Kecheng District People's Hospital in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, achieved an overall energy-saving rate of 8.22 percent and cut carbon emissions by over 506 metric tons in the first three quarters of this year, demonstrating how digital carbon accounts can translate emissions data into practical savings.

At the hospital, internet-connected sensors monitor electricity, water, and gas consumption across the buildings, helping identify areas where energy can be saved.

Energy-saving upgrades have included replacing a steam boiler with an air-source heat pump, installing magnetic levitation chiller units, and fitting radar-sensor lights in the underground parking garage that use 53 percent less energy than conventional lamps.

Quzhou began exploring its carbon accounts system in 2017 and expanded the system to other areas, promoting green, low-carbon, and sustainable development, with the city's Regulations on the Development and Application of Carbon Accounts taking effect on May 1, 2026.

The system also rewards residents for low-carbon behavior. Wei Yanfen, a hospital employee, said her low-carbon rating helped double her bank credit line to 200,000 yuan ($29,960) when she bought a new energy vehicle, with her loan interest rate also falling by 0.3 percentage points.

So far, 1,098 organizations, including government agencies, hospitals, schools, and supermarkets, have set up carbon accounts, with personal accounts covering 95 percent of residents aged 18 and older. More than 60,000 tons of emission reductions have been recorded.