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RESNET - Shanghai Real Estate Science Research Institute Partnership

On September 14, 2007, RESNET entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the with the Shanghai Real Estate Science Research Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The agreement aims to harmonize the methodology on how buildings are rated for their energy performance in Shanghai, China. The goal of the partnership is to create a consistent standard which will serve as a protocol for home energy efficiency, which will make it easier for carbon savings from building performance to be traded in the growing international carbon market.

The Shanghai Real Estate Research Institute is a building research organization that is part of the Shanghai Municipal Land and Resources Administration Bureau. It is the building standards development agency for the Shanghai government. The elements of the agreement are:

• The Shanghai Real Estate Science Research Institute becomes a formal international affiliate with RESNET
• Adoption of a common HERS Index methodology where a "0" represents a net zero energy home and where "100" represents the standard Shanghai code building, accounting for all energy uses.
• Adoption of common rater certification, quality assurance, code of ethics and standards of practice procedures.
• Adoption of common methods of calculating carbon emission savings from energy efficiency improvements.
• Work together to aggregate carbon emissions reduced through increased building performance for the greenhouse gases emission trading market.

The agreement was signed by Steve Baden, RESNET's Executive Director, William Zaho, Vice President of the Shanghai Real Estate Science Research Institute, and Barbara Finamore, China Program Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

For more information on the Shanghai Real Estate Science Research Institute click on http://www.shfky.com/english/intex.htm.