The world’s first “ultra-grade zero-carbon building” has been put into use.

On August 24, the “Ultra-Grade Zero-Carbon Building”—the Teld Electric headquarters—was put into operation in Qingdao City, Shandong Province. Located in Laoshan District, this building is dubbed “Ultra-Grade” because, in addition to photovoltaic power generation, it achieves 100% green energy substitution through tiered energy storage batteries and discharging from new-energy vehicles.
 

 

 

The project centers on the integration of three networks—charging networks, microgrids, and energy storage networks—and leverages a digital smart platform to achieve efficient control. This approach can reduce energy costs by approximately 30% and cut carbon emissions by about 2,500 tons annually.

 

The world’s first ultra-class zero-carbon building is now operational.

Achieve 100% self-sufficiency in green electricity.

 

The world’s first ultra-class zero-carbon building stands 117 meters tall and features 23 office floors, with an average daily electricity consumption of approximately 6,000 kilowatt-hours.

 

The building is clad with a “power-generating jacket” on its east, west, and south sides.
 

Unlike the traditional approach of retrofitting photovoltaic systems onto rooftops, this building adopts building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) glass curtain walls on its east, west, and south facades—effectively giving the building a “power-generating coat.” This system directly provides DC power, which can be used locally without the need for conversion to AC. By doing so, it effectively avoids energy losses associated with DC-to-AC conversion, supplying the building with approximately 25% of its energy from renewable sources and reducing carbon emissions by nearly 500 tons per year.

 

The base of the building features “hidden energy.”
 

At the base of the building, “hidden energy” systems have been installed—14 retired automotive power batteries are continuing to put their residual heat to good use here. These batteries undergo one charge and one discharge cycle each day. Not only do they store excess electricity generated by the photovoltaic glass curtain wall, but they also allow large amounts of clean energy that cannot be consumed during periods of low demand to be stored at a low price of just 0.22 yuan per kilowatt-hour. This stored energy can then be used during peak electricity consumption periods or on cloudy and rainy days, effectively helping to balance the electricity load.

 

 

These “hidden energy sources” continuously monitor the battery in real time during charging and discharging. Once thermal runaway occurs, the hook automatically releases, causing the battery to fall into a water pool directly below, thereby isolating it from other power batteries and ensuring the safety and normal operation of the entire energy storage system.

 

 

Tens of thousands of sensors inside the building enable fully automated interaction.

 

The digital system provides effective support for the entire zero-carbon building. By comparing multiple solutions, it integrates five major sites—such as conventional substations and distribution stations—into a single unified facility, achieving 100% self-sufficiency in green electricity.

 

The nearly 24,000 tiny sensors installed throughout the building effectively replace traditional indoor switches, enabling fully automated interaction between people and the building’s lighting, air conditioning, elevators, and other systems. By scanning a person’s face, the system can instantly detect the floor to which an employee is headed and immediately dispatch the nearest elevator to pick them up. When an employee enters the office area, the lights and air conditioning will automatically turn on; upon leaving, they will automatically turn off, thereby effectively reducing energy consumption and emissions.

 

Yu Dexiang, Chairman of Teld New Energy Co., Ltd., stated that digitalization has significantly reduced building investment costs—by nearly 20% to 30%—while boosting operational efficiency by 30% and cutting energy costs by roughly 30%.

 

 

“A super-grade zero-carbon building is not just a structure—it’s a complete energy ecosystem,” says Zhao Yue, Director of the Energy Conservation and Green Energy Research Office at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. He believes that achieving 100% self-sufficiency in green electricity for such buildings sets a new model for zero-carbon construction, helps address the challenges of power battery recycling, and—through standardized, centralized management—avoids the environmental risks associated with decentralized battery disposal.

 

New-energy vehicles supply power back to the building.

Employees enjoy the price difference benefit.

 

In addition to the “hidden energy” system, this newly commissioned building also features cutting-edge technology that allows new-energy vehicles to supply power back to the building itself.

 

Compared to the hassle of traditional mechanical parking, the world’s first fully automated, ultra-fast, three-dimensional parking system—developed independently by the company—has not only saved 50 million yuan in construction costs from the very beginning but also proves to be smarter and more efficient in operation.

 

 

After the vehicle is parked in the designated area, the robot will automatically dock and adjust the vehicle’s position. Then, using a high-precision, highly stable rail system combined with gear-driven control technology, the robot can move and start/stop the vehicle quickly and accurately along the rails. The parking efficiency for a single vehicle can be as low as 35 seconds.

 

In this parking system, the “secret” behind reverse power supply lies in a device no larger than the mouth of a bowl. With this device, it’s as if an additional charging port has been installed at the bottom of the new-energy vehicle. Once the vehicle is parked and stabilized, a charge-discharge robot will automatically establish a connection. After the connection is successfully established, the digital system will allocate power on demand, providing the building with a continuous and stable power supply.

 

 

When the charge-discharge robot is connected, it can perform a “millisecond-level” health check on the vehicle’s power battery. If indicators such as voltage, current, and temperature do not match the comprehensive benchmark values for the same battery model stored in the large database, the vehicle will be moved to a safe location within 29 seconds. Furthermore, based on the degree of thermal runaway in the battery, the vehicle will be gradually submerged in water, thereby preventing any potential hazards.

 

 

Currently, just 300 vehicles providing 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity each day can cover nearly half of the building’s energy consumption. Moreover, each employee can enjoy a benefit of 1.2 yuan per kilowatt-hour saved. In extreme circumstances, the building can even fully switch to a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) power supply mode, ensuring its normal and stable operation.

 

Zhao Yue stated that, through an intelligent energy management system, the building has become a flexible adjustment node for the power grid, enabling it to help shave peaks and fill valleys in electricity demand, thereby alleviating pressure during peak hours. At the same time, this system enhances power supply reliability, and its off-grid operation capability ensures uninterrupted power supply to critical loads.

 

 

Article from the U.S. website "Interesting Engineering" on August 25:

China: Photovoltaic curtain walls and retired electric vehicle batteries power the world’s first zero-carbon skyscraper.
 

(Source: Huanqiu.com; Author: Atarva Gosavi, translated by Ren Yiran)

 

On the 24th, China officially put into operation the world’s first “ultra-class zero-carbon building,” marking a milestone achievement in China’s efforts to promote sustainable urban development. This innovative office building, located in Qingdao, Shandong Province, and standing at 117 meters tall, is entirely powered by green energy and is regarded as a model for future zero-carbon buildings.

 

Traditional buildings typically rely on rooftop solar panels for power, whereas this building in Qingdao features building-integrated photovoltaic glass curtain walls on its east, south, and west facades. These transparent solar panels directly generate DC electricity, which can be used locally and effectively avoids the energy losses associated with converting DC to AC. As a result, the building is able to obtain approximately 25% of its energy from green sources, and it’s estimated that this will reduce carbon emissions by nearly 500 tons per year.

 

According to reports, this ultra-high-rise zero-carbon building consumes approximately 6,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day on average. The developer stated that this achievement represents a crucial step forward for China in striking a balance between urban development and its ambitious climate goals. The ultra-high-rise zero-carbon building is also equipped with 14 retired electric vehicle batteries used for energy storage, primarily to store excess electricity generated by its photovoltaic glass curtain walls during daylight hours. During periods of low demand, large amounts of clean energy that cannot be consumed by the grid can be stored at a low cost of just 0.22 yuan per kilowatt-hour, ready for use during peak electricity consumption periods or on rainy or cloudy days.

 

This stored electrical energy will be released during peak demand periods or when sunlight is insufficient, ensuring a balanced and cost-effective energy supply. This solution not only reduces waste but also provides a practical model for the large-scale reuse of electric vehicle batteries, while simultaneously supporting the renewable energy industry and the circular economy.

 

The building is equipped with nearly 24,000 miniature sensors inside, replacing traditional switches and enabling automated operation of lighting, air conditioning, and elevators. The building also features a fully automated, high-speed, three-dimensional parking system that can park a vehicle in just 35 seconds—with virtually no need for human intervention. Moreover, this parking system incorporates technology that allows new-energy vehicles to feed power back into the building. Currently, a single vehicle can supply 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity to the building each day; if 300 such vehicles are selected, their combined output could cover nearly half of the building’s energy consumption.

 

By integrating solar energy systems, energy storage, digital operations, and electric vehicle infrastructure, this project provides a blueprint for cities worldwide committed to achieving carbon neutrality. As China accelerates its green transition, this pioneering building serves both as a symbol and a practical example, demonstrating how innovation can turn climate ambitions into reality.