectors, designers, and construction companies to ensure greater compliance, and to produce national training manuals.

The cities which will take part in the project are set to be announced soon.

Kate Martin

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