Berkeley Lab EETD to Work With Shenzhen Institute of Building Research on Energy-Efficient Buildings, Low-Carbon Cities

The Shenzhen Institute of Building Research of Shenzhen, China will collaborate with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) on a variety of research and technology development and demonstration projects under a memorandum of understanding recently signed in Shenzhen by both parties.

Lynn Price, leader of the China Energy Group in Berkeley Lab’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD), participated in a ceremony marking the agreement in Shenzhen earlier this week. The signing took place at the 1st Shenzhen International Low-Carbon City Forum. Minister Xie Zhenhua of China's National Development and Reform Commission and three other dignitaries were witnesses at the signing.

Nan Zhou, Deputy Director of LBNL’s China Energy Group and Director of the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center for Buildings Energy Efficiency also attended the Forum and explained: “This MOU builds on our existing relationship with the Shenzhen Institute for Building Research through CERC-BEE. LBNL looks forward to continuing our cooperation with Shenzhen IBR, led by Director Ye Qing, a visionary in the area of low carbon development.“

Under the MOU, the two institutions will work together on the planning, construction and operation of low-carbon cities in China, and developing and demonstrating technologies for low-carbon cities. The MOU also calls on the parties to explore the provision of training and assistance to incubate industries developing low-carbon technologies. The Shenzhen International Low Carbon City project is the expected focus of this cooperation.

The two-day meeting included a series of forums and exhibitions at the new Shenzhen International Low Carbon City and included the inauguration of China’s first pilot Emissions Trading System (ETS), a milestone in China’s efforts to combat climate change.

At the same ceremony, the head of the California Air Resources Board, Mary Nichols, signed a separate MOU with the Government of Shenzhen Municipality to assist the city with its carbon trading program, the first in China. Under that agreement, California and Shenzhen have agreed to work together to share policy design and early experiences from their climate trading programs, to build strong, stable and growing markets for clean energy technology and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

In the photo:

National Development and Reform Commission Minister Xie Zhenhua and other dignitaries witness the signing of MOUs, including one between Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Shenzhen Institute for Building Research, and a memorandum of understanding between the California Air Resources Board and the Government of Shenzhen Municipality.

Front row, far right: Ye Qing, Director of the Shenzhen Institute for Buildings Research. To the left is Lynn Price, Leader, China Energy Group; and left of her is Mary Nichols, Head, California Air Resources Board.

Back row, left to right: Wei SU, Director, Department of Climate Change, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC); Shaohua XU, Vice Governor, Guangdong Province; Zhenhua XIE, Vice Chairman, NDRC; Ruifeng LV, Executive Vice Mayor, Shenzhen Government.