Zhang Yiheng shows the temperature in her cleanly-heated apartment.[Photo/Xinhua]

The government of Xiqing district in Tianjin has implemented clean heating improvements for winter. Clean heating has been installed in nine towns and 137 buildings, affecting 38,695 families. More than 15,000 families are enjoying electric heating, 10,624 have transitioned from coal to gas, and another 9,928 are using other clean methods to keep warm.

The government of Xiqing district put 1.56 billion yuan ($240 million) into heating reform in 2017.

Zhang Yiheng, a 74-year resident in the Xinkou town of Xiqing district, said that 2017 is the first year she has had a heating facility. Before, she had to burn coal.

"The temperature now is 24 degrees centigrade. It's so comfortable. In the past, my home was full of coal ash, but we are using clean energy now; it's so clean and warm,"she said.

Xiqing district has eliminated burning of 96,000 tons of coal, reduced 1536 tons of sulfur dioxide and 282 tons of nitric oxide emissions, and prevented 2,188 tons of dust from settling in people's residences.