Guangzhou, capital of south China's economic engine Guangdong Province, has launched an energy-saving project for new buildings and will promote the use of solar and wind energy and thermal heat transfer.

The new buildings are expected to cut their energy consumption by 50 percent. The program will also improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings, which includes an area of 266.7 million square meters.

The project will be completed in 2010, according to a municipal energy-saving conference.

When the project is fully accomplished in 2010, it will help save 1.59 billion kilowatt-hour of electric power, to the equivalent of 5.56 million tons of standard coal, or the total energy consumption of a middle-sized city in one year.

Local government will designate new buildings as normal, energy-saving or low-energy ones.

Energy consumption from buildings accounts for 27.6 percent of China's total energy consumption. The high building energy consumption, especially caused by air-conditioners, has tightened energy supply in the subtropical city.

Meanwhile, local government will spur the use of solar and wind energy and thermal heat transfer in new buildings. The priority will be the use of solar energy and central heating system in hotels, hospitals, schools, roads and residential areas.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2006)