Comparative Study On The Building Energy Efficiency Legislations In Germany And The United States And The Enlightenment To China

Building energy efficiency is important to implementing the scientific view of development. Comprehensive energy-saving work can help reducing building energy consumption and improving people's quality of life; it is also conducive to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing air pollution and improve environmental quality; conducive to the traditional industry transformation and upgrading, and to the enhancement of China's Sustainable development capacity. But China's current building energy conservation efforts is far from enough, unit construction area's energy consumption is 2-3 times more than that in the developed countries, while China's economic development cost amazing energy consumption, so energy shortage, low energy efficiency and environmental pollution are very serious, forcing us to attach importance to energy conservation, especially the building energy efficiency which has always been neglected by us. In 2007 "the People's Republic of energy conservation law" clearly charted China's energy-saving construction blueprint for the legislative framework, so that energy-saving construction work opened a new chapter.In order to promote China's strategy of building energy conservation, improve buildings energy-saving legislation in China, this thesis chose the building energy efficiency legislation of Germany and the United States for comparative analysis. Because Germany has developed economy and energy shortages, the United States is rich in resources but has huge energy consumption. China has both characteristics of these two countries: per head resources shortages and economic development going with huge energy consumption. Germany and the United States have a good performance in the field of energy-saving construction after 30 years of efforts. This paper sums up the experience of the two countries in the hope or providing reference and inspiration for the construction of China's energy-saving.In 1973 global oil crisis happened, the Arab countries reduced oil production by 30 percent. A direct result of this was skyrocketing oil prices, which triggered an energy crisis. After the crisis, Germany and the United States launched the construction of energy-saving work. On the other hand, in the end of the 20th century, with the global climate problem growing more and more serious, building energy conservation technology research and application are not only for economic interests, but also to radically reduce CO2 and other harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, Germany and the United States'building energy conservation legislations are both of energy-saving and environmental protection purposes.In 1976, Germany adopted the first building energy conservation regulations "EnEG"; in 1977, "WSchVO" which mainly control building heat loss of "building insulation standards" (known as "thermal protection Ordinance") started implementation. These legislations effected the construction of energy-saving from the different norms. In February 2002, Germany "energy conservation law"--"EnEV" came into force, which is building a comprehensive energy conservation law, replacing the previous "building insulation standards" and "The heating equipment".It is the master of the legislative building energy conservation in German. In 1975, the United States developed the first "energy policy and conservation law" (Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975) for the first time to live the construction of energy-saving requirements. In the same year the building energy efficiency standards - ASHRAE standard 90-75 "New energy-saving building design" were promulgated. In December of 1977 the" new buildings in the structure of energy-saving regulations" were promulgated in 45 states to promote energy conservation and received significant effect. In 1978 the United States issued a" national energy policy "( National Energy Conservation Policy Act of 1978); in 1992 the "Energy Policy Act of 1992" (Energy Policy Act of 1992) asked federal departments to reduce building energy consumption by 20 percent by 2000 on the basis of 1985. On the 29th in July 2005, Congress passed the "Energy Policy Act of 2005" (Energy Policy Act of 2005) introducing a variety of tax incentives and loan policies to encourage energy-saving. 2007 introduced "energy independence and security laws" (Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007), also known as the "Clean Energy Act" (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007).This Act aims to: promoting U.S. energy independence and security; Promoting clean, renewable energy development, consumer protection and improving energy efficiency of products, buildings and vehicles, and promoting the reduction of greenhouse gases; forcing the federal government to promote energy conservation.The building energy conservation legislations of Germany and the United States have many common characteristics. Since the construction of energy-saving is about public welfare, relying solely on the independent behavior is almost impossible. So in building energy conservation work, the two governments are fully involved in and play a guiding and monitoring role in the development. Establishing building energy conservation laws and regulations, improving building energy-saving management system, and actively taking various economic measures to stimulate incentives is related to energy conservation, researching new energy and the Green Building which cost low energy. Building energy efficiency of Germany and the United States has made tremendous achievements.Germany and the United States'experience of building energy conservation legislation have great inspiration to China. Firstly, China's energy-saving work should be strengthened in the use of economic incentives. The establishment of charging system based on energy consumption is necessary to stimulate public to care building energy-efficient. Secondly, comprehensive building energy efficiency standards should be established according to local conditions. Ensure that buildings and related equipments'design, construction and use can accord with energy consumption standards. Thirdly, establish building energy efficiency certification to enable the related energy products and information more transparent for consumers. Fourthly, use economic measures such as finance, taxation to explore the mode of energy-saving work and change the high energy consumption of the existing building. Fifthly, strengthen publicity and education, arouse the awareness of energy conservation and environmental protection so that consumers, real estate developers, construction professionals, government officials will be aware of the need of building energy-saving. Sixthly, perfect laws and regulations and establish and improve the assessment system, including building energy consumption evaluation system, energy-saving product certification system, energy-saving technology research and development system, energy-saving standards and implementation and the implementation of the system, such a set of building energy conservation management system.