Impacts of climate warming on heating energy consumption and southern boundaries of severe cold and cold regions in China

Impacts of climate warming on heating energy consumption and southern boundaries of severe cold and cold regions of China in the past 20 years are analyzed by using daily and monthly average temperature data from 590 weather stations in China and based on regulations of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Design Rules (GB50019-2003) and Thermal Design Rules for Civil Building (GB50175-93) (China National Standard). The contribution of climate warming to coal saving for heating during cold seasons in major cities is calculated according to indices of coal consumption for heating in major cities during cold seasons defined in Energy Conservation Design Standard for New Heating Residential Buildings (JCJ26-95). Comparing with the period before 1980, southern boundaries of severe cold and cold regions shift toward north up to 2 degrees in latitude since the mid-1980s. Theoretically, climate warming could contribute to 5%-10% coal savings for heating since the mid-1980s in major cities, and even more since the mid-1990s.