Analysis of the impacts of building energy efficiency policies and technical improvements on China's future energy demand

In this paper, the LEAP (Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning system) 2000 model and scenario analysis were utilised to study the impact of implementing building energy efficiency policies and promoting related technical improvements on China's future building energy demand up to 2020. In the coming 20 years, China's building energy consumption is expected to increase and will be the main contributor to the growth in China's future energy demand. Without the rational induction of energy efficiency and environmental policies, China's building energy consumption may reach 860 Mtce in 2020 from 197 Mtce in 2000. On the other hand, China possesses huge energy saving potential in the building area. With the enforcement and adoption of related building energy efficiency policies and technical improvement measures, energy consumption in the building sector might decrease to 480 Mtce by 2020; and the energy saving potential might reach 380 Mtce.