Comparative study on green building materials regulatory frameworks in China and Europe

Abstract

With the increasingly severe global climate change and environmental issues, sustainable development has become a global consensus. The construction industry, as an important sector for energy consumption and carbon emissions, urgently needs a green transformation. Green building materials, as a key component of green buildings, are of great significance for reducing building energy consumption, reducing environmental pollution, and improving building performance. Against the backdrop of the growing global demand for green building materials, China and Europe, as two major global economies, have made significant progress in the development of green building materials regulations. However, there are also certain differences. This article, by reviewing the laws and regulations on green buildings and green building materials in China and Europe, compares the development paths and current situations of relevant energy policies in China and Europe. At the same time, by comparing China and Europe regarding the legislative level, implementation mechanism, carbon footprint assessment, green material certification, environmental safety standards, and database establishment of green building materials, it discovers the differences and commonalities exhibited by China and Europe under different systems and paths. Through the development experiences of both countries, it also gains many inspirations and ideas for future trends. Studying the differences and commonalities in the development of green building materials regulations in China and Europe has important practical and theoretical significance. From a practical perspective, on the one hand, it helps China to draw on the advanced experience of Europe, improve the green building materials regulatory system, enhance the scientificity and effectiveness of the regulations, and promote the healthy development of the green building materials industry; on the other hand, for Europe, understanding the regulatory development situation in China can also provide reference for its expansion and cooperation in the international market. From a theoretical perspective, through the comparative study of green building materials regulations in China and Europe, it can enrich and improve the theoretical system of green building materials regulations, and provide theoretical support for the formulation of regulations in other countries and regions.