While visiting a new government office building that employs green architecture, Premier Jiang Yi-huah today called on the whole citizenry to live an environmentally friendly and green lifestyle by conserving energy, water, paper and other resources as well as reducing carbon emissions.
"Energy conservation and carbon reduction should not just be a slogan but must become a part of our lifestyle," the premier stated. "Taiwan has limited natural resources, and we must be efficient in using our energy." This means the demand for conservation and carbon reduction must be met in various aspects of everyday life, including food, clothing, housing and transportation, he explained.
The premier made these remarks during his visit to the newly constructed energy-efficient building of the Directorate General of Highways (DGH) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC).
Premier Jiang further pointed out that nuclear power makes up an important share of the nation's energy, and because construction of the Longmen Nuclear Power Plant (generally referred to as the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant) has been mothballed, the public must be prepared to change its everyday electricity use, conserving more while reducing carbon emissions. Meanwhile, the government must also adjust its energy policy, especially with respect to the construction of green buildings, transportation, and residential and commercial complexes as well as the use of electricity by public authorities, he pointed out.
Besides being briefed on the green architecture of the DGH's new office, the premier toured the building's third floor and roof to observe its environmentally friendly uses of ventilation, water retention and outer-wall energy-conservation strategies. He also learned about the structure's rooftop rainwater collection, solar panels and wind-power generation.
The premier affirmed the DGH's adoption of green architecture and compliance with the nation's overall policy direction for energy saving and carbon reduction from planning, design and construction to operations. He expressed hope that the edifice will serve as the model for new public-sector structures so that in the future every building will meet the demand for low carbon and green energy.
The DGH's new office building is a steel-frame structure with 12 stories above ground and two below. Based on the concept of green architecture, the edifice boasts:
- Double-layer external walls that enhance thermal insulation.
- Solar panels and wind-power facilities that produce renewable energy.
- Environmentally friendly external walls, rooftops and balconies that increase the ratio of green cover.
- Abundant greenery, which the agency says helps raise the quality of the peripheral environment and fosters an urban forest to create new imagery for the Wanhua community.
In order to integrate the structure with its surrounding environment, the DGH has retained the big trees originally planted in the base of the building site and utilized stone materials from the old city walls to craft a historical image while combining public arts with natural resources. The edifice's high ratio of greenery can also help relieve the urban heat island effect. The plants grown there can absorb a total of 118.89 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, and the area's diverse flora allow it to serve as a wildlife relay station where birds, butterflies and insects can rest and breed.