A prototype house was completed in mid-2005, after which it was tested and exhibited for 5 years, attracting more than 5,000 visitors. Testing indicated that the energy efficiency of the house was effective, and energy consumption was only 30% compared to conventional designs. During the 5-year period, some elements of the house were further modified to improve efficiency. 

USD 220,000 in prize money was presented to the best submissions from Asia Pacific in the Holcim Awards competition for sustainable construction projects. The competition run by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction in collaboration with five of the world’s leading technical universities aims to promote sustainable approaches to the built environment.

The overall strength of the project lies in its experimental disposition toward the design of mass-developed, small-scale residential buildings. The authors actively engage the increasing demand for affordable housing in China.

The SRIBS zero-energy link house is commissioned and supported by the Shanghai Research Institute of Building Sciences (SRIBS) as an experimental design for mass developed small-scale residential buildings in Shanghai and its neighboring regions. Due to the increasing housing demand for the middle class families in China, multistory apartments and residential towers cannot meet their demands anymore.