The　current　scheme　of　building　climate　zones　in　China　generally　assumes　that　building　climate　zones　of　island　cities　are　identical　to　adjacent　land　stations.　Consequently,　building　design　strategies　for　island　buildings　usually　refer　to　those　developed　for　inland　cities.　This　approach　has　to　some　extent　hindered　the　energy-saving　design　and　green　development　of　island　buildings　in　China.This　research　takes　a　first　step　on　this　issue　by　defining　the　building　climate　zones　of　36　marine　islands　over　China　marine　area　using　two-stage　zoning　methodology　adopted　by　current　building　climate　zoning　standard　(GB50178-1993).　The　meteorological　data　used　for　analysis　was　obtained　from　the　National　Climate　Center　of　China　over　the　30-year　period　from　1985　to　2014.　As　comparison,　40　coastal　stations　which　are　adjacent　to　the　investigated　marine　islands　were　also　included　in　this　study.　Subsequently　a　more　objective　technique-cluster　analysis　was　operated　as　an　effective　supplement　to　discover　the　climate　characteristics　among　different　observations.　The　results　of　both　methodologies　consistently　show　that　among　the　36　islands　investigated,　the　majority　of　islands　located　in　northern　and　eastern　marine　area　belong　to　the　same　climate　zones　as　their　adjacent　coastal　cities.　However,　island　cities　in　southern　marine　area　cannot　be　assigned　to　any　current　climate　zone,　which　was　demonstrated　by　its　distinctive　climate　features　different　from　any　other　sites　investigated　through　cluster　analysis　as　well　as　different　energy　use　patterns.　Thus　a　new　zone　was　defined　to　supplement　the　current　building　climate　zoning　scheme　to　cover　marine　area　of　China.　(C)　2021　Higher　Education　Press　Limited　Company.　Publishing　services　by　Elsevier　B.V.　on　behalf　of　KeAi　Communications　Co.　Ltd.