Policy to help speed up the development of green building materials

Abstract Recently, it was learned from the 2013 China Building Materials Enterprise Development Forum that the implementation of green building materials projects has been officially recognized as a key focus in industry management. This initiative is now seen as a crucial starting point for driving the transformation and upgrading of the entire building materials sector. Currently, relevant state departments are actively working on drafting the "Green Building Materials Promotion and Application Action Plan," signaling that the development of green materials is entering a more structured and accelerated phase. With these efforts, the industry is expected to move into a new era of growth and sustainability.

Insights from the Top 500 Enterprises

The China Building Materials Enterprise Management Association recently released the 2013 rankings of the top 500 building materials companies, along with the top 100 private and most rapidly growing enterprises. According to the data, the growth rate of the top 500 companies has slowed compared to previous years, largely due to market saturation and internal challenges. For example, in 2012, the total sales revenue of the top 500 companies reached 1.869 trillion yuan, reflecting a 15% increase over the previous year—a significant drop since 2010.

“The data shows that the overall growth of the building materials industry is slowing down, but the pace of industry consolidation is accelerating,” said Zhang Dongzhuang, president of the association. Facing overcapacity and weak growth, he emphasized the need for the industry to align with national policies, optimize its structure, eliminate outdated production, and promote energy efficiency and low-carbon materials.

Compared to the broader Chinese economy, the top 500 building materials companies still represent a small portion of the market. In 2013, their combined sales totaled 1.87 trillion yuan, while the total sales of the top 500 Chinese enterprises reached 50.02 trillion yuan—meaning the building materials sector accounted for just 3.73% of the total.

Industry experts believe that analyzing the top 500 data offers valuable insights into the current state of the sector. It helps guide government policy-making and provides direction for companies seeking innovation and sustainable growth. “Overall, the industry is growing stronger, but there’s still a long way to go,” Zhang added honestly.

Moving from Big to Strong

The building materials industry is currently at a critical stage of transformation. So, what does it mean to “transform and rise”? How can this be achieved?

Pan Aihua, deputy director of the Raw Materials Industry Department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that promoting green building materials is a concrete step toward implementing the spirit of the 18th Party Congress. This initiative is also the core of the industry’s transformation and upgrading.

Jiang Yuan, a senior engineer at the China Building Materials Industry Planning and Research Institute, analyzed the 2013 data and suggested that while the top 500 companies should continue expanding, they must also focus on internal restructuring and modernization. Optimizing industrial structures, extending supply chains, and increasing the share of green materials in product portfolios are all essential steps.

To accelerate the development of green building materials and support industry transformation, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology have formed a coordination group to promote green material applications. Additionally, new mandatory energy-saving standards are expected to be introduced, further boosting the green building materials market.

Promoting Standards First

According to industry sources, during the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” period, the goal is to construct 1 billion square meters of new green buildings and retrofit nearly 600 million square meters of existing structures. This will create a massive demand for green building materials, estimated to reach trillions of yuan.

“The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development have already begun drafting the ‘Green Building Materials Promotion and Application Action Plan,’ which will provide clear guidelines for future development,” said Pan Aihua.

However, one major challenge remains: the lack of comprehensive standards. Due to outdated specifications, the application of green materials is still limited. There is an urgent need to improve standardization, connect upstream and downstream industries, and establish a robust certification system to meet the needs of green construction and energy efficiency.

For instance, in the case of cement, China's clinker coefficient dropped from 62.6% to 60.2% in 2012, far below the 80% or higher seen in developed countries. Only 27% of cement products are grade 42.5 or higher, with most being low-grade 32.5 cement. Many of these are composite cements with inconsistent formulations. Experts recommend revising standards, eliminating low-grade products, and reducing the use of 32.5-grade cement.

In addition to updating product and construction standards, national authorities plan to develop a catalog of green materials, set evaluation criteria, and launch pilot projects to promote their widespread adoption. These steps are vital to ensuring the long-term success of the green building materials movement.

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