A questionnaire investigation was carried out on the residential heating area of northwest rural, village scales and building density. The main limiting factors of the development and the adaptabilities of concentrated solar heating in rural were analyzed. The results showed that the following factors requirements should be satisfied before concentrated solar heating was applied. Firstly, the average area required for collector installation per household was was30~40 m 2 in Xi’an, 40~50 m 2 in Lanzhou, Yinchuan, 45~60 m 2 in Urumqi, and 20~30 m 2 in Xining and Golmud, respectively. Secondly, the minimum building volume rate required was 0.38~0.41 in Xi’an, Xining and Golmud rural village, 0.27~0.31 in Lanzhou, Yinchuan, and Urumqi, respectively. However, the questionnaire investigation of current situation in northwest rural showed that more than 80% of the villages in Xi’an and Lanzhou failed to provide enough space for concentrated heating. Less than 30% of the village had building volume rate that met the requirement. of conditions.