Shenzhen ▎Near-Zero Energy Retrofit of the Municipal Government Office Building

Shenzhen Municipal Construction Engineering Quality Supervision and Testing Laboratory Building Safety Rectification Project Located at No. 1 Zhenxing Road, Futian District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, the original building was an office building constructed in the 1980s with a floor area of 7,468 m². After years of use, the building had fallen into disrepair and suffered severe damage, making it difficult to meet modern office requirements. Therefore, it underwent a green renovation. Upon completion of the renovation, the building will serve as an office complex for government agencies, with a total renovated floor area of 8,696.44 m².

This project adopts a design strategy that primarily relies on passive analysis based on climatological biology, supplemented by active measures. It involves the renovation of buildings using dozens of technologies—including green and energy-saving solutions, structural safety monitoring, and intelligent enhancements—thus achieving the level of a smart, comfortable office building with near-zero energy consumption through passive design. This approach serves as a guiding model and offers valuable insights for the near-zero-energy retrofitting of existing public buildings in regions characterized by hot summers and mild winters.

The project has been certified with the Near-Zero Energy Building Design Label, making it a benchmark project for green retrofitting of existing buildings in South China and an internationally recognized demonstration project for green retrofitting of existing buildings. It has already received numerous awards at the international, national, and provincial/ministerial levels.

Technical Solution

Key technical indicators

Technological innovation highlights

The project is designed around the principles of “green, healthy, energy-efficient, and smart,” aiming to achieve a people-centered and user-friendly approach. During the green renovation process, the building fully leverages the inherent sustainability of its original construction materials: terrazzo tiles removed from the site are repurposed as aggregate for precast concrete components; dismantled aluminum alloy window and door frames are reused as climbing plant frameworks for vertical greenery on the exterior façade. By recycling and reusing these existing materials, the renovated building maintains a material continuity with the original structure, ensuring the building’s longevity while significantly reducing renovation costs and lowering its carbon emissions throughout its entire life cycle.

Economic efficiency

The total investment for this project is approximately 19.3527 million yuan. During the renovation process, the project utilized more than 20 energy-saving technologies, with total green premium costs amounting to about 3.6 million yuan. According to energy consumption simulation software analysis, the project can save 264,740 kWh of energy annually, resulting in annual energy cost savings of roughly 529,500 yuan. The static payback period for the incremental investment in green building features is approximately 7 years.

As the office building of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, the Shenzhen Testing Business Building places great importance on the practical application and promotion of green renovation technologies. It conducts research on green technologies with high promotional value, aiming to conserve energy, protect the environment, and achieve green, sustainable development. This initiative will play a catalytic role in retrofitting existing buildings not only in Shenzhen but also across the country, thereby driving the advancement of existing building renovation projects in Shenzhen.