For the first time in Lhasa's history, capital city of Tibet and one of the highest cities in the world, nearly all of its urban residents have access to gas heating this winter, local authorities said on Monday.

More than 100,000 homes, or 98 percent of the total in Lhasa, are now heated by natural gas stoves, thanks to the completion of a citywide gas pipe network.

"It is the first time in my life seeing the heating radiators," said 71-year-old Gyaltsen, sitting jacket-less on his sofa at home.

Growing up, Gyaltsen, like many living in the pastures of eastern Lhasa, would burn cow dung to keep warm and cook food.

But a heating project launched in 2012 has helped many Lhasa residents avoid the unbearably cold evenings that characterize high-altitude living.

Lhasa, at an altitude of more than 3,600 meters, has the annual mean temperature of about 8 degrees Celsius, with lowest temperature tumbling to as low as minus 16 degrees Celsius during frosty winter nights.

The heating project of Lhasa is unprecedented in China, said Zhang Yanqing, mayor of the city.

The heating project has made a historical transition from traditional heating methods to modern clean-energy heating, said Ma Hongjing, senior engineer with the North China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute.

In addition to providing much needed comfort, the project has helped cut carbon emissions and preserve the city's ecology. While burning cow dung or wood to provide heat resulted in damage to local forests and pastures, the new heating supply can reduce such damages and cut emissions, said citizen Tsomo.

Lhasa saw significant reduction in emissions in 2014. Official statistics showed that the total emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide have been reduced by around 180,000 tonnes, 1,652 tonnes and 510 tonnes, respectively.

Primary and middle schools in Lhasa are also heated by natural gas. "We dressed like penguins before, and our hands were always cold. Now we can study in warm classroom," said Ngodrup, a student.

Editor: Julia Qin