To reduce the impacts of climate change and global warming, over 150 countries around the world have pledged or made plans to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. On February 15, 2023, Taiwan's Climate Change Response Act was promulgated and came into effect, incorporating the target of net-zero emissions by 2050. For Taiwan's construction sector in particular, the government has developed an outline for pathways and measures to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which can be divided into three stages: ensuring all newly built, publicly owned buildings are nearly zero carbon buildings or level 1 on Taiwan's Building Energy-Efficiency Rating System (BERS) by 2030; upgrading 50% of existing buildings to reach nearly zero carbon status or energy efficiency level 1 by 2040; and ensuring 100% of newly built buildings and over 85% of existing buildings achieve nearly zero carbon status by 2050.
Four key measures
■ For new public buildings: The government has mandated that all newly constructed publicly owned buildings meet energy efficiency level 1 or nearly zero carbon status (level 1+). While specific deadlines vary by building type, current progress indicates that all new public buildings can meet this requirement by 2026. In addition, all social housing is required to meet green building standards; the National Housing and Urban Regeneration Center since 2023 has fully adopted planning and design for an energy efficiency level of 1 or better. New social housing under local governments will also be built at energy efficiency level 1 or better beginning July 1, 2025.
■ For existing public buildings: Infrastructure funding approved in 2024 has enabled central and local governments to carry out building energy efficiency improvements and set up renewable energy and energy storage systems, which are projected to annually save 23 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) and reduce emissions by 9,660 metric tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent). Moving forward, a 2025-2026 program to advance the net-zero transformation of buildings will expand the scope of funding and bolster promotion efforts.
■ For new private buildings: The government will communicate and coordinate with all stakeholders as it formulates a building energy efficiency assessment system for the regulation of new building construction in the private sector, which will be codified in a draft bill in 2025.
■ For existing private buildings: The government is offering incentives and subsidy rewards to encourage energy efficiency, and is continuing its program to subsidize the replacement of old home appliances with new ones that meet the highest energy efficiency standards. Energy-saving advisory teams have also been established to help local communities identify ways to reduce their energy consumption, and support the transformation and upgrading of the energy-efficient building industry.