SWITCH Asia II - SusBuild

China’s unprecedented socio-economic growth drives expansion in the building sector. Meanwhile, building energy consumption has increased by 40% since 1990. The building sector accounts for about 30% of the final energy consumption in China, thus, it is essential in China's pursuit of a more resource efficient and low carbon pathway. The past years witness a significant growth in green buildings in China. However, green building development in western China is still in its early stage. In China, micro-, small, and medium-enterprises (MSMEs) play a vital role in building sector. However, MSMEs often lacks of knowledge and skills in the field of sustainable building and have a limited access to financing.

Against this background, the SusBuild project funded by EU SWITCH Asia II aims to foster sustainable building practices among MSMEs in Chongqing City and Yunnan province in western China. To achieve the objectives, the project takes an integrative approach by combining the following components:

• capacity building and technical support for MSMEs along the supply chain in the building sector as well as facility managers;
• raising awareness for MSME users of large-scale commercial buildings;
• strengthening the capacity of financial institutions for providing green loans and supporting MSMEs in the building sector;
• providing recommendations of developing a sustainable building sector to decision makers at both national and local level;
• improving business network fostering sustainable buildings, and enhancing EU-China dialogues on sustainable buildings.

The project consortium is led by the Wuppertal Institute and consists of six project Chinese partners which are coordinated by China Association of Building Energy Efficiency and Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. The project is supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban & Rural Development (MoHURD) and its line offices in Chongqing and Yunnan. It also receives strong support from econet china/German Industry & Commerce Greater China and GIZ China.