We systematically review the impact of polyurethane insulation and polyurethane household products on the indoor environmental quality of buildings. The review breaks down polyurethane products into constituent compounds (isocyanate, polyol, flame retardant, blowing agent and catalyst) as well as secondary emissions, and discusses their implications on human health. Concentrations of compounds emitted from insulation, and household materials, measured in laboratory experiments and case studies are presented in the context of the built environment.

With the high growth urbanization and increasing new urban population, the huge demand for infrastructures and dwellings has become a great challenge for the sustainable development in Chinese cities. The building sector shares one fourth of total energy consumption in the country and plays an important role in reducing the energy consumption and the consequential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Some policies have been issued for promoting the low carbon sustainable development in China's buildings.

Cities are crucial sites for achieving socio-technical transitions in technology and infrastructure systems. Raising building energy efficiency (BEE) through new construction or retrofitting holds particular relevance to sustainability transitions since this requires diffusion of new technologies and energy management practices. In pursuit of this, city policymakers around the world are increasingly utilising mixes of multiple policy instruments.