BEIJING — The total floor area of China's green buildings has exceeded 6.6 billion square meters amid the country's efforts to promote high-quality development in urban and rural areas.

Noting China's achievements of green development in urban and rural areas, Zhang Xiaohong, vice-minister of housing and urban-rural development, stressed the arduous task of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions in urban and rural construction at a press conference on Oct 25.

The ministry will make continuous efforts to further increase the proportion of green buildings, raise building energy efficiency standards and popularize buildings with ultra-low energy consumption in regions with suitable climate conditions, said Tian Guomin, an official of the ministry.

It will also promote green renovation of existing buildings to improve energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions, Tian said.

China issued a guideline underpinning green development in urban and rural areas recently.

Institutional mechanisms and policy systems for green development in urban and rural areas will be basically established by 2025, while green development will cover urban and rural areas in a comprehensive way by 2035, with an increased cut in carbon emissions, said the guideline.

The ministry will formulate a 14th five-year plan on urban and rural living environment planning and take measures to coordinate eco-environment, construction and social and cultural environment while promoting green development of regions and city clusters, said Yang Baojun with the ministry.