APEC Low-Carbon Model Town Project: Progress and Prospect-Focusing on Low-Carbon BuildingPaper for the 10th Advanced Building Skins Conference(November 3-4, 2015, Bern, Switzerland)
2015/10/8
Kazutomo IRIE, Ph.D.
General Manager, Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC)
1. Introduction
This paper discusses APEC’s LCMT project from its inception, to the completed phases,
through to the planned phases. This project is applicable to the Advanced Building Skins
Conference as a case study on promoting sustainable cities in developing countries.
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a framework of economic cooperation
among countries and territories (they are called ‘economies1’ in APEC) in the Asia andPacific region. APEC was established in 1989 with 12 economies as the founding
members: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. Since then,China, Hong Kong, China and Chinese Taipei joined in 1991. Mexico and Papua New
Guinea followed in 1993. Chile acceded in 1994. And in 1998, Peru, Russia and Viet Nam
joined, taking the full membership to 21.
Energy has been one of the major fields of cooperation in APEC. In the APEC region,energy consumption is rapidly increasing in tandem with urbanisation progress, both ofwhich are due to economic development in the APEC region. Since fossil fuels remain
the major energy resources in the region, increasing energy consumption is posing ahigher risk of climate change. Accordingly, a low carbon society is becoming more andmore necessary for the region. The region needs to improve energy efficiency andpromote renewable energy not only at economy (national) level but also at town/citylevel in the face of rapid urbanisation.
On 19 June 2010, at the 9th Meeting of APEC Energy Ministers in Fukui, Japan, theMinisters launched the APEC Low-Carbon Model Town (LCMT) Project. In their ‘Fukui
Declaration - Low Carbon Paths to Energy Security: Cooperative Energy Solutions for a
Sustainable APEC’, the Ministers included the following statement:‘Introduction of low-carbon technologies in city planning to boost energy efficiency
and reduce fossil energy use is vital to manage rapidly growing energy consumption
in urban areas.’2)
They therefore launched the LCMT Project ‘to present successful models for coordinatedusage of advanced low-carbon technologies.’
The LCMT project aims to combine various components such as energy-efficientbuildings, transport and power systems to create communities that affordably reduceenergy use and carbon emissions while creating pleasant living conditions. The LCMT
Project consists of three activities:
1 APEC uses the term ‘economy’ to describe members instead of nation or country, to include

economies such as Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei which are separate economic entities.
1a) Developing and refining the ‘The Concept of Low-Carbon Town in the APEC region’(the Concept) by APEC experts (LCMT Study Group A);b) A feasibility study of low carbon development for each case study town by consultants
hired by the APEC Secretariat; andc) A policy review of low carbon development policy of each case study town by APEC
experts (LCMT Study Group B).
Since 2011, one town/city in the Region was chosen as the case study town that year’s
phase. The case study towns represent various types of town/city in the Region:
1) Yujiapu, Tianjin, China in Phase 1 (2011) focused on the greenfield development ofcentral business districts (CBD) of a large city;2) Samui Island, Thailand in Phase 2 (2012) focused on the development on an island
resort;3) Da Nang, Viet Nam in Phase 3 (2013) focused on the redevelopment of an existingcity;4) San Borja, Lima, Peru in Phase 4 (2014) focused on a residential area in a city; and
5) Bitung, Indonesia in Phase 5 (2015) is focusing on an industrial area in a city.
Phase 6 in 2016 will plan to address formulating low-carbon development plans incooperation with neighbouring cities.
For the reference of architects, ’Low Carbon Buildings’ are focused on in this paper,
alongside the various components of low carbon town (LCT) developments.
2. Low Carbon Building in ‘The Concept of Low-Carbon Town in the APEC region’2-1. Low Carbon Building in the First Edition of the Concept
In October 2011, the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre published the First Edition of‘The Concept of Low-Carbon Town in the APEC region’, ‘Low Carbon Buildings’ wasidentified as one of demand side measures for low carbon town development along with
‘Low Carbon Urban Structure’, ‘Energy Management Systems’ and ‘Low Carbon Traffic’.
The ‘Concept’ provides ‘Low Carbon Building’ as follows:
In office and commercial buildings, a lot of electricity and heat energy are used for
air conditioning, lighting, office automation (OA) equipment, and hot water supply.
The same applies to residential buildings, although on a different scale. Whenevaluating the low carbon buildings measures, it is advisable to follow thefollowing three steps as it will lead to more efficient and cost effective CO2
reductions.
1st Step: Reduce heat load into the building through rooftop greenery andimprovement of the heat insulation of the windows, etc.
2nd Step: Deploy passive energy design such as natural lighting and naturalventilation.
3rd Step: Improve energy efficiency in air conditioning, lighting equipment,
etc.
There are plenty of reduction measures within each step. It is necessary to
examine the most appropriate combination of measures considering the use,targeted CO2 reduction amount, construction cost etc. of the intended buildings.3)
Then the ‘Concept’ explains necessary considerations in each step:i) Reduction heat load in the building
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Evidence shows that heat energy demand for cooling/heating and electricity use
for lighting depends greatly on the structure of the building, its outer environment
and the use of the building.
In order to reduce CO2 emissions associated with the building, the first step is toconsider measures that will create a comfortable work and living environment in
the building without using too much energy, in other words, the measures which
will reduce the energy load of the building.
ii) Adoption of passive energy design
It can be effective to adopt passive forms of environment-friendly technology,
which makes use of sunlight, solar heat, wind, rainwater and geological conditions
to adjust the indoor environment. For example, it may suit to construct buildingsthat maintain comfortable room temperature by adopting sun shading blinds andcooling with outside air, and ensures the brightness and clean air by utilising
daylight and natural ventilation respectively.
iii) Improvement of equipment efficiency
Energy use in the building can be reduced by adopting high efficiency equipment
for functions such as air conditioning, lighting, office automation, hot watersupply.3)
At the end of ‘Low Carbon Buildings‘ section, the ‘Concept’ shows a schematic design
flow of low carbon building in Figure 5.3)

Appendix 2 ‘Low Carbon Measures Along with Cases Examples’ is attached to the‘Concept’. As for Low Carbon Building, six types of case examples are enumerated:‘Sunlight shading and thermal insulation’, ‘Façade engineering’, ‘Natural ventilation’,‘Daylight use plus lighting system’, ‘Hybrid of natural ventilation plus air conditioning’and ‘High-efficient heat source plus heat storage’.
Though the first edition ‘Concept’ was intended to be a comprehensive guideline for low
carbon town (LCT) development, it was influenced by the then on-going LCT project in3

Yujiapu, Tianjin, China. And so it focused on green field development in a large city suchas Yujiapu.
2-2. Low Carbon Building in the Second Edition of the Concept
During following Phases, the ‘Concept’ has been refined taking into account of a different
type of LCT development in each Phase. As for low carbon building, one paragraph wasadded in the Second Edition published in October 2012 to explain the first step, ’1)
Reducing heat load in buildings’:
Compared to large-scale businesses and commercial buildings, large hotels, or
high-rise residential complexes, it will be difficult for small- and medium-sizedresort hotels (comprised of cottage-type buildings) and low- and medium-risehousing to introduce centralized energy supply systems (e.g., DHC, central heatsources, central hot-water systems, etc.) Here, the further introduction of highly
efficient equipment and facilities—such as high-efficiency air conditioners,
heat-pump water heaters, and latent heat recovery-type water heaters—plays avery important role in reducing a building’s CO2 emissions.
In addition, for small buildings, reinforcing insulation by using rooftop greenery,solar reflectance paint on roofs, etc., as well as use of natural energies (such as
natural ventilation and natural lighting) will amplify the effectiveness of CO2
reduction methods and should be actively introduced.4).
This revision reflects experiences in Samui Island, Thailand in Phase 2, where there aremany small- and medium-sized resort hotels and low- and medium-rise housing.
Also in the Second Edition, ‘Sunlight shading and thermal insulation’ in Appendix 2‘Low Carbon Measures Along with Cases Examples’ was changed to ‘Sunlight reflection,
shading and thermal insulation’ in order to include high solar reflectance paint for roof
surfaces. This change is based upon advice from a Japanese expert in paint industry.
2-3. Low Carbon Building in APEC Low Carbon Town Indicator
The guideline of low carbon buildings and its case examples in the Concept remained
intact in the Third Edition in Phase 3.5) However, the refinement process of the Concept
itself has largely changed since Phase 3 with the inclusion of APEC Low Carbon Town
Indicator (LCT-I) System. According to the Final Report of Feasibility Study for the
APEC LCT-I System by APEC LCMT Phase 3 Task Force Japan which is established toassist the refinement process, the purpose of the APEC LCT-I System is defined asfollows:… ways to review and develop low carbon cities still vary significantly from
economy to economy, making it difficult for the project to achieve overall progressin the region. In order to facilitate and support the overall progress of the projectin the region, indicators (standards), which practically manage CO2 emissions at
the municipal level, need to be developed, disseminated, and widely used.
Our country [quoter note: Japan], which is advanced and has long experience inthe field of energy saving, could contribute to the further development of the APECLCMT project by taking the initiative in developing a CO2 (energy-originated CO2)
management method for cities.
In light of the above, we propose anew that a management indicator system should4

be developed for the APEC LCMT project, which aims to promote the developmentof low carbon towns across the region, by leveraging the LCMT concept and theresults of the past feasibility studies.6)
As a part of APEC LCT-I System, indicators for low carbon building has been underconsideration The Final Report of Feasibility Study during Phase 3, three items were
proposed for introducing indicators of low carbon building: ’Energy-saving
construction’, ’Building insulation’ and ’Energy efficiency of building equipment’. As forEnergy-saving construction, ‘Ratio of buildings certified as green buildings to totalbuildings in the district (%)’ could be an indicator. For Building insulation, ‘Thermal
performance standard’ could be measured. And Energy efficiency of building equipment
could be evaluated by ‘Reduction rate of energy use’.
Appendix 4 ‘Low Carbon Town Indicators (Preliminary Study Results)’ of the Fourth
Edition of the Concept published in November 2014 proposed to maintain the samestructure of indicators for low carbon building.7) The Phase 5 Task Force Japan andStudy Group A which is in charge of refining the Concept are now working hard to
finalise the APEC LCT-I System including indicators for low carbon building. They arecarrying out further surveys, discussions with experts of indexation/standardization andsensitivity analyses of indicators in test cases.
3. Low Carbon Building in case study town in each Phase
3-1. Yujiapu, Tianjin, China in Phase 1 (2011)
Yujiapu Central Business District (CBD)/Financial District Development Project inTianjin, China was selected as a case for the APEC LCMT Project Phase 1.
The Phase 1 Study Group B which in charge of policy reviews for LCT development
described the Project as follows:
Yujiapu Financial District (YFD) will become the heart of the Tianjin Binhai New
Area (TBNA) Financial regulation pilot zone by attracting world class financial
institutions and creating an innovative environment to facilitate theimplementation of China new financial regulations.
The Financial District is also expected to set up a new standard for the sustainable
development and construction of cities in Asia by adhering to the development
concept of green building and low-carbon city.
YFD covers an area of 3.86 million sq m, surrounded by rivers at its east, west andsouth. The total building size is 9.50 million sqm.8)
The review team emphasised the importance of ‘green building’ as stated in theexecutive summary.
At least twelve buildings in Phase I of the Yujiapu CBD area are planned to get thecertification of green building, a highly commendable feat. It is recommended,however, that given that green buildings are highly encouraged in this area and in
the development of the low carbon town, such green building requirements should
be clearly stipulated in each building contract to guarantee that their design andconstruction meets the minimum requirements of the new buildings.8)
The team also appreciated a plan to utilise advanced technology in commercial buildings,
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but with the reservation for residential sector.
The use of motion sensors and other advanced technology for controlling electricity
demand in commercial buildings is an interesting and cutting edge concept. Suchtechnology in conjunction with energy efficiency awareness campaigns for thegeneral public should see a reduction in energy use.
However, it is recommended that a well thought out plan is put forth with regards
to the supply and demand balance of electricity across the board even in theresidential sector, specifying the type of technology that may be introduced there(i.e. smart grids).focused on green field development of central business districts(CBD) of a large city.8)
3-2. Samui Island, Thailand in Phase 2 (2012)
Samui Island (in Thai, Koh Samui) was chosen as the case town for APEC LCMT Phase
2 and described by the Phase 2 Study Group B as follows.
Koh Samui is a small island situated in the Gulf of Thailand and located in
Suratthani Province, approximately 750 km to the south of Bangkok. Whilst theisland’s population is small at approximately 54 000 registered people andunregistered population of about 6 times of the registered population, tourists
number up to 1.1 million annually. Given the islands main industry is tourism andthe large number of visitors travelling to Koh Samui annually, the island ismaking great strides in achieving low-carbon status.9)
As mentioned above in 2-2, the Samui Island case drew attention to small- andmedium-sized resort hotels and housing. As per resort hotels, the review teamrecommended a green building benchmark. The Policy Review team also raised the issueof retrofitting of old buildings which was unnoticed in Phase 1 for Yujiapu as it was agreen field project.
Given the number of hotels and resorts on the island there is plenty of potential todevelop or adopt a green building benchmark that identifies facilities that haveachieved efficient use of energy and water, this will be beneficial to hotels andresorts as well as they look at marketing their respective properties as eco-friendly.
The option of retrofitting some of the old buildings on the island to make them
low-carbon should also be considered.9)
3-3. Da Nang, Viet Nam in Phase 3 (2013)
Da Nang is the biggest city in central Viet Nam. It is located between Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City at 759km and 960km respectively. As of 2011, the population of
Da Nang 951,684 people, which is growing as industrialisation draws more people
to the area. Da Nang is shifting its economic structure away from agriculture andtoward industry and services. Its main industries are frozen fish, textiles andgarments, cement, automobile tyres, and leather goods. However, more technicalindustries are rapidly growing in the area, which include electrical equipment,
information technology component parts, machinery, ship building,manufacturing and assembling automobiles and bicycles, and beer and dairy
beverages. Tourism is also a growing economic sector in Da Nang and is one of Viet
Nam’s national tourist sites.10)
The Phase 3 Study Group B gave a portrait of Da Nang and produced 75
6recommendations for implementation, compared to 32 and 82 recommendations inPhase 1 and Phase 2 respectively. The recommendations in Phase 3 were grouped byhigh, medium and low order urgency level for the first time.
Among 9 recommendations related to low carbon buildings, 3 recommendations listed
below are classified high urgency level which can be implemented in short term but at
low cost.
Recommendation 33: Develop an evaluation criteria for low carbon building
design.
Recommendation 34: Promote energy efficiency standards for all non-residentialbuildings.
Recommendation 37: Publish a policy paper to promote low carbon building
deployment and financing.10)
It is noteworthy that the review team has paid attention to a financing issue in
Recommendation 37. This seems because the Da Nang project, as a redevelopment of an
existing city, inevitably involves small and medium local enterprises who usually havedifficulties in financing investment to buildings.
3-4. San Borja, Lima, Peru in Phase 4 (2014)
Though the Phase 4 Study Group B has yet completed its policy review report, they
depict the case study town, San Borja, as follows in their draft:
San Borja is one of the 49 districts of Lima City in Peru. San Borja is bordered by
the districts of San Luis and La Victoria to the north, Santiago de Surco to the eastand south, Surquillo to the southwest and San Isidro to the west. San Borja,
established as unique district in 1983, covers 9.96 km2 and is 170 meters above sea
level. In 2011, San Borja´s population was 111 808 people comprising
approximately 36,000 households. In 2012 the population was 112 562 people. The
majority of the population is between 20 and 50 years (52%) and is comprised of
55% female and 45% male. Peru is one of the fastest growing economies in SouthAmerica with the urbanisation rates increasingly rapidly. San Borja reflects thistrend, making low carbon development an essential goal for the local
government.11)
The review team is planning to make 50 recommendations for implementation withgrouping of high, medium and low order urgency level, similarly to the Phase 3 review
team. Among 7 recommendations related to low carbon building, 4 recommendations
listed below are to be classified high urgency level.
Recommendation 16: Establish a San Borja Green Building Task Force under the‘LCT-Community Planning Council’.
Recommendation 17: Establish a Mandatory San Borja Green Building Code.
Recommendation 20: Develop a San Borja-centric sourcebook for green buildings
suited to Lima’s climate conditions.
Recommendation 21: Establish a Comprehensive Capability Program.11)
The background of Recommendation 16 on a new organisation seems to be a large
number of property owners to be consulted with by San Borja municipality government
since this district is mainly a residential area.

74. Future of APEC LCMT Project
APEC LCMT Project has entered its fifth year in 2015. In its Phase 5, the Concept is
expected to complete refinement with finalisation of the APEC LCT-I System. The
finalised APEC LCT-I System will include established indicators for low carbon building.
Feasibility study for the case town, Bitung is also close to completion. Bitung situates on
the northern coast of the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The Indonesian Government
has plans to make Bitung an international hub port for the eastern part of Indonesia. A
special industrial zone next to a new port facility will be developed, which will beoccupied mainly by marine product processing industries. Since the target area of
Bitung LCT project is the industrial zone, low carbon industrial buildings or low carbon
factories will be discussed in LCT planning.
In parallel with the completion stage of Phase 5, the preparatory stage of Phase 6 hasalready started. Mandaue city in Cebu Island, the Philippines, is chosen as a candidate
for the case study town for Phase 6. Phase 6 plans to address formulating low-carbon
development plans in cooperation with neighbouring cities. Mandaue’s LCT plan incooperation with neighbouring Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City will be developed andstudied through a feasibility study and policy review. Low carbon buildings will beanalysed accordingly.
In relation with the Concept, disseminating the APEC LCT-I System will be an
important task for Study Group A after finalising the APEC LCT-I System itself. APEC
energy officials have already started to consider a new format for future LCMT Project.
APEC LCMT project is entering a dissemination stage from a survey and research stage.
5. Conclusion
APEC LCMT Project is completing its 5th Phase and will soon establish its Concept with
the APEC LCT-I System. After the establishing the APEC LCT-I System, the Project will
move on to disseminate LCT throughout the APEC Region, promoting the application of
the APEC LCT-I System to towns/cities which plan to become low-carbon. It is strongly
hoped that the Project will continue to serve APEC member economies and act as acatalyst for rapid urbanisation that is also low carbon compatible.

Reference
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Paths to Energy Security: Cooperative Energy Solutions for a Sustainable APEC,

http://www.apec.org/Meeting-Papers/Ministerial-Statements/Energy/2010_energy.aspx
3) The APEC Low Carbon Model Town Task Force of APEC Energy Working Group(2011), The Concept of the Low-Carbon Town in the APEC Region Final Report,
http://aperc.ieej.or.jp/publications/reports/lcmt/The_Concept_of_the_LCMT_in_APEC_R
egion_First_Edition.pdf
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Low Carbon Model Town Project Phase 1 Policy Review for Yujiapu CBD, Tianjin, China
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http://aperc.ieej.or.jp/publications/reports/lcmt/Policy_Review_for_Yujiapu_CBD_Tianjin_China.pdf

9) The Study Group B of the APEC Low Carbon Model Town Task Force (2013), Policy

Review for Low-Carbon Town Development Project in Koh Samui, Thailand Final
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Review for Low-Carbon Town Development Project in Da Nang, Viet Nam Final Report,
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olicy_Review_Report_Final.pdf

11) The Study Group B of the APEC Low Carbon Model Town Task Force (2015), Policy

Review for Low-Carbon Town Development Project in San Borja, Lima, Peru Draft(handout).

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