The challenge of sustainability in China's built environment: a comparison between urban and rural areas

Abstract

The rapid economic growth in China is accompanied by an ever-increasing demand for energy in both urban and rural areas. Since 1978, China has experienced an annual growth rate of 4.98% in primary energy resources production. The primary energy consumption from 2000 to 2009 recorded an annual growth rate of 9.4%. Ostensibly, it is important to upgrade the power generation units and improve air quality. To enhance air quality, this article suggests the adoption of small-scale hydropower and biomass energy in rural areas and the construction of green and smart buildings in urban areas. Improvement in regulations and enforcement is also considered to be another useful means in enhancing urban sustainability. The adoption of big data and artificial intelligence in optimising the building and architecture design may be one of the major directions in moving toward sustainable built environment in urban areas.