The document discusses China's pilot program for low carbon communities as an example of innovative urbanization. It outlines three types of low carbon communities - new urban, existing urban, and rural - and describes indicators for new urban community pilots, including mandatory and voluntary targets for carbon emissions, green building, transportation, power systems, water usage, waste treatment, greening, property management, and encouraging a low carbon lifestyle. The goal is to provide models for a new path of sustainable and livable urban development in China and globally.

1. China’s Innovation in Urbanization:
Using Low Carbon Community as
example
Chengchuan Tian
Division Director, NDRC China
Postdoctoral Researcher, Senior Fellow,
Kennedy School, Harvard University
02/17/2016, MIT

2. Outline
• Low carbon urbanization: why must?
• Low carbon community: a pilot of new type of
urbanization
• Build a low carbon community: implementation
• What will the pilot contribute to the world

3. Low carbon urbanization: why must?
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
Year
Carbon Emissions in China (Million tonnes)
Total
Construction
Transportation

4. Low carbon urbanization: why must?
China has determined its emission targets by 2030:
• To achieve the peak of carbon dioxide emissions
around 2030 and make best efforts to peak early;
• To lower carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP
by 60% to 65% from the 2005 level;
• To increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary
energy consumption to around 20%; and
• To increase the forest stock volume by around 4.5
billion cubic meters on the 2005 level.

5. Rationale: an innovative development path
compared to the ones in developed economies
in the history
Emissionpercapita
GDP Per
Capita/HDI
View of innovative development
• Structure
• Efficiency
• Technologies
• Finance
• Capacity
• Policy & Institutions
Australia
US
EU
China, India and other emerging
Economies: similar level of development;
higher carbon efficiency; peak earlier and
lower
Japan
Other developing
countries
Developed
Countries

6. Scenarios of CO2 emissions:
Momentum
scenario
Scenario 1: moderate low
carbon scenario
Scenario 2: reinforced
low carbon scenario
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
100MtCO2
Year

7. Low carbon urbanization: why must?
In the next 15 years, another 200 million will be added to urban
population. By 2030, the urbanization rate will reach to about 70%
This means more energy consumption and more carbon emission.

8. Problems in China’s urbanization
1.Urban planning. Tan Da Bing.
 Single-center expansion model,
 Urban road planning does not reflect people-oriented
demand.
Circle around the circle The Abandoned city: too wide to pass

9. Why is low carbon community
important?
2. Cities’ construction model.
 Go after “big and foreign”;
 Pursue large-scale demolition and construction (Da Chai Da
Jian).
Da chai da jianWhat’s this?

10. Why is low carbon community
important?
3. Air pollution has been a great challenge ;
4.More and more garbage and sewage need to be treated.

11. What’s wrong?
Flesh and stone the body and the city in western civilization
by richard sennett: that city is a place invented for
kind life of man, but now It is becoming an
unlivable place.

12. Irrational planning
Large-scale
demolition and
construction
Construction field
Transportation system
Energy system
Water, waste and other
infrastructure
Demand of people
Carbon emissions

13. How to change!
for a powerful, livable and earth-friendly city, we
must change the ideas, standards and
technologies of city planning and construction ,
equip the city with new systems of
transportation, energy, water, and waste etc.

14. New Urbanization: low carbon innovation
in China
 Considering the new situation, China is adopting a
new-type of urbanization strategy to deal with the
problems.
 Four characteristics:
 integration, for planning
 intelligence, for function
 green， for less pollution
 low carbon, for less carbon emissions.

15. New Urbanization: low carbon innovation
in China
Low carbon pilots:
 Low carbon province and city: carried out the first batch of
pilot at 5 provinces and 8 cities in 2010, and the second batch of pilot
at 1 province and 28 cities in 2012.
 Low carbon industry park: carried out the pilot since 2013,
published the first batch of pilot list in 2014, approved 39
implementation plan of pilot park.
 Low carbon community: carried out since 2014, there are one
thousand communities being identified as the pilot projects.
 Low carbon district (town): carried out the pilot at 8 new
built districts since 2015.

16. Low carbon community: a new type of
urbanization
Concept:
In this pilot, community refers to jurisdiction of the residents’ committee
or the jurisdiction of the village committee. Including residential areas,
public services (school, hospital, etc), facilities, and so on.
Principles:
 Implement the national development strategies, such as ecological civilization,
construction of main functional zone, new type of urbanization,
resource conserving and environment-friendly society, addressing
climate change, etc.
 Converge related work. Combine with construction of low carbon city,
smart city, new village, renovation of shantytowns, green building,
circular economy.
 Reflect regional characteristics. Considering climate, geographical
conditions, stage and model of development , etc.
 Encourage innovative exploration. Strengthen institutional innovation,
management innovation, technology innovation, mode innovation.

17. Low carbon community: a new type of
urbanization
Four platforms for innovation:
 technology：platform of low carbon tech innovation and
integrated application
 policy：platform of low carbon policies innovation and integrated
application
 mechanism：platform of participants such as governments of all
levels, corporation, third party, NGO, residents, etc.
 Cooperation: platform of international communication and
collaboration in addressing climate change.

18. 3 kinds of low carbon communities
• According to the specific circumstances and
characteristics of the communities, the pilot was
divided into three categories:
 New urban community: pilot launch at new Developing
communities.
 more than 50% area of planning construction land is not developed or being
developed.
 Enhance source control. Using a low carbon planning to guide the whole
process of construction, operation, management of the community.
 Encourage unified planning and rolling development in new community
construction, innovate development model.

19. 3 kinds of low carbon communities
 Existing urban community:
 Based on the communities that have nearly completed development and
construction ,and formed the functional zoning and management system.
 Control and reduce the total amount of carbon emissions , by transforming
the community building and infrastructure, improving the low carbon
management and operation mode, promoting low-carbon lifestyle.
 Rural community:
 Based on the villages that have not included in the scope of urban planning.
 According to the local resources and climate features ,closely linked to the
goal of improving rural living environment, planning village construction,
strengthen green housing and low-carbon infrastructure construction,
promote the development of low carbon agriculture and industry.

20. • basic requirement
• principal party to build
How to select a pilot
• Indicators system
• application of the system
Index system of construction
• low carbon Plan
• Management of the Plan
Planning guide
•Green building
•Low carbon traffic systems
•Low carbon energy systems
• water systems
• Waste disposal systems
• low carbon life Services
• ecosystem
Low carbon infrastructure
• Low Carbon Property
Management
• Carbon emissions
management systems
•management platform of
mart community
Operation and management
• Cultivate low-carbon culture
• To promote low carbon consumption and renovation
Low carbon lifestyle
New urban community pilot

21. New urban community pilot indicators system
Primary index Secondary index Property of indices reference
Carbon emission Reduction in carbon emission mandatory ≥20%（base scenario）
Configuration
Floor area ratio mandatory 1.2-3
Percentage of public service voluntary ≥20%
Ratio between industrial lands and residential lands voluntary 1/3-1/4
Green building
Qualified ratio of green buildings voluntary ≥70%
Percentage of first class qualified green housing in new-built
affordable housing
mandatory 100%
second class qualified rate of new commercial green housing mandatory 100%
Industrial Architecture area/New building area voluntary ≥2%
Construction Area of Refined decoration house/new building area voluntary ≥30%
Transportation
Road network density mandatory ≥3km/sqkm
Partition to public transportation mandatory ≥60%
Bicycle rental site mandatory ≥1
Power station for electric cars mandatory ≥1
Usage of Roads recycled materials voluntary ≥10%
Percentage of new energy automobiles in community service voluntary ≥30%
Power system
Alteration rate of renewable energy mandatory ≥2%
Rate of individual measuring in household mandatory ≥80%
Prevalence rate of methane mandatory 100%
Percentage of centralized heating in north China mandatory 100%
Percentage of renewable energy road light voluntary ≥80%
utilization rate of solar power on building roof voluntary ≥50%

22. New urban community pilot indicators system
Primary index Secondary index Property of indices reference
Usage of water resource
Prevalence rate of water saving apparatus mandatory ≥90%
Utilization rate of non-traditional water resources voluntary ≥30%
Percentage of regions with rain water and sewage separation voluntary ≥90%
Percentage of in situ treatment of waste water voluntary ≥10%
Capacity for rain water collection in community voluntary ≥3000m3/sqkm
Waste treatment
Collection rate for consumer waste mandatory 100%
Recovery rate of consumer waste mandatory ≥50%
Percentage of in situ treatment of consumer waste voluntary ≥10%
Recovery rate of food waste voluntary ≥10%
Recovery rate of construction waste voluntary ≥30%
Greening
Plant coverage voluntary ≥8%
Proportion of native plants mandatory ≥40%
Operating admiration
Low carbon standards for property management mandatory yes
Carbon emission statistical system mandatory yes
system of carbon emission mandatory yes
Systems for information management of carbon emission voluntary yes
Introduced third party organizations and enterprises voluntary ≥3
Low carbon lifestyle
Realization rate of basic public service community mandatory 100%
Community canteen and food service mandatory yes
Facility for exchanging and recycling old goods in community mandatory yes
Intelligent service platform of community life mandatory yes
Facilities for low carbon communication mandatory yes
Signs for exhibition and propaganda and facility usage policy voluntary yes
Prevalence of energy saving apparatus voluntary 80%
Guide to low carbon lifestyle mandatory yes

23. Master planning(city)
Master planning(district)
Regional planning
Regulatory detailed
planning
Construction detailed
planning
Architectural Design and
Shop drawing
Implementation
First, planning, and put the indicators
into planning.
Urban design
(macro)
Urban design
(micro)
Key points in new urban community pilot

24. New urban community pilot: Low-carbon
planning guidance
So optimizing space layout is very important, we encourage compact
space layout and function mixed community to build the community as
“15 minutes life cycle”.
Residential
Office
Commercial

25. New urban community pilot: Facilities
construction
• Green building,
• Low-carbon transport facilities,
•energy system,
•Water system,
•Waste disposal system
•Low-carbon life facilities.
Encourage Local and recycle. Build a classified and community-
based sewage system, community water reuse system in place,
diversion of rain and sewage, comprehensive rainwater gathering and
treatment systems and utilization facilities, and improve the
community-based classification, recycling, treatment ratio of garbage.
Establish the exchange station of second-hand goods for residents.

28. New urban community pilot :Operation and
Management
• Establish carbon emission management system for all
kinds of main bodies in the community,
•Establish the target responsibility system of key emission
units,
•Enterprises, institutions and community property
companies should set up carbon emission management job
positions,
• Establish community carbon emission accounting
methods and statistical investigation system, and
intelligent management platform.

29. New urban community pilot : Low carbon lifestyle
• Widely carry out low carbon propaganda,
• Train residents implementing low carbon
consumption behavior and lifestyle,
•develop low carbon business in the community,
•release green and low carbon decoration guide,
regulate housing decoration activities.

30. • basic requirement
• principal party to build
How to select a pilot
• Indicators system
• application of the system
Index system of Construction
• Present situation
evaluation
• Drawing up plan
Reconstruction plan
• Existing building renovation
• transportation systems
•energy systems
• water systems
• Waste disposal systems
• life Services
• ecosystem
Reform of facilities
• Improve the property
management system
• Strengthen community
carbon emission
management
Operation and management
•Strengthening the popularization of scientific knowledge of climate change.e
•Promote low-carbon lifestyle.
Low carbon lifestyle
Existing urban community pilot

31. Primary index Secondary index Property of
indices
reference
Carbon emission Reduction in carbon emission in community mandatory
8%（compared to the reference year）
Energy saving and
green buildings
Qualified rate of green buildings in total new buildings mandatory ≥60%
Percentage in area of improved energy efficiency in existing
residential buildings
mandatory
Areas in heating regions in north
China≥30%
Percentage in area of improved energy efficiency in existing
non-residential buildings
mandatory
≥20%
Transportation system
Partition in public transportation mandatory ≥60%
Bicycle rental mandatory ≥1
Power station for electric cars voluntary ≥1
Percentage of new energy automobiles in community service voluntary ≥20%
Power system
Alteration rate of renewable energy voluntary
≥0.5%
Rate of individual measuring in household mandatory ≥30%
Percentage of renewable energy road light voluntary ≥30%
utilization rate of solar power on building roof voluntary ≥10%
Water system
Prevalence rate of water saving apparatus mandatory ≥30%
Utilization rate of non-traditional water resources voluntary ≥10%
Capacity for rain water collection in community voluntary ≥1000m3/sqkm
Existing urban community pilot Indicators system

32. Primary index Secondary index Property of indices reference
Treatment of solid wastes
Centralized collection rate of residential litter mandatory ≥80%
recovery rate of residential litter voluntary ≥30%
recovery rate of food waste voluntary ≥10%
landscaping Percentage of greening in community voluntary ≥5%
Operating administration
Accounting of carbon emission in community mandatory Yes
Carbon emission statistical system mandatory Yes
system of carbon emission mandatory Yes
Systems for information management of carbon emission voluntary Yes
Introduced third party organizations and enterprises voluntary ≥3
Low carbon lifestyle
Facilities for low carbon communication mandatory Yes
Educational activities for low carbon lifestyle mandatory ≥2times/year
Introduction of low-carbon families mandatory Yes
Prevalence of energy saving apparatus voluntary ≥50%
Community canteen and food service mandatory Yes
Facility for exchanging and recycling old goods in community mandatory Yes
Intelligent service platform of community life mandatory Yes
Guide to low carbon lifestyle mandatory Yes
Existing urban community pilot Indicators form

33. Key points of Existing urban community pilot
• To prioritize the carry-out in the communities that have more
basic work, more potential to reduce carbon emission.
• To be implemented by combining energy saving, recycling
economy and other works.
• The pilot communities should reflect the characteristics of
regional culture and urban construction, and also take into
account types of community.
• Evaluate the current situation of the pilot community. Through
analyses and evaluation, find out where can be improved to
reduce carbon emission, then make a plan for the reform.

34. • basic requirement
• principal part to build
How to select a pilot
• Indicators system
• application of the system
Index system of Construction
• Programming
• Implementation of the
plan
Low carbon planning
• green house
• Transportation facilities
• Low carbon energy system
• Waste disposal facilities
• Water utilization facilities
• Ecology and environment
Low carbon construction
• improve public service
•Perfect public
management
• Strengthen carbon
emissions management
Low carbon management
• Promote low-carbon culture
•Advocate low carbon life style
Low carbon lifestyle
Rural community pilot

35. Primary index Secondary index Property of indices reference
Carbon emission Reduction in carbon emission in community mandatory
8%
（compared to the reference year）
planning
Village planning mandatory Yes
Segregation in regions between livestock and
poultry breeding and residents living
voluntary yes
Green rural-
housing
qualified rate in energy efficiency for newly
built rural housing
voluntary
≥50%
alteration rate of in energy efficiency for
existing rural housing
voluntary ≥50%
Building area per capita voluntary 45~/person
Transportation
system
Development of public transportation voluntary Yes
Clean energy and new energy automobile voluntary Yes
Power system
prevalence rate for solar water boiler voluntary ≥80%
Alteration rate of renewable energy mandatory ≥5%
Prevalence rate of methane in family usage voluntary ≥50%
Solid waste
Centralized collection rate of residential litter mandatory 100%
recovery rate of residential litter voluntary ≥30%
Recycling rate of straw mandatory ≥90%
Rural community pilot Indicators system

36. Primary index Secondary index Property of indices reference
Usage of water
resource
Qualified rate of drinking water mandatory 100%
Prevalence rate of water saving apparatus mandatory ≥50%
Comprehensive
recovering
Measurement of ecosystem projection and
restoration
mandatory yes
Small Watershed Comprehensive Management
Measures
voluntary yes
Low carbon
management
Carbon emission statistical system mandatory yes
Village hygiene system mandatory yes
Management of conserving historical relics voluntary yes
Management of carbon emission mandatory 100%
Low carbon life
Propaganda of low-carbon life mandatory yes
Example of low carbon households mandatory yes
Educational activities for low carbon society mandatory ≥2times/year
Prevalence of energy saving apparatus voluntary ≥50%
Prevalence of clean stove voluntary ≥50%
Guide for low carbon lifestyle mandatory yes
Rural community pilot Indicators system

37. Key Points of Rural Community Pilot
• Consider the characteristics of rural communities, especially
climate characteristics, local energy resources, building
materials, etc.
• The important characteristics of the rural community pilot is to
establish the link between the rural community life system and
the agricultural production system, and to realize the resource
recycling and comprehensive utilization.
• The pilot should be combined with the new rural construction
and the elimination of poverty, which can not only reduce
carbon emissions, but also improve the level of public service
and governance in rural areas.

38. Build a low carbon community: implementation
NDRC: Set goals, deploy tasks, and co-ordinate the promotion.
Conduct assessment for low carbon community pilot. Develop pilot evaluation index
system, guide the construction of pilot, and develop support policies.
Provincial DRC: Main Responsible party
Develop a pilot program , and organize the implementation, review and determine the
pilot community, guide the establishment of pilot project , develop supporting policies.
In charge of Evaluation and acceptance check of the pilot.
Municipal and county DRC: Organize the local communities to apply to become a
pilot, determine who will be responsible for building the pilot.
The township governments and urban neighborhood offices: Specific organization.
Responsible for the organization of applying and construction work of the pilot.
Drawing up implementation plan for the construction of pilot projects.
The residents 'and villagers' committees: concrete implementation
Assist the township governments and urban neighborhood offices in the
implementation of the pilot program.
Other participating agencies: Real estate enterprises, village collective enterprises,
property companies, owners committee, planning and consulting institutions, financial
institutions, research institutions, carbon advisory management agencies, non-
governmental organizations and intermediary service organizations, etc.

39. Challenges
• Need more strong policies to support the pilot ;
• Insufficient financial and technical resources;
• Actively engage stakeholders in pilot construction;
• Create more innovative solutions.

40. What will the innovation bring to the world?
• For China, it will bring novel experience to China’s urbanization,
contribute to carbon emission control targets;
• For other countries, It will create reference and models to the rest of
the world, especially for developing countries. Last year, President
Xi announced China will establish South-South Cooperation Fund,
offer 20 billion RNB to support developing countries to address
climate change. The pilot is a good choice to spread.
• For business, It will create new business opportunities and models,
and will be a perfect platform for sustainable and socially
responsible real estate development.

41. Thank you for your attention
Q&A