Sustainable and energy-efficient urban renewal is a key goal of sustainable urban transformation in both Chinese and German cities.
Traditionally, urban renewal programmes focus on neighbourhoods in inner city districts, and the upgrading of the urban fabric. This includes major renovation of buildings and districts to enhance their livability and energy performance, improvement or implementation of public and green infrastructure, and the elimination of urban design flaws of the past.
Policies for urban renewal in China have undergone significant changes since the 2000s, with the priority shifting from the speed of urbanization to the quality of urban life, the urbanization rate having risen from 10% in 1949 to nearly 60% in 2019.
In July 2020, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Guidelines on comprehensively promoting the renovation of old urban residential areas”. These guidelines aim at incorporating both local participations to adjust measures to residents’ needs and calls for a diversity in measures to adjust them to local needs. In addition, climate change adaptation and mitigation were put in the focus for urban renewal measures.