In　Chinese　telecommunication　base　stations,　the　air　conditioning　energy　consumption　is　almost　47%　of　the　total　energy　consumption.　However,　air-to-air　thermosyphon　heat　exchangers　can　be　used　in　winter,　early　spring　and　late　autumn　to　cool　the　buildings　using　the　outdoor　ambient　air　to　significantly　decrease　the　power　consumption.　An　energy　consumption　model　was　built　based　on　the　indoor　environmental　building　requirements　and　a　combined　air　conditioner　and　thermosyphon　heat　exchanger　system.　The　building　heat　load　and　energy　consumption　were　calculated　for　typical　cities　in　China　assuming　50　mm　thick　sandwich　panels　as　the　envelope　material.　The　cooling/heating　load,　annual　electricity　savings,　annual　energy　savings　and　static　payback　periods　for　combined　system　were　compared　with　those　for　just　an　air　conditioner.　A　national　distribution　map　was　then　developed　to　show　the　annual　energy　savings　in　China　for　different　climate　zones.　The　thermosyphon　heat　exchanger　provides　remarkable　energy　savings.　About　87%　of　all　cities　in　China　lie　in　cold　and　moderate　zones　suitable　for　applications.　The　annual　energy　savings　is　over　30%.　The　static　payback　period　decreases　with　increasing　annual　energy　savings　with　average　static　payback　periods　for　most　cities　in　China　of　about　4.3　years.　(C)　2013　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.