Energy is used directly for maintaining normal operation in buildings and keeping occupants' comfort living conditions and indirectly for the materials and services on constructing buildings in the manufacture and transport process, and the water consumption, wastewater and waste treatment in the building sector. Considering the high GHG emissions and air pollution generated in the building sector because of the coal dominated energy consumption in China, it is more meaningful to address the co-benefits
approach to reduce energy consumption, GHG and pollution
emissions in the overall urban sustainable development strategy. All aspects related to the energy performance in the lifecycle of buildings should be assessed with the aim of achieving the co-benefits effectively.