by Rebecca Walker — July 24, 2009 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Chinese Ministry of Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) signed a joint agreement on July 15 to foster collaboration in the development of more efficient building designs.
Under the agreement, the U.S. and China will exchange experts who will share their understanding of efficient building technologies, including high-performance heating and cooling, insulation, lighting, cold storage, geothermal heat pumps, building-integrated solar power, and solar thermal systems.
The two nations will also explore the feasibility of developing a shared project in China to demonstrate green buildings, building energy savings, and renewable energy technologies. With this announcement, the U.S. and China recognize that improving energy efficiency in buildings will benefit both nations, and that by working in tandem, they can accelerate the adoption of new clean energy technologies, says DOE.
An additional focus of the pact is the development of sustainable communities that rely heavily on the use of renewable energy. For more information, see the DOE press release.
