Beijing and New York City: A comparison of building energy efficiency policies

Abstract

Building energy efficiency is an important measure for reducing carbon emissions, and it plays a key role in the energy saving strategies all over the world. There is a growing global appeal to improve building energy efficiency due to the pursuit of sustainable development. Reducing building energy consumption and improving building energy efficiency are the main tasks of energy conservation work in China and the United States. We chose Beijing and New York City to highlight the current building energy efficiency policies in two cities. We then examine the differences between them. In New York City, there are more financial incentives, funding channels, participants, and public data available than in Beijing. Using the lesson learned from our investigation of New York City, we make recommendations for the development of Beijing's policies. To overcome barriers to creating energy-efficient buildings, Beijing should increase energy efficiency awareness, innovate with flexible and feasible incentive policies, and improve data disclosure policies.