BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Monday released new national standards for residential projects, aiming to meet the people's demand for improved living quality.

The new standards, targeting residential projects as a whole, emphasize safety, comfort, green practices and smart design while specifying requirements for construction, use and maintenance in terms of scale, layout, functionality, performance and key technical measures.

The new standards, effective May 1, cover seven aspects that include general principles, basic regulations, living environment, building space, structure, indoor environment, and building equipment.

Key provisions include a minimum ceiling height of three meters for new residential buildings, mandatory elevators for structures with four or more floors, and enhanced sound insulation standards for walls and floors.

According to China's existing home design standards, which have been in effect since 2012, the ceiling height requirement is 2.8 meters.

An official from the ministry said that rapid economic and social development, coupled with improvements in living standards and construction technology, have raised expectations for housing quality.

The new standards, formulated through extensive consultation and research, will further support the high-quality development of urban housing, the official added.