New Public Buildings to Meet Building Energy-Efficiency Level 1 or Nearly Zero-Carbon Building Standards from 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, all categories of newly constructed public buildings will be required to apply for a Building Energy-Efficiency Rating at the same time as applying for the Green Building Label. Buildings must achieve Building Energy-Efficiency Level 1 or Nearly Zero-Carbon Building status (Level 1+).

1. Building Energy-Efficiency Rating System

To improve energy conservation in Taiwan's buildings and advance the vision of achieving nearly zero-carbon buildings by 2050, the Architecture and Building Research Institute, Ministry of the Interior (ABRI) established the Building Energy-Efficiency Rating and Labelling System, which took effect on 1 January 2022.

Under the initial arrangement, applicants for the Green Building Label could voluntarily apply for a Building Energy-Efficiency Rating at the same time.

ABRI's official system rates building energy efficiency across seven levels, from Level 1, the highest, to Level 7. Buildings rated Level 1 and scoring within the top 50 per cent of the energy-efficiency scale qualify as Nearly Zero-Carbon Buildings and are designated Level 1+.

2. Phased Introduction of Building Energy-Efficiency Ratings for New Public Buildings

To achieve the milestone for the building sector announced by the National Development Council (NDC) on 30 March 2022 — requiring newly constructed public buildings to achieve Building Energy-Efficiency Level 1 or Nearly Zero-Carbon Building status (Level 1+) by 2030 — the government has adopted a public-sector-led approach intended to encourage private-sector buildings to follow.

Priority has been given to buildings with higher levels of energy consumption. To give the industry sufficient time to prepare, Building Energy-Efficiency Ratings have been introduced progressively for newly constructed public buildings through a phased, year-by-year approach.

The applicable building categories and implementation schedule for each phase are as follows:

Phase 1

On 12 December 2022, ABRI issued the Phase 1 implementation notice under ABRI Letter No. 1117638716.

From 1 July 2023, newly constructed public office and service buildings — including G-1 financial and securities institutions and G-2 offices — have been required to apply for a Building Energy-Efficiency Rating when applying for the Green Building Label.

These buildings were initially required to achieve at least Building Energy-Efficiency Level 2. From 2026, they are required to achieve Level 1 or Nearly Zero-Carbon Building status (Level 1+).

Phase 2

On 12 December 2023, ABRI issued the Phase 2 implementation notice under ABRI Letter No. 1127638803, expanding the requirements to cover additional categories of newly constructed public buildings.

From 1 July 2024, the following buildings have been required to apply for a Building Energy-Efficiency Rating when applying for the Green Building Label:

• Public assembly buildings: A-1 assembly and performance venues 

• Commercial buildings: B-1 entertainment venues, B-2 shopping centres and department stores, B-3 food and beverage establishments, and B-4 hotels 

• Recreational and educational buildings: D-1 fitness and recreational facilities and D-2 educational and cultural facilities 

Phase 3

On 17 February 2025, ABRI issued the Phase 3 implementation notice under ABRI Letter No. 1147638139, further expanding the scheme to newly constructed public buildings in the health, welfare, rehabilitation and residential categories.

From 1 July 2025, the requirements have also applied to:

• F-1: medical and care facilities 

• H-1: dormitories and residential care facilities 

• H-2: residential buildings 

These buildings are required to apply for a Building Energy-Efficiency Rating at the same time as applying for the Green Building Label.

3.Phase 4: All Remaining Categories from 1 July 2026

Under Phase 4, the requirements are being extended to all other categories of newly constructed public buildings not covered under Phases 1 to 3.

From 1 July 2026, when applying for the Green Building Label, these buildings must simultaneously apply for a Building Energy-Efficiency Rating and must achieve Building Energy-Efficiency Level 1 or Nearly Zero-Carbon Building status (Level 1+).

This completes the phased expansion of the Building Energy-Efficiency Rating requirements across all categories of newly constructed public buildings.