Beijing has formed a team to check on energy saving practices in response to the central government's latest calls to cut energy consumption in big cities.
   
The 20-strong team was also a response to the municipal government's "Green Olympics" promise, said team leader Huang Qian.
   
According to Huang, the "energy-saving police" will check whether energy consumption in offices, hotels, schools, shopping malls, supermarkets and other big buildings meets national standards -- air conditioning no cooler than 26 degrees Celsius in summer and no warmer than 20 degrees Celsius in winter.
   
In addition, team members will evaluate the energy consumption of big real estate projects, especially residential projects covering an area of more than 200,000 square meters and public facilities of more than 20,000 square meters, said Huang.
   
"Those who fail to meet the standards will get a 'prescription'," she said. "If they fail to make improvements, we will report them. They will face penalties and their names will be publicized on TV, on the radio and in newspapers."
   
According to Huang, the municipal development and reform commission is planning to build an energy-saving credit bank to record the energy consumption performance of buildings.
   
"We will keep a close eye on those with poor credit," said Huang.
   
Citizens can call a special phone line -- 67669303 -- to complain about buildings that fail to conform to the rules.
   
Under a five-year plan through 2010, China has pledged to cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 20 percent, or four percent each year, but consumption fell by just 1.23 percent last year.
   
The central government has repeatedly ordered local administrations to take measures to save energy, including closing down firms with high energy consumption but low productivity.
   
The latest move is a nationwide publicity campaign, beginning Sunday, to improve public awareness about energy conservation.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2007)