Design of energy-efficient residential building in transition zone of China

Abstract For heating requirements, with respect to climate characteristics and the economic situation, China is divided into three zones; they are the central heating zone, the transition zone and non-heating zone. At present the Chinese government has not offered funds for space-heating installations in residential buildings of the transition zone, so, to launch a research project on the design of energy-efficient residential building to improve temperatures and energy-savings is significant. The effort started with improving insulation and the airtightness of the envelope, utilizing passive solar energy and rationalizing design. The results of a parametric study in the zone and a six-storey pilot building in Wuxi city in China are described in this paper.