South Korea to support 'Green Remodeling' for 318 aging public buildings

South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is launching a "Green Remodeling 2.0" initiative to upgrade 318 aging public buildings. The program focuses on enhancing energy performance and reducing carbon emissions in these facilities through comprehensive renovations.

The selected buildings will undergo improvements such as reinforcing insulation, installing high-performance windows, replacing outdated heating and cooling systems with more efficient models, and integrating renewable energy sources. This effort is part of a broader national strategy to combat climate change and promote sustainable infrastructure.

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We expect that the familiar spaces like neighborhood libraries and exhibition halls, newly renovated through public green remodeling, will serve as a catalyst for popularizing green remodeling throughout our society.

Out of 535 public buildings that applied for the program, 318 were chosen based on their project feasibility and potential for energy savings. The majority of selected buildings, 85.8%, are located outside the Seoul metropolitan area. Community centers, known as 'gyodangs,' represent the largest category of selected facilities, accounting for 68.2% of the total, followed by social welfare facilities.

This year's program expands its scope to include medium-to-large scale buildings crucial to daily life, increasing the number of eligible building types from 10 to 28. Additionally, the initiative will provide support for climate adaptation technologies, such as rooftop greening and shading structures to combat heatwaves, and water management systems to address heavy rainfall. Customized support and cluster-based projects for multiple aging buildings are also planned to maximize the remodeling effects.

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We anticipate that this project, led proactively by the public sector, will serve as an opportunity for green remodeling to spread to the private sector and invigorate the local green building industry.