BEIJING — Chinese authorities have introduced specific requirements on green and low-carbon construction for counties across the country to avoid blind, intensive development as well as unregulated expansion.

The population density for the built-up areas in counties should be kept between 6,000 and 10,000 people per square kilometer, according to a guideline issued by 15 government departments including the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

The proportion between the gross floor area and the acreage of construction land in the built-up areas should be kept between 0.6 and 0.8, said the guideline.

New buildings in counties should be constructed in safe and proper areas, avoiding areas prone to natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and landslides, it added.

The height of civil buildings in counties should be restricted and match with local fire rescue capabilities, the guideline noted, adding that new residential buildings should be mainly six stories and, in principle, no higher than 18 stories.

Stressing efforts to preserve the historic and cultural landscape of towns by protecting historic buildings, districts as well as old and rare trees, the authorities called for restricting the scale of town squares.