536.Regulations of Shenzhen Municipality on the Administration of Building SpongeCity

深圳市海绵城市建设管理规定

Regulations of Shenzhen Municipality on the Administration of Building SpongeCity

　　Chapter I General Provisions

　　Article 1 To accelerate the building of sponge city, protect and improve the ecological environment, and promote the development of Shenzhen Municipality and the harmonious development between man and nature in Shenzhen Municipality, these Regulations are formulated in accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of the Quality of Construction Projects and the Regulations on the Administration of Survey and Design of Construction Projects and in light of the actual needs of Shenzhen Municipality.

　　Article 2 Sponge city as mentioned in these Regulations refers to the urban development model to minimize the damage caused by urban development and construction on the natural hydrological cycle and the ecological environment by strengthening the regulation of urban planning and construction, giving full play to the role of ecosystems such as buildings, roads, green spaces and water systems in absorbing, storing and releasing rainwater and effectively controlling rainwater runoff, and finally achieve natural rainwater accumulation, penetration and purification.

　　Article 3 These Regulations shall apply to the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, supervision and administration of sponge city within the administrative area of Shenzhen Municipality.

　　Article 4 The construction of sponge city shall focus on ecological protection and natural circulation, based on related overall plans proposed by the government and social participation. The whole process of regulating urban planning and construction shall follow scientific laws and the requirements for building sponge city. Sponge facilities shall be planned, designed, constructed, inspected for acceptance and put into use according to local conditions and in sync with the main part of the project.

　　Article 5 Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government shall coordinate and promote the construction of sponge city in Shenzhen Municipality while coordinating and solving major problems in building sponge city.

　　District people’s governments (including administrative committees of new areas; the same below) shall shoulder the primary responsibility for the construction of sponge city within their jurisdictions. Therefore, they shall coordinate and promote the construction of sponge city within their jurisdictions while solving major problems during construction in a coordinated manner.

　　Article 6 Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government shall set up a municipal sponge city construction leading group (“the municipal leading group”) for analyzing and deliberating on related policies about sponge city and coordinating major issues in sponge city construction. The office of the municipal leading group shall be set at the municipal competent water affairs authority to formulate policies about sponge city construction, technical specifications and standards, implementation plans and assessment methods, coordinate, guide and urge all relevant parties to build sponge city.

　　The district people’s government shall set up a district sponge city construction leading group (“the district leading group”) for coordinating matters related to sponge city in the district. The office of the district leading group shall be set at the district competent water affairs authority to formulate plans and implementation plans for sponge city construction in the district, coordinate, guide and urge all relevant parties to build sponge city.

　　Article 7 The planning and natural resources authorities and the urban renewal and land consolidation authorities shall clarify the content and index of sponge city construction in terms of the transfer of the right of land use, the license for land use planning and the planning license for construction projects.

　　The competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs shall specify or implement relevant indexes of sponge city construction in terms of project planning, design, construction and inspection for acceptance.

　　The financial authorities shall work with the office of the leading group to formulate fiscal policies to support sponge city construction and, according to relevant provisions, guarantee sufficient funds for sponge city planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance.

　　The authorities of development and reform, ecological environment and urban management shall regulate sponge city construction within their duties.

　　Other relevant authorities shall strengthen coordination and work together to promote the regulation of sponge city construction.

　　Article 8 Key areas for promoting urban planning and engineering construction identified by Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government (“key areas”), government-invested construction projects and urban renewal projects shall strictly follow the requirements for sponge city construction, play a leading and demonstrative role and promote sponge city construction to a higher level.

　　Chapter IIPlanning

　　Article 9 The authorities of planning and natural resources, housing and construction, transport, water affairs and urban management shall formulate related technical specifications and standards for sponge city. When formulating these technical specifications and standards, they shall consider relevant requirements for sponge city construction.

　　Article 10 When mounting the preparation of the national economic and social development plan or annual plan, the development and reform authorities shall incorporate the objectives and requirements of sponge city construction.

　　Article 11 When mounting the preparation or modification of the master plan for state land and space, the planning and natural resources authorities shall follow the concept of sponge city, clarify the objectives and development strategies of sponge city construction and take indexes for sponge city such as the volume capture ratio of annual rainfall (VCRAR) and the local absorption rate of rainfall as important control indexes based on overall and systematic planning.

　　Article 12 When mounting the preparation or modification of the municipal plan for sponge city construction, the planning and natural resources authorities shall clarify the layout of sponge city, including spaces for infiltration, detention, retention, purification, utilization and discharge, and control indexes for sponge city construction such as VCRAR, based on the municipal master plan for state land and space. The municipal plan for sponge city construction shall be implemented with the approval of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government.

　　According to the municipal plan for sponge city construction and the district master plan for state land and space, the district people’s government shall organize the preparation of the district plan for sponge city construction, detail the layout of sponge city, and meet control indexes for sponge city construction such as VCRAR one by one. In key areas, the district people’s government shall organize the preparation of an implementation plan for sponge city construction.

　　After the plan for sponge city construction is approved, it shall be included in the national land and space plans, with its space control requirements and related indexes included in an information platform for multiple plans in one single area.

　　Article 13 When preparing or modifying a land use and development plan and regulatory detailed plan, relevant authorities shall refer to plans for sponge city construction at all levels and relevant requirements for sponge city in the master plan for state land and space. When preparing implementation plans for land consolidation, urban renewal or underground spaces in key areas, relevant authorities shall conduct special studies on sponge city construction to clarify the objectives of sponge city construction and rationally distribute sponge facilities.

　　Article 14 When formulating or modifying plans for roads, green spaces, water systems, drainage, waterlogging prevention and green buildings at various levels, the authorities of planning and natural resources, housing and construction, transport, water affairs and urban management shall fully refer to the plans for sponge city construction at all levels, design sponge city layout and fully fulfill the requirements for sponge city construction.

　　Chapter III Design and Construction

　　Article 15 Sponge city project shall be designed according to national, provincial and municipal technical specifications and standards for sponge city and the control indexes for sponge city construction specified in the planning license. In addition, sponge facilities shall be reasonably distributed with the priority to green infrastructure over gray infrastructure. Green infrastructure such as roof greening, permeable paving, sunken green space and biological detention facilities shall be used first. If green infrastructure can not be used, gray infrastructure such as the rainfall storage pond can be used to meet the control indexes for sponge city construction, but this situation shall be explained in the design document.

　　Projects whose construction land has been transferred or allocated shall meet relevant contents and requirements for sponge city through design changes or negotiation incentives according to the law.

　　Article 16 Newly built, rebuilt and extended projects shall meet control indexes for sponge city construction and shall not violate the following provisions:

　　1. Construction projects covering more than 5,000 square meters shall increase permeable surface. The permeable surface of newly built residential projects shall account for more than 60% of the total area; newly built public administration and service facilities and commercial office projects, more than 50%; rebuilt and expanded projects, more than that before reconstruction and expansion (more than 30%);

　　2. Newly built, rebuilt and expanded road green belts shall detain, retain and purify rainfall through micro-terrains or biological detention facilities. Specific requirements shall be subject to relevant technical specifications. Sidewalks and lanes for non-motorized vehicles shall be permeable;

　　3. Newly built, rebuilt and expanded park green spaces shall be reasonably equipped with sponge facilities such as sunken green spaces, rain gardens, dry streams, wet ponds, regulating ponds and wetlands. VCRAR of urban parks and natural parks shall be greater than 80% and other parks, greater than 70%. In addition, rainfall shall be reasonably reused according to the watering demand of parks. Based on the regional topography, drainage and waterlogging prevention requirements, parks that can absorb additional rainfall shall build rainfall storage spaces to absorb rainfall and flood from surrounding areas;

　　4. Coastlines, river and lake shorelines and the surrounding spaces shall be equipped with vegetation buffer zones and ecological revetments. For newly built, rebuilt and expanded projects for urban water bodies, except for productive shorelines such as wharves and necessary flood control shorelines, ecological shorelines shall account for more than 70% of the total shorelines.

　　Construction projects that cannot comply with the above requirements due to site conditions or project types can be administered based on the list of projects exempted from control indexes for sponge city construction after expert demonstration organized by relevant competent authorities.

　　Article 17 Construction projects located in areas prone to geological disasters and areas with special pollution sources as well as bridges, tunnels, lighting projects, sporadic repair projects, emergency rescue projects, temporary buildings, silting projects, land formation projects, soft foundation treatment projects and confidential projects can be included in the list of projects exempted from control indexes for sponge city construction, which shall be formulated by relevant competent authorities according to relevant regulations and be implemented after being reported to and approved by the office of the municipal leading group.

　　For projects included in the list, there are no mandatory requirements for control indexes for sponge city construction during the government review. Development parties shall do their best to fulfill the requirements for sponge city construction according to the characteristics of their projects.

　　Article 18 Construction projects shall overall consider the construction of sponge facilities during the preliminary demonstration according to planning and design requirements, except for those included in the list of projects exempted from control indexes for sponge city construction or those administered according to the list. Exceptional projects shall be specified in relevant application documents.

　　The development party of a government-invested project shall specify requirements for sponge city construction of the project in the project proposal and technical idea, construction objective, construction content, specific technical measures, estimated investment and later operation and maintenance costs of sponge engineering in the feasibility study report.

　　The development party of a private construction project that applies for government approval shall specify control indexes for sponge city construction, construction content, specific technical measures and investment in the project application report; The development party of a private construction project that applies for registration shall inform the project registration authority of control indexes for sponge city construction, construction content and investment.

　　Article 19 The planning and natural resources authorities shall specify whether the construction project involves sponge engineering in the Opinion of Pre-review on Land Use and Site Selection.

　　When issuing the license for construction land planning or key planning and design points, the planning and natural resources authorities and the urban renewal and land consolidation authorities shall list control indexes for sponge city construction such as VCRAR according to the land use and development plan, key points of sponge city planning and review rules.

　　For a government-invested rebuilt project exempted from site selection and land supply procedures, the development party shall solicit the opinions of the office of the district leading group during project planning, and the office of the district leading group shall specify control indexes for sponge city construction.

　　Article 20 When designing the construction plan, the development party shall require the design party to prepare a sponge city plan in strict accordance with planning requirements, fill in the self-evaluation form and the letter of commitment, promise to meet control indexes for sponge city construction and submit them to the planning and natural resources authorities and the urban renewal and land consolidation authorities. If the aforesaid documents are not submitted accordingly, the planning and natural resources authorities and the urban renewal and land consolidation authorities shall order the development party to submit them at once within a reasonable time limit.

　　The sponge city plan of the plan of a municipal linear project shall be completed with the plan of the plan of a municipal linear project before land pre-review and site selection.

　　The planning and natural resources authorities and the urban renewal and land consolidation authorities, when issuing the planning license for construction projects, shall specify the requirements for sponge engineering in the next stage.

　　Article 21 The development party shall make the sponge city design during the preliminary design.

　　The competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs shall pay attention to the sponge city design according to relevant provisions during the review of the preliminary design. The review conclusion shall be included in the overall review opinion. If the sponge city design fails the review, the development party shall revise it according to the review opinion.

　　Article 22 The development and reform authorities shall review whether the investment in sponge facilities of government-invested projects is reasonable. When reviewing the total budget estimates of government-invested projects, they shall fully guarantee the design, construction and supervision funds of sponge facilities according to relevant standards and norms.

　　Article 23 When designing the construction drawings, the design party shall, in strict accordance with the sponge city plan, as well as national, provincial and municipal technical specifications, standards and regulations for sponge city, prepare the construction drawings for sponge facilities and upload them to the survey and design administration system for construction projects in Shenzhen Municipality.

　　The competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs shall put sponge city construction under key supervision during their spot checks or reviews of construction drawings or supervision and regulation of construction quality and safety.

　　Article 24 The development party shall bear the primary responsibility for the construction of sponge facilities of the construction project. It shall specify the specific construction contents, standards and technical specifications of sponge facilities of the project in bidding documents for design, construction and supervision and contracts. Efforts shall also be made to organize design, construction and supervision parties to fully implement such contents, standards and technical specifications.

　　The development party shall not instruct design, construction, supervision and testing parties to violate relevant requirements of these Regulations expressly or implicitly.

　　The development party engaged in sponge engineering shall cooperate with the evaluation of sponge city construction and facilitate the monitoring of VCRAR, the control of road surface ponding and the mitigation of the urban heat island effect.

　　Article 25 The design party shall design sponge city according to national, provincial and municipal technical specifications, standards and regulations for sponge city and meet the control indexes for sponge city construction. If it is necessary to make design changes during the implementation of the project, control indexes for sponge city construction and construction standards of sponge facilities of the project shall not be lowered.

　　Article 26 The construction party shall construct the project in strict accordance with the construction drawings and shall not arbitrarily remove, lower or reduce specific functions and standards of the sponge facilities specified in the drawings during construction.

　　The construction party shall use building materials, components and equipment that have passed relevant inspections and tests when building sponge facilities so as to ensure the quality of the project. It is strictly prohibited to use substandard raw materials, finished products and semi-finished products. Complete construction technical data shall be kept during construction, and data of the completion of sponge facilities shall be submitted upon completion of the construction project.

　　Article 27 The supervision party shall strictly perform its supervision duty for the construction of sponge facilities of the construction project. For concealed work in sponge facilities, it shall effectively guarantee aside and parallel inspections and frequent inspections to ensure that the project is constructed according to the drawings.

　　The supervision party shall strengthen the sampling and testing of the raw materials of sponge facilities under its witness to effectively ensure that all incoming raw materials are standard. Substandard materials must be moved away from the construction site.

　　Article 28 When the development party organizes an inspection for acceptance (including the inspection for acceptance of a water affairs project; the same below), the inspection for acceptance of sponge facilities shall be carried out according to relevant technical specifications and standards for sponge city construction. The inspection for acceptance report shall state the conclusion on whether the construction of sponge facilities is standard. If sponge facilities fail the inspection for acceptance, the construction project shall not pass the inspection for acceptance.

　　When applying for a joint (on-site) inspection for acceptance of a construction project, the development party shall submit the as-built drawings and documents related to the construction of sponge facilities as well as the inspection for acceptance report indicating that the construction of sponge facilities is standard. If the aforesaid documents are not submitted, the authority that initiates the joint (on-site) inspection for acceptance shall order the development party to submit the aforesaid documents at once within a reasonable time limit.

　　Article 29 After passing the joint (on-site) inspection for acceptance, the development party shall prepare documents about the completion of sponge facilities according to relevant provisions and submit them to the authorities of urban construction documents along with documents about the main part of the construction project.

　　Chapter IV Operation and Maintenance

　　Article 30 After passing the joint (on-site) inspection for acceptance, the development party shall hand over the sponge facilities and related documents to the party that shall shoulder the primary responsibility for operation and maintenance specified in Article 31 of these Regulations. Otherwise, the development party shall shoulder the primary responsibility for operation and maintenance.

　　Article 31 For the sponge facilities of parks, green spaces, roads, squares and water facilities, the corresponding project management party shall shoulder the primary responsibility for their operation and maintenance. If it is a government-invested project, operation and maintenance funds shall be allocated by the financial authorities at all levels in a collaborative manner.

　　For sponge facilities of a construction project, the owner of the building shall shoulder the primary responsibility for their operation and maintenance. If the owner is unknown, the investor shall shoulder the primary responsibility for their operation and maintenance. If the investor is unknown, the government with jurisdiction shall designate a party to shoulder the primary responsibility for their operation and maintenance.

　　Those who shoulder the primary responsibility for the operation and maintenance of sponge facilities can maintain sponge facilities themselves or authorize another party to maintain sponge facilities (“the operation and maintenance party”).

　　Article 32 The operation and maintenance party shall operate and maintain sponge facilities according to relevant technical specifications and standards, formulate sound operation and maintenance systems and operating procedures and set up facility and safety warning signs to ensure the normal and safe operation of sponge facilities. If sponge facilities are damaged or unable to perform their normal functions due to improper operation or maintenance, the operation and maintenance party shall restore them.

　　Article 33 The operation and maintenance party shall prepare an emergency response plan for sponge facilities and file it with relevant competent authorities according to relevant regulations. In case of an emergency, the operation and maintenance party shall deal with it according to the emergency response plan.

　　Article 34 The operation and maintenance party shall regularly evaluate sponge facilities as required. It shall be encouraged to use digital and intelligent means to strengthen operation and administration.

　　Article 35 The authorities of housing and construction, transport, water affairs and urban management shall organize the formulation of relevant operation and maintenance standards of sponge facilities within the scope of their duties.

　　Article 36 No party or individual shall illegally occupy or damage sponge facilities. If sponge facilities are illegally occupied or damaged, the operation and maintenance party shall have the right to request restoration.

　　When a party or individual needs to temporarily dismantle, modify or occupy sponge facilities, such a party or individual shall make a written commitment to the operation and maintenance party for promptly restoring sponge facilities and bear restoration costs. If sponge facilities can not be restored, sponge facilities with functions no less than those of the original sponge facilities shall be built in the same plot or project, and impermeable hardened ground shall not be added.

　　Chapter V Guarantee and Supervision

　　Article 37 Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government shall encourage enterprises, public institutions, scientific research institutions, public welfare organizations and individuals to actively support the construction of sponge city, strengthen the training of relevant personnel, stimulate innovations in investment and financing models and operating mechanisms for sponge city and support the R&D and application of new technologies, new processes, new materials and new products in sponge city.

　　Article 38 Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government shall fund private sponge engineering or rebuilt projects. Specific measures shall be formulated by the office of the municipal leading group in conjunction with the municipal financial authorities and submitted to Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government for approval before implementation.

　　Article 39 When regulating sponge city construction, offices of municipal and district leading groups and relevant competent authorities can purchase relevant technical services from third-party technical service agencies for sponge city construction according to relevant regulations on government purchase of services. Relevant costs shall be borne by the financial authorities at the same level.

　　Article 40 Relevant municipal and district competent authorities shall, according to the requirements of the office of the leading group at the same level, upload indexes for sponge city construction, plan, construction drawings and joint inspection for acceptance to the information system for the administration of sponge city construction and share such information via the big data center of Shenzhen Municipality.

　　Article 41 Offices of municipal and district leading groups shall publicize sponge city construction and relevant knowledge about sponge city in a coordinated manner so as to enhance public cognition and participation in building sponge city.

　　Offices of municipal and district leading groups, relevant competent authorities and industry associations shall offer training for sponge city construction to improve sponge city construction and administration in Shenzhen Municipality.

　　Article 42 The office of the municipal leading group shall annually evaluate sponge city construction administered by district people’s governments and relevant municipal authorities. Evaluation results shall be incorporated into the municipal government performance evaluation system and the ecological protection evaluation system. The office of the district leading group shall annually evaluate sponge city construction administered by relevant authorities in the district. Evaluation results shall be incorporated into the district government performance evaluation system and the ecological protection evaluation system.

　　Offices of municipal and district leading groups shall evaluate sponge city construction effects according to national evaluation standards and relevant requirements for sponge city construction.

　　Offices of municipal and district leading groups shall supervise and guide development, design and development parties for sponge city construction through inspections and spot checks, give timely feedback to the members of the leading group and regularly report to the people’s government at the same level.

　　Article 43 The authorities of planning and natural resources, urban renewal and land consolidation, housing and construction, transport and water affairs shall supervise and administer the implementation, design, construction and inspection for acceptance of sponge facilities of the construction project through administrative licensing, project quality supervision and technical review, urge relevant parties of the construction project to make corrections and report regularly to the government at the same level.

　　The authorities of housing and construction, transport, water affairs and urban management shall supervise and administer the operation, maintenance and protection of sponge facilities of the construction project under their jurisdictions.

　　Article 44 Where the development, design, construction, supervision or operation and maintenance party violates these Regulations, relevant competent authorities may publicize its illegal acts as a bad record according to the law.

　　Article 45 Any party or individual shall have the right to supervise sponge city construction. Violations of these Regulations can be reported to offices of municipal and district leading groups, relevant competent authorities or discipline inspection and supervision organs.

　　Chapter VI Legal Liabilities

　　Article 46 Offices of municipal and district leading groups shall timely report to the government at the corresponding level once they find that any authority or its worker does not perform or incorrectly performs its or his duties in the planning, construction and administration of sponge city. If the authority or its worker is suspected of violating the law, it or he shall be transferred to relevant authorities according to the law. If a crime is conducted, criminal responsibilities shall be composed according to the law.

　　Article 47 If the development party violates these Regulations and conducts any of the following acts, it shall be ordered by the competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs, which are responsible for the quality and safety supervision of the construction project according to the law, to make corrections within a time limit and fined no less than 200,000 yuan but no more than 500,000 yuan:

　　1. Instructing the design or construction party to violate mandatory construction standards or lower the quality of sponge city expressly or implicitly;

　　2. Instructing the construction party to use substandard building materials, components or equipment expressly or implicitly;

　　3. Failing to carry out the inspection for acceptance according to technical standards and relevant national regulations for sponge city construction.

　　Where a newly built, rebuilt or expanded construction project fails to carry out sponge design or construction simultaneously according to relevant requirements, the competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs, which are responsible for the quality and safety supervision of the construction project, shall order corrections within a time limit and impose a fine of no less than 200,000 yuan but no more than 300,000 yuan on the development party.

　　Article 48 If the design party violates Articles 15 and 25 of these Regulations and fails to carry out sponge city design according to national, provincial or municipal technical specifications and standards for sponge city or lowers control indexes for sponge city construction and construction standards of sponge facilities after changing the design, the competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs, which are responsible for the quality and safety supervision of the construction project according to the law, shall order corrections within a time limit and impose a fine of no less than 100,000 yuan but no more than 300,000 yuan if corrections are not made within the time limit. If the circumstances are serious, the authority issuing the qualification certificate shall order it to suspend business for corrections, lower its qualification or revoke its qualification certificate according to the law.

　　Article 49 If the construction party violates Article 26 of these Regulations, does not strictly follow the design drawings and relevant construction regulations and standards, arbitrarily changes sponge facilities, or uses substandard materials, products or equipment that do not meet the requirements, the competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs, which are responsible for the quality and safety supervision of the construction project according to the law, shall order corrections within a time limit and impose a fine of no less than 2% but no more than 4% of the price of the project contract. If the circumstances are serious, the authority issuing the qualification certificate shall order it to suspend business for corrections, lower its qualification or revoke its qualification certificate according to the law.

　　Article 50 If the supervision party violates Article 27 of these Regulations, fails to perform its supervision duty and causes a project quality accident, in addition to the liability for compensation according to the law, the competent authorities of housing and construction, transport and water affairs, which are responsible for the quality and safety supervision of the construction project according to the law, shall punish it according to the Regulations of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone on Supervising Construction Projects.

　　Article 51 If the operation and maintenance party violates Article 32 of these Regulations and fails to establish a sound sponge facility maintenance and administration system and operating procedure or fails to carry out facility operation and maintenance according to relevant requirements, the authorities of housing and construction, transport, water affairs and urban management, which are responsible for operation and maintenance supervision, shall order corrections within a time limit and impose a fine of no less than 10,000 yuan but no more than 30,000 yuan if corrections are not made within the time limit.

　　Where sponge facilities are damaged or unable to function properly due to improper operation or maintenance by the operation and maintenance party, the authorities of housing and construction, transport, water affairs and urban management, which are responsible for project supervision, shall order it to restore the sponge facilities within a time limit and impose a fine of no less than 30,000 yuan but no more than 50,000 yuan. If any loss is caused, it shall be liable for compensation according to the law.

　　Article 52 If any party or individual violates Article 36 of these Regulations by illegally occupying or damaging sponge facilities, the authorities of housing and construction, transport, water affairs and urban management, which are responsible for the supervision of the sponge facilities, shall order it to restore them within a time limit and impose a fine of no less than 30,000 yuan but no more than 50,000 yuan. If any loss is caused, it shall be liable for compensation according to the law. If a crime is constituted, criminal responsibilities shall be investigated according to the law.

　　Article 53 Where a fine is imposed on a party according to relevant regulations, the person directly in charge of the party and other persons directly responsible shall be fined no less than 5% but no more than 10% of the fine imposed on the party.

　　Article 54 Those who violate the provisions of these Regulations while these Regulations do not specify the corresponding punishment shall be dealt with according to relevant laws, regulations and rules.

　　Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

　　Article 55 Sponge city construction and administration in Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone shall be conducted according to these Regulations.

　　Article 56 Control indexes for sponge city construction as mentioned in these Regulations include:

　　1. The volume capture ratio of annual rainfall (VCRAR), which refers to the ratio of the captured annual rainfall to the total annual rainfall by capturing the rainfall of the underlying surface of urban buildings through natural and artificial enhanced infiltration, detention, retention and purification.

　　2. The local absorption ratio of rainfall, which refers to the ratio of the urban built-up areas reaching the control requirements for sponge city to the total built-up areas by reducing hardened areas and increasing spaces for infiltration, detention and retention.

　　3. The ratio of permeable surface areas of a building project, which refers to the ratio of permeable surface areas to total surface areas after deducting building base areas. The roof of the basement of a building or the roof of the first floor of a metro depot covered with soil whose thickness is greater than one meter with green or permeable pavements shall be counted as permeable surface;

　　4. The ecological shoreline ratio of urban water bodies, which refers to the ratio of the length of ecological shorelines to the length of the shorelines of both banks. Ecological shorelines and the shorelines of both banks do not include productive shorelines such as wharves and necessary flood control shorelines.

　　Article 57 Sponge facilities can be divided into detention and retention, infiltration, storage and utilization, regulation, transport and purification sponge facilities according to their main functions.

　　Except for water projects, sponge facilities as mentioned in these Regulations include but are not limited to:

　　1. Detention, retention, storage and infiltration facilities such as permeable pavements, green roofs, sunken green spaces, biological retention facilities (rain gardens and biological retention ponds), infiltration ponds and seepage wells;

　　2. Collection, retention and utilization facilities such as wet ponds, cisterns and rainwater tanks;

　　3. Regulating facilities such as regulating ponds and regulating tanks;

　　4. Transport facilities such as grass-planting ditches, seepage pipes and infiltration galleries;

　　5. Purification facilities such as vegetation buffer zones, initial rainfall removal facilities, artificial soil percolation and rainfall wetlands.

　　Green infrastructure as mentioned in these Regulations refers to the infrastructure that uses natural or artificial simulated natural ecosystems to control urban rainfall runoff, while gray infrastructure refers to unnatural engineered infrastructure.

　　Article 58 These Regulations shall enter into force as of September 1, 2022.