Energy and environment in Chinese rural housing: Current status and future perspective

A large scale national survey of energy consumption and indoor environment quality of China's rural housing was conducted from 2006-2007. The survey covered 15 provinces in northern China and 9 provinces in southern China. The survey data indicate that excessive building energy consumption and poor indoor environment pose significant challenges to the sustainable development of China's rural housing. Possible causes are analyzed, the current status explained and possible development trends predicted. Strategies for sustainable and environmentally appropriate energy development in rural areas are recommended with an example of the "Zero-Coal, Low Energy Village". © Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag 2009.