Guidelines shift focus toward quality housing

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has selected the first batch of provincial-level regions that it sees as doing a good job in developing good homes.

The experience gained by the 14 regions, including the provinces of Shandong, Shanxi, Fujian and Gansu, is worth sharing with other parts of the country, said a statement issued by the ministry in July.

The ministry also launched a nationwide competition in July soliciting works on designing new homes and redesigning old ones.

China has stepped up efforts to improve the quality of residential buildings in recent years.

In July 2023, Shandong publicized a guideline for constructing high-quality residential buildings in the province.

The guideline, which was selected by the ministry as an example of good practice, put forward 12 key tasks covering the construction, operation and maintenance of buildings.

Calling for strict control and prevention of flaws in buildings, such as leaks and cracks, the guideline required better home design according to a modern way of living.

It asked for improving the environment around residential buildings to make residents' lives more convenient and applying low-carbon and smart technologies.

In November that year, Shanxi issued a similar document to support its counties and districts in developing good housing.

The document was jointly issued by 21 local departments, including those in charge of housing, development and reform, education, natural resources and finance.

The document said efforts should be made in zoning, land supply, planning, construction quality, financial services and other fields to offer fine living spaces for residents.

In March this year, China said in its Government Work Report it would come up with better standards and regulations on "building quality homes that are safe, comfortable, eco-friendly and smart", attracting widespread public attention.

The supply and demand in the country's real estate market have witnessed major changes, Ni Hong, minister of housing and urban-rural development, said at a news conference days later.

The people's demand for housing is transitioning, shifting from the need for housing availability to that for housing with higher quality, he said, adding that the country will speed up the construction of "quality homes".

Following these statements, the ministry issued new national standards setting stricter requirements for the construction of residential buildings in urban areas.

The standards, which took effect on May 1, made it clear that each story in a new residential building should be no less than three meters high, and that a residential building consisting of four or more stories should be equipped with elevators.

The standards also include detailed requirements for other aspects key to people's housing experience, such as noise control and minimum hours of sunlight exposure.

Different regions have developed their own policies to implement the "quality home" initiative.

Hubei province, for example, publicized guidance for the renovation of its old residential buildings in April.

The guidance recommended enhancing the safety of the buildings by reinforcing their structures, revamping fire protection and electric transmission facilities, installing gas lines and fixing leaks.

It encouraged the remodeling of homes to improve the amount of daylight they receive, their ventilation, soundproofing and functionality.

It also called for renovation to enhance old homes' accessibility and safety for the disabled, older adults and children.