Over the next five years, public institutions will pursue energy efficiency and carbon reduction in lighting as follows:

Recently, the State Administration of Government Offices and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the “Work Plan for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in Public Institutions during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). Several measures outlined in the Plan will create opportunities for the lighting industry within the public‑institution sector, driving comprehensive upgrades across lighting products, project models, and corporate capabilities.

Key Contents of the Plan

The Plan sets targets based on 2025 levels of carbon emissions and energy/resource consumption: by 2030, carbon emissions per unit floor area in public institutions will decrease by 8.5%, energy consumption per unit floor area will drop by 5%, and per capita water usage will fall by 3%. Furthermore, total carbon emissions from public institutions are expected to peak as early as possible before 2030.

The Plan specifies five key areas of action—advancing and achieving carbon peaking in public institutions, promoting efficient and intensive resource utilization, accelerating the adoption of green production and lifestyle practices, strengthening support and safeguards for energy conservation and carbon reduction efforts, and fostering collaborative implementation—and lays out 16 supporting measures.

The Plan calls for bolstering institutional frameworks and standards, revising the Regulations on Energy Conservation in Public Institutions where necessary, refining the system of management standards for energy conservation and carbon reduction, and expediting the issuance of physical quotas and service standards for energy‑using equipment. It also emphasizes reinforcing measurement and statistical foundations, upgrading energy and resource metering systems, and iteratively enhancing the National Comprehensive Information Platform for Energy and Resource Conservation in Public Institutions. Additionally, the Plan advocates expanding market‑based mechanisms, actively yet prudently promoting contract‑energy‑management models such as energy‑cost outsourcing, and elevating professional competencies through intensified training and research in both theory and practice.

In terms of intensifying energy‑conservation and carbon‑reduction retrofits, the Plan proposes ongoing upgrades to the building envelopes and integrated energy systems—including heating, air conditioning, lighting, elevators, power distribution, and computing facilities—as well as targeted energy‑efficient upgrades to key energy‑consuming equipment. It encourages the installation of energy‑management systems and tighter operational oversight of critical energy‑use devices.

Under the heading of promoting green office practices, the Plan urges increasing green procurement, prioritizing the purchase and use of products, equipment, facilities, and services that conserve energy, water, land, materials, and minerals—thus safeguarding the ecological environment.

Regarding strengthening institutional frameworks and standards, the Plan calls for establishing a streamlined, logically coherent, and practically effective system of management standards for energy conservation and carbon reduction in public institutions, while expediting the release of physical quotas and service standards for energy‑using equipment.

With respect to expanding market‑based mechanisms, the Plan recommends actively yet prudently promoting contract‑energy‑management models such as energy‑cost outsourcing, refining standard templates for outsourcing contracts, and organizing outsourcing services in an orderly manner.

Unlocking Benefits

According to official statistics from the State Administration of Government Offices, in 2023 there were approximately 1.499 million public institutions nationwide, including Party and government agencies, schools, hospitals, research institutes, cultural and sports venues, among others. These entities feature large building footprints and stable energy‑consumption profiles. In 2022, the State Administration of Government Offices, together with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, issued the “Opinions on Encouraging and Supporting Public Institutions to Adopt Energy‑Cost Outsourcing Services.” Since then, public institutions across China have implemented a cumulative total of 736 new energy‑cost outsourcing projects, with contracted values exceeding RMB 22 billion, effectively boosting the growth of the energy‑saving industry and expanding domestic consumer demand.

Over the next five years, many public institutions will enter a window of systematic modernization, generating sustained and steady demand for lighting fixtures and control systems. Moreover, specialized lighting needs—particularly in hospitals and cultural/sports venues—will provide favorable conditions for lighting companies deeply engaged in engineering channels and producing dedicated lighting solutions. At the same time, lighting equipment used in public institutions will be brought under quota‑based management, further standardizing related products and engineering services. In addition, the Plan encourages energy‑cost outsourcing and contract‑energy‑management models, allowing lighting retrofits to be bundled into energy‑outsourcing projects. This opens up new avenues for energy‑diagnosis, project development, and post‑implementation maintenance services, enabling lighting firms to expand into energy‑saving services and project‑operation outsourcing, thereby broadening their revenue streams and facilitating a shift from simply selling products toward delivering holistic energy‑efficiency solutions.

This latest Plan serves as a guiding document for energy conservation and carbon reduction in the public‑institution sector, marking a transition from “voluntary guidance” to “rigid constraints.” Such a shift will unlock fresh growth opportunities for the lighting‑engineering and specialized‑lighting markets. Moving forward, the public‑institution lighting segment is poised to leave behind low‑price bidding and unregulated competition, embracing instead a new phase of high‑efficiency, intelligent, service‑oriented, and compliant development. Companies that persist in technological R&D, possess robust system‑solution and project‑operation capabilities, and rigorously adhere to product‑efficiency standards will be best positioned to capitalize on the policy dividends of this round.

(Image source: Official website of the State Administration of Government Offices)

Source: China Lighting Fixture Association