Bill Passed on Tougher Energy Standards for Houses

The Cabinet in a meeting yesterday passed a revised bill on standards for energy conservation and eco-friendly housing standards, and the bill will be immediately implemented after presidential approval.

The Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Ministry said the bill will require construction companies to reduce energy consumption more than 15 percent for a house covering more than 60 square meters and more than 10 percent for one under 60 square meters to get an apartment construction permit.

If a single unit in an apartment complex fails to meet such standards, construction will not be permitted.

The government will determine whether a house is eco-friendly through 14 criteria, including materials used for outer walls, windows, floors and heating systems, and the use of renewable energy. Eco-friendly houses must also use airtight living room widows, lights with high energy efficiency, automatic electricity cutoff devices, one-stop turn-off devices, and automatic thermo-regulators for individual rooms.

Construction companies will also be encouraged to use eco-friendly construction materials, a system that checks energy consumption, LED lights, and plant trees on rooftops and alongside walls.

The ministry will consider a house larger than 60 square meters a green home and exempt it from additional tests for windows, walls and heating system if it receives an energy efficiency grade of one by the Korea Energy Management Corp.

Those smaller than 60 square meters will be recognized as green houses and exempt from tests for front doors and heating systems if they are rated grade two or higher.

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