Future developments will play a key role in authority's energy reduction targets

Nothing concentrates the mind of economic planners like political instability in key overseas energy suppliers. China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) therefore not only mandates further reductions in the energy used to generate economic output, but for the first time sets overall consumption goals.

Making buildings more energy efficient will be a key element in achieving these goals. A National Geographic report on Jan 7 claimed the building sector now absorbs 30 percent of China's energy, a threefold increase on 1980.