Presents a new system of air source energy independence driven by internal-combustion engine (EIICE), which used natural gas or other fuels as an independent input energy, and could provide the heating, cooling and hot water for the buildings efficiently. It also could provide electricity for electric equipments of the system. The performance of air source EIICE system was investigated theoretically and experimentally. The experimental and simulation results indicated that the heat capacity of plate heat exchanger (P-HE), heat recovered from exhaust gas heat exchanger (EG-HE), input power of compressor, output power of engine and fuel consumption increased with the increase of the rotary speed, water flow rate of the P-HE and evaporation temperature. Heat recovered from the cylinder jacket heat exchanger (CJ-HE) increased with the increase of the rotary speed and evaporation temperature, but decreased with the increase of the water flow rate of P-HE. The coefficient of performance (COP,) and primary energy ratio (PER,) of air source EIICE system also increased with the increase of the water flow rate of P-HE and evaporation temperature, but decreased with the increase of the rotary speed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.