The Beijing Municipal Administrative Center (BMC) is committed to green building development, ultra low emission zones, increased use of renewable energy, and more eco-friendly products, green technologies, and industrial agglomeration. To this end, an extended study has been made to propose a working system promoting prosperity through green development, with the establishment of a green BMC development standard system in the pipeline. Plans are underway to create a batch of benchmark demonstration projects for green development, and efforts are made to form a pattern where green development and high-quality growth empower each other and are integrated for the BMC. By doing so, the BMC aims to transform reform measures into tangible development outcomes.
Regarding high-quality growth as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of reforms, the BMC aims to promote the green development of the economy and society to foster substantial high-quality growth. A series of reform measures and case studies focusing on modernization are being drafted to contribute to the construction of a more eco-friendly civilization.
The BMC hast taken the lead in realizing the three-star green building standard for new public buildings and in carry out pilot projects for comprehensive energy consumption and carbon emission evaluations. In addition, after being recognized as a national pilot area for climate investment and financing, and forestry carbon sinks, it has now received the prestigious title of "climate-resilient urban construction pilot area." In all, the BMC is seizing opportunities to gather green innovation elements and cultivate new momentum for green development.
Green Engineering—City’s Largest Deep Geothermal Energy Project to Commence Shortly
The construction of Asia's largest underground integrated transportation hub is in full swing in the BMC. In spite of its gargantuan size, the facility will utilize renewable energy sourced locally, the first of its kind to employ deep geothermal heat exchange technology in the city.
In contrast to shallow geothermal energy systems that operate at depths of around 150 meters, the deep geothermal well heat pump system can reach depths of 2,700 meters. Investment prices out at approximately RMB 10 million per well. The project will also reap valuable experience and data support for the more widespread application of deep geothermal energy in Beijing. Construction is expected to commence this year, with operations anticipated to begin in the second half of next year.
Renewable energy has reached a utilization rate of 60% in the BMC to date. As evidenced by the urban landscape that no longer features a skyline dominated by chimneys, but gives way to lush mountain and clear water views, the BMC has pioneered the country's first near-zero carbon emission zone through the utilization of shallow and deep geothermal energy to engage a high proportion of renewable energy for heating purposes. In this regard, it is certainly at the forefront domestically.
Green Energy—New Power Systems Lead Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in BMC
Data indicates that over 90% of carbon emissions in the BMC stem from the energy sector, with approximately 69% of these from electricity consumption. This proportion is expected to rise further as the electrification of end-use sectors continues to increase.
In the first half of this year, the Central Green Forest Park project was included in the National Energy Administration's list of typical cases for green and low-carbon transformation in the energy sector. Calculations show that an energy control system in the Central Green Forest Park, covering an area of 11.2 square kilometers with a building area of 600,000 square meters, has resulted in improved energy efficiency and energy savings of 32.69%. The "Electric Carbon Map," a carbon footprint accounting system, has been used to monitor the area's carbon emissions. By 2025, the Central Green Forest Park is expected to establish an electricity-based energy consumption structure with 100% green electricity supply and 100% local renewable energy consumption. Supported by a highly digital and intelligent distribution network, the park will ultimately go carbon negative.
The BMC attaches great importance to carbon reduction in the transportation, building, and energy sectors.
Green buildings: The Global Power Supply Service Center has been established as Beijing's first zero-carbon service hall run on PEDF (photovoltaic, energy storage, direct current, and flexibility) technologies, with 100% green electricity supply and a carbon reduction of 75.5 tons. A new power system experimental base has joined the race with ground-source heat pumps in place of traditional boilers, resulting in energy savings of 75% over conventional electric boilers.
Green transportation: A 2-kilometer charging circle with complementary fast and slow charging has been established in the BMC, and a "Vehicle-to-Grid" platform that facilitates interaction between electric vehicles and the grid has been developed for the entire Beijing area.
Green energy: State Grid has teamed up with the CPC Tongzhou District Committee and the Tongzhou District People's Government of Beijing Municipality to build an energy control center in the national green development demonstration zone. In the future, the center will support energy operations, consumption, and carbon monitoring services. At the same time, a smart urban energy management system integrating data on electricity, gas, heat, oil and other energy from the BMC has been deployed to support smart city development.
New Horizons for Green Development—The ESG Evaluation System Driving BMC's Green Transformation
The Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) evaluation system launched by the Beijing National Institute of ESG is an investment concept and enterprise evaluation standard that focuses on how enterprises stack up against environmental, social and governance requirements. A new and exciting sector for green urban development, ESG is empowering green development in the BMC through the construction of a new system, innovative new policies, and the establishment of new standards, among others.
The ESG framework has already been applied in multiple scenarios within the BMC. Efforts are currently underway to integrate an ESG social contribution evaluation system with Chinese characteristics into various policy and institutional innovation scenarios, including services for enterprises entering the BMC, government investments, rewards and subsidies, and the ESG governance of state-owned enterprises. Scientific methods are utilized to prioritize the transfer and allocation of valuable factors and resources to enterprises making high social contributions.
(Source: Beijing Municipal Administrative Center Newspaper)
