On the Qinghai Plateau! A zero-carbon building with a number of "black technologies"

Guoluo Prefecture in Qinghai is located in an arid and cold region, with complex climatic conditions and prominent building energy consumption problems. In this context, the plateau zero-carbon space project came into being. With the goal of achieving "zero-carbon operation", the project explores sustainable building solutions suitable for arid and cold regions through technological innovation and practice, providing useful experience for similar regions across the country.

2 Passive energy-saving design: the power of nature to reduce carbon
2.1 Climate adaptation design

The Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture area is located in an arid and cold region, with complex climatic conditions, cold winters, hot summers, and large temperature differences between day and night, but sufficient light resources. Based on this climate characteristic, the project adopts a climate-adaptable design to minimize the energy demand for winter heating and summer cooling by optimizing the building orientation, heat storage walls and airtightness design.

Building orientation optimization: The project follows the golden angle principle for building orientation to ensure maximum sunlight entry into the interior in winter while reducing heat absorption in summer through shading facilities. According to local meteorological data, the average annual sunshine hours in Guoluo are about 2,000 hours, and the average annual temperature is between 10°C and 15°C, providing good natural conditions for passive design

Thermal storage wall design: The project adopts high-performance glass curtain wall thermal storage wall, with a wall thickness of up to 400mm and a heat capacity of up to 1.5MJ/m³· K。 A circulating water system is installed inside the wall to store excess heat and release it at night, significantly reducing heating energy consumption in winter

Airtightness design: The airtightness of the building meets the German passive house standard (PHI), and the air permeability is less than 0.1ACH (air displacements/hour). By optimizing the sealing design of doors and windows and the treatment of building joints, the loss of hot and cold air is effectively reduced, further improving energy efficiency

Through the comprehensive application of these passive energy-saving designs, the project successfully transforms natural conditions into an effective means of reducing building energy consumption, laying a solid foundation for achieving zero-carbon operations.

2.2 New insulation curtain wall system

The project uses high-performance insulation materials to build a thermal insulation curtain wall, which effectively blocks extreme external temperatures and maintains a constant indoor temperature and comfort.

Fiberglass polyurethane profiles: The curtain wall keel is made of fiberglass polyurethane profiles, which have a lower embodied carbon emissions than steel and aluminum

Three-layer composite structure: The curtain wall adopts a three-layer composite structure design, the outer layer is low-emissivity glass (Low-E glass), which has a visible light transmittance of up to 80% and effectively blocks infrared heat radiation; the middle layer is a vacuum insulation layer to further reduce heat conduction; the inner layer is made of high-density polyurethane foam, which provides excellent thermal insulation performance

Thermal conductivity test: The laboratory test results show that the thermal conductivity of the curtain wall is only 0.02W/m²· K, which is much lower than the 0.5W/m²· K。 This technology reduces the energy consumption of buildings by about 60% in winter and about 40% in summer

Durable Design: The curtain wall is made of weather-resistant materials and is designed to last for more than 50 years, significantly reducing maintenance costs throughout the building's life cycle

Through this new insulation curtain wall system, the project significantly reduces energy consumption while maintaining a constant indoor temperature and comfort, providing important support for achieving zero-carbon operations.

2.3 Optimization of natural ventilation and lighting

The project maximizes natural ventilation and reduces the need for mechanical ventilation by reasonably designing the proportion and location of building windows. At the same time, the natural lighting design is optimized, lighting energy consumption is reduced, and indoor comfort is improved.

Adjustable window design: The building window is made of three-layer insulating glass and equipped with an intelligent adjustment system, which can automatically open or close according to the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor and wind speed. With intelligent sensors, the window opening angle is precisely controlled between 10° and 30°, ensuring maximum ventilation efficiency. In addition, the ventilation adopts indoor and outdoor isobaric chamber design to further improve air circulation efficiency and reduce the energy consumption of mechanical ventilation.

Natural lighting optimization: The building lighting design follows the principle of "daylight factor", and through the design of the top lighting window and reflector, the natural light penetrates more than 15 meters indoors. Actual test data shows that natural lighting can meet 80% of the lighting needs of buildings, reducing energy consumption by about 75% compared to traditional lighting systems.

Through the design of natural ventilation and daylighting, the project significantly improves the comfort and sustainability of the indoor environment while reducing energy consumption.

Green lighting design: functional lighting at night, using green and environmentally friendly high-performance LED lighting fixtures, the light efficiency reaches more than 110lm/W, The color rendering index can reach more than 85, and under the premise of ensuring comfort, it still ensures high light efficiency and practices the environmental protection concept of green and low-carbon. In addition, the lamps adopt high-efficiency and energy-saving drivers, and the power factor can reach more than 0.9, which fully improves the energy conversion efficiency. Compared with traditional tungsten halogen lamps, high-voltage discharge lamps save more than 50% energy and fluorescent lamps save more than 30%.

2.4 Age-appropriate intelligent lighting and night activity support

On the basis of meeting high efficiency and energy saving, the lighting design of this project fully considers the physiological and psychological needs of the elderly in the plateau area, breaks through the single lighting function, and effectively activates the vitality of the community at night by introducing moderate dynamic light effects and multi-scene intelligent control, making up for the shortcomings of the relative monotony of local nightlife, and creating a rich, warm and safe night activity light environment for the elderly.

Multi-level dynamic lighting and activity guidance: For outdoor courtyards and event squares, a dynamic lighting system that combines functionality and artistry is designed. The intelligently controlled RGBW full-color LED flood lights and line lights can present soothing color gradients at night, such as simulating the warm color sequence of the sunset or the quiet blue light waves, effectively attracting the elderly to step out of the room and participate in outdoor activities at night. The system presets "Daily Mode" and "Festival Mode": In daily mode, the lighting is mainly low-illumination warm white to ensure safe lighting for walking, chatting and other activities; During festivals or group activities, it can be switched to dynamic mode, and in line with traditional festivals or community evenings in Tibetan areas, it presents a soothing rhythm and festive lighting scenes, which significantly improves the sense of ritual and participation in night entertainment.

Integration of intelligence and humanistic care: All dynamic effects are dimmed slowly and smoothly to avoid flickering and bright light stimulation, fully ensuring the visual comfort and health of the elderly. The lighting system can also be linked with outdoor audio to realize the movement of light and music, providing an immersive experience for square dances, group singing parties, etc. The indoor activity space maintains high color rendering and anti-glare design, and easily adapts to the lighting needs of different scenarios such as reading, chess and cards, and friendship through smart panels that can adjust the color temperature.

Through the combination of light and shadow art and technological innovation, this project not only extends the effective use time of the building, but also builds the zero-carbon space into a warm and attractive community core, effectively improves the happiness and social belonging of the elderly on the plateau, and realizes the deep integration of green technology and humanistic care.



3. Active energy innovation: BIPV rooftop power generation
3.1 BIPV photovoltaic integrated design

The project adopts BIPV (Building Photovoltaic Integration) design on the south-facing roof, which perfectly combines solar panels with the roof structure, which not only enhances the aesthetics of the building, but also achieves efficient energy utilization. Photovoltaic modules form a natural shading effect on the sunny side, effectively blocking direct light and reducing indoor heat radiation. Especially during high temperatures in summer, the shadowed area of the photovoltaic module forms a local low-temperature area, which is introduced into the room through a natural ventilation system, further reducing the indoor temperature. Combined with the adjustable window design, natural ventilation and photovoltaic shading complement each other, significantly reducing the building's dependence on mechanical cooling and further optimizing energy efficiency.

Photovoltaic module specifications: using monocrystalline silicon modules, the conversion efficiency is up to 22%, the total area is 300 square meters, and the total capacity is50kW。 The annual power generation is about 70,000 kWh, which is basically the same as the annual energy consumption of buildings of 65,000 kWh, and the remaining electricity can provide green energy for surrounding buildings. The annual power generation of the system can fully cover the daily energy consumption of the hut, and the surplus electricity is integrated into the grid to achieve "zero-carbon operation".

Architectural Aesthetic Integration: The photovoltaic modules seamlessly integrate with the building's roof curve, creating a unique and modern architectural appearance that perfectly embodies the harmonious integration of renewable energy technology and architectural design. The façade of the building adopts a photovoltaic large slope roof design, forming a low eaves, and its shape is like the large slope roof in traditional Japanese architecture, showing a unique oriental aesthetic style.

3.2 Energy management and monitoring

The project is equipped with an intelligent energy management system to monitor building energy consumption and power generation in real time, providing data support for energy optimization.

Data Collection and Analysis: The energy management system uses cloud computing technology, and the data collection frequency is once a minute, ensuring the accuracy of real-time data. Through big data analysis, the system establishes an energy consumption prediction model, which can predict energy consumption and power generation in the next 24 hours and optimize energy distribution strategies.

Energy self-sufficiency rate: According to actual operation data, the energy self-sufficiency rate of buildings has reached 98%, and carbon emissions have been reduced by about 85% compared with traditional buildings, significantly improving the green performance of buildings.

Through intelligent energy management systems and diversified renewable energy technologies, this project not only achieves efficient energy management but also provides strong support for sustainable development.



4. Innovative application of sustainable insulation materials
In the Tibetan area of Qinghai, yak manure is a common agricultural waste. The project innovatively uses yak manure as an insulation material for ground insulation. This technology not only makes full use of local resources, but also provides new ideas for the resource utilization of pastoral waste.

4.1 Production process

Yak manure is fermented, dried and crushed, and mixed with plant fibers (such as wheat straw) to make lightweight composite insulation boards. This process not only ensures the environmental friendliness of the material, but also maximizes the retention of organic components in the manure, giving it excellent thermal insulation performance.

4.2 Material characteristics

Yak manure insulation offers several excellent features that make it an ideal sustainable insulation material.

Firstly, efficient thermal insulation is a prominent feature of this material, with its low thermal conductivity and significant reduction in building energy consumption. Secondly, the material is lightweight and high-strength, and due to its low density, it can reduce the building load when used and has good mechanical properties. In addition, yak manure insulation material has significant environmental friendliness, using agricultural waste as raw material, reducing dependence on traditional insulation materials, thereby reducing resource consumption and environmental burden. The use of this material provides strong support for the realization of a "waste-free society" and promotes resource recycling and sustainable development.

In terms of durability, the material has undergone a special process treatment to have a long service life and can adapt to the construction needs of different climatic conditions. The material maintains its properties even in harsh environments, ensuring long-term stability and energy savings in buildings.

In addition, yak manure insulation materials also have good fire resistance. It meets B1 fire protection standards and can effectively stop the spread of fire in the event of a fire, ensuring the safety of the building.

This innovative application not only reduces the reliance of buildings on traditional insulation materials, but also provides a sustainable solution for the resource utilization of pastoral waste, helping to achieve the strategic goals of green buildings and rural revitalization.



5. Prefabricated construction
The zero-carbon hut project adopts prefabricated construction technology to further enhance the sustainability and construction efficiency of the building. Prefabricated buildings reduce the time and resource consumption of on-site construction by prefabricating building components in the factory and then transporting them to the construction site for assembly, while improving building quality and construction accuracy.

5.1 Modular design

The building structure adopts a modular design, which decomposes the building into intervening components, each of which is prefabricated in the factory and then transported to the construction site for assembly. Modular design simplifies the construction process, reduces the complexity of on-site construction, reduces construction errors, and improves the accuracy and consistency of the building. Prefabricated components include load-bearing walls, non-load-bearing walls, floor slabs, roof structures, etc., which are prefabricated in the factory according to design specifications to ensure that the quality of the components meets the standards.

5.2 Factory prefabrication and quality control

Prefabricated components are produced in the factory, using standardized production technology, and strictly controlling material quality and production process. Factory prefabrication reduces quality problems caused by factors such as weather and personnel operation during on-site construction, ensuring the durability and stability of components. Optimized design is used in the prefabrication process to reduce material waste and further reduce construction costs.

5.3 Seismic performance and adaptability

Prefabricated buildings excel in seismic resistance, especially in plateau areas or other earthquake-prone areas. By adopting high-strength connection technology, prefabricated components enhance the overall stability of the building and effectively improve its seismic resistance. In the event of an earthquake, prefabricated buildings can better absorb and disperse seismic energy, reducing the risk of structural failure.

In addition, prefabricated buildings are designed with the special climatic conditions of the plateau region in mind, such as high altitude and low temperature, to ensure the stability and durability of the building in various extreme environments. This construction method not only reduces environmental damage but also lowers the carbon footprint of buildings by optimizing material use.



6. Social benefits and promotion value
The Plateau Zero Carbon Space Project has not only achieved remarkable results in technological innovation, but also shown great potential in terms of social benefits and promotion value, providing an important reference for the popularization and sustainable development of green buildings.

6.1 Technological innovation, demonstration effect and improvement of people's livelihood

The project integrates a number of innovative technologies, demonstrating the potential of green technology in the construction sector. As a display platform for technology integration, the project has attracted widespread attention from the construction industry at home and abroad. According to third-party evaluation, the reproducibility of the project technology is as high as 85%, and it is suitable for more than 80% of arid and cold areas in our country.

More importantly, the prefabricated zero-carbon hut is not only convenient to turn around and the living environment is more comfortable, but also provides a good demonstration for the nomadic living environment in Tibetan areas. In Tibetan areas, traditional nomadic life often faces problems such as poor living conditions, insufficient energy supply, and fragile ecological environment. Through its flexible modular design, the prefabricated zero-carbon hut can be quickly built and moved, perfectly adapting to the migration needs of nomads while providing a comfortable and safe living environment.

What's more worth mentioning is that the hut adopts a number of green technologies, such as solar power generation, high-efficiency insulation materials and natural ventilation design, which significantly reduces energy consumption, reduces dependence on traditional energy sources, and provides new possibilities for the sustainable development of Tibetan areas. This innovative form of construction also provides a replicable solution for local communities, promoting the popularization and application of green building technology in highland areas.

6.2 Low-carbon practices in arid and cold regions

According to the climatic characteristics of arid and cold regions, the project explores low-carbon building technology paths suitable for such regions. According to data from the Qinghai Provincial Department of Construction, building energy consumption in Qinghai Province will account for 35% of total energy consumption in 2024, and this proportion is expected to decrease by 2030 by promoting zero-carbon building technology20%, reducing carbon emissions by about 40%.

The successful practice of the project provides important reference value for similar regions across the country, and promotes the process of low-carbon transformation of buildings in arid and cold regions.

6.3 Promote the green upgrading of urban and rural areas

By promoting the concept of green building, the project helps the Sanjiangyuan Reserve in Qinghai Province and promotes the upgrading of urban and rural construction in the direction of green and intelligent. According to the plan of the Qinghai Provincial Development and Reform Commission, by 2027, Qinghai Province will build 100 demonstration projects similar to zero-carbon huts, driving the province's construction industry to reduce carbon emissions by 15%.

In addition, the project not only reduces building operating costs but also creates green jobs. It is expected that by 2030, the green transformation of the construction industry in Qinghai Province will create more than 100,000 jobs, injecting new impetus into the sustainable development of the local economy.



7. Conclusions and prospects
The Qinghai Zero Carbon Cottage Project successfully achieved zero-carbon operation through the combination of innovative passive and active technologies, providing an important practice case for sustainable development in the construction sector. The project not only demonstrates the huge potential of green technology in the field of construction, but also provides feasible solutions for achieving the "dual carbon" goal.

In the future, with the further development of technology, the promotion of zero-carbon buildings will be more extensive. It is recommended to increase support for zero-carbon buildings at the policy level, promote the standardization and industrialization of related technologies, and provide a solid guarantee for the realization of the "dual carbon" goal. At the same time, we will continue to deepen the research of zero-carbon building technology, explore more solutions suitable for different climatic conditions, and contribute to the sustainable development of the global construction field.

In addition, the project can further optimize the design and construction process, reduce costs, and improve economic benefits by collecting and analyzing actual operation data. It is expected that in the future, the zero-carbon hut project will provide a replicable demonstration for Qinghai Province and other similar regions across the country to help achieve green and low-carbon urban and rural development.