China

In China, several local governments, like Shanghai and Beijing, developed building energy efficiency labels. But a national program, based on the Civil Building Energy Efficiency Regulation, was launched in 2008. The regulation legally requires that the energy performance of new government-owned office buildings or large public buildings should be rated and labeled. The building labeling program is administered by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD).

It is only mandatory for four types of buildings:

• New government-owned office buildings or large public buildings
• Existing buildings (of the type listed above) that apply for government funding to subsidize energy retrofits
• State or provincial energy efficiency demonstration buildings
• Buildings that apply for National Green Building Labels

The MOHURD rating program has five levels, from one star to five stars, and covers both residential and non-residential buildings. It also is unique in its inclusion of both asset and operational ratings.