In 2018，Energy Foundation China supported the Shenzhen Institute of Building Research to study how to build a support system for the city’s near-zero carbon emission district.

The resulting report defines what near-zero carbon emission districts are and how they can be practiced on three different scales: community, industrial park, and urban area. It also identifies buildings, transportation, and enterprises as the key elements of the districts, before gives each of them a clear definition, sets carbon emission calculation boundary, proposes emission goals, and recommends feasible technological pathways and supporting policies. Besides advising Shenzhen’s near-zero carbon emission district, the report can also serve as a reference for other cities when they explore low-carbon practice.