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Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

Current Codes

Commercial, Public Buildings
Taiwan Non-Residential Energy Efficiency Standard
Country Specific Mandatory
Sunday, January 1, 1995
Residential
Taiwan Residential Energy Efficiency Standard
Country Specific Mandatory
Wednesday, January 1, 1997
Expand All

Additional Code Information

Code Adoption & Change Process
History: 

.

Compliance Verification: 

.

Economic Indicators
Government Type: 

multiparty democracy

Climate Zone: 

tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Population: 

22,974,347 (July 2009 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 

4.1% (2008 est.)

Construction Activity: 

Total Private Households: 5,509,974
By Rooms:
          o One Room: 52,530 (0.95%)
          o Two Rooms:  347,595 (6.31%)
          o Three Rooms: 593,338 (10.77%)
          o Four Rooms: 1,877,514 (34.07%)
          o Five Rooms: 1,515,069 (27.5%)
          o Six Rooms:  669,877 (12.16%)
          o Seven Rooms:  253,513 (4.6%)
          o Eight Rooms: 112,277 (2.04%)
          o Nine Rooms: 38,446 (0.7%)
          o Ten+ Rooms: 49,815 (0.9%)

Source: 2000 Census

GDP Per Capita: 

$31,100 (2008 est.)

Projected GDP Growth: 

0.1% (2008 est.)

Industrial Production Growth: 

-1.2% (2008 est.)

Primary Exports: 

electronics, flat panels, machinery, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts

Primary Imports: 

electronics, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals

Local Resources: 

small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Energy Data
Primary Energy Source: 

Coal: 53% (2006)

Energy Consumption: 

4.57 Quadrillion BTU (2006)

Energy Snapshot: 

Oil is by far the dominant fuel in Taiwan's energy mix, accounting for 46 percent of total primary energy consumption in 2003. Coal also plays an important role (36 percent of total energy consumption), followed by nuclear power (9 percent), natural gas (7 percent), and hydroelectric power (less than 2 percent). Taiwan has very limited domestic energy resources and relies on imports for most of its energy requirements. The country's industrial sector accounts for about 42 percent of total energy demand, but this share is expected to decline slightly, since Taiwan's economy is moving toward newer, less energy-intensive industries. The transportation sector accounts for one-third of total energy demand.

Source: EIA

Climate Concerns
CO2 Emissions: 

300.38 MMT CO2 (2006)

Other Facts: 

Taiwan is grappling with the environmental ramifications of building one of Asia's richest economies through a decades-long commitment to economic growth. Environmental issues include the pollution of air and water in urban areas, stores of nuclear and toxic wastes, loss of fisheries and coastal ecosystems, and an overall degradation of the country's natural landscape.

Per capita energy use in Taiwan is on par with several of its neighboring countries in Asia. However, energy intensity levels in Taiwan compared to other developed countries tend to be relatively high. This is due primarily to the country's heavy concentration of energy-intensive manufacturing industries. Taiwan's per capita carbon dioxide emissions have been increasing, and in 2003 represented more than four and a half times the amount of per capita carbon dioxide emissions in China (12.4 compared to 2.7 metric tons). Taipei has the most obvious air pollution, primary caused by the motorbikes and scooters used by millions of the city's residents.

Although Taiwan did not sign the Kyoto protocol, the government is working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In June 2005, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 170-million metric tons per year as of 2025. The MOEA plans to impose restrictions on emissions from Taiwan's top 200 energy consumption enterprises, including the Formosa Plastics Group and the China Petroleum Corporation. In 2005, the enterprises must establish voluntary reduction volumes. In the medium term (2008-2015) and long term (2016-2025), the enterprises' factories must decrease the density of their carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

Source: EIA

Green Building Initiatives

Local Revision and Green Codes:
Ecology, Energy-Saving, Waste Reduction, and Health Certification Program, 1999

National Environmental Milestones and Strategies:
Energy Efficiency Strategy, 2009
Sustainable Energy Policy, 2008

Strengthening National Policies:
2009 Energy Efficiency Strategy
Taiwan's Energy Saving Measures for the Built Environment sets goals for 2015 for energy efficiency and cutting GHG emissions.  It provides building strategies, case studies, and promotes overall building efficiency.

Green Building Rating System:
EEWH
The EEWH is a voluntary building rating system that uses four categories: Ecology, Energy-Saving, Waste Reduction, and Health.  It helps serve as a promotional label for sustainable construction.

Based on the current status of building energy codes and policies, as well as potential for energy efficiency, BCAP recommends the following actions.  Also noted are states or countries that successfully employ the suggested action, and may be used as a model.  These suggestions are meant only to show opportunities for energy efficiency.  Please contact BCAP for more information or assistance.

Establish a Complete Residential and Commercial Code
Taiwan currently has mandatory residential and commercial building energy codes, but they were last passed in 1997 and 1995, respectively, and only cover building envelope elements.  Part of Taiwan's energy strategy is to update it's codes, and it may be a good idea to incorporate many of the strategies covered in the 2009 Energy Efficiency Strategy.

Model Country:
Japan
Japan's CCRUEB and CCRUEH can serve as good examples for Taiwan to model energy code's after.  Although they are somewhat old, they incorporate a great deal of mandatory building standards on all facets of design and construction.  Japan has one of the most efficient economies in the world, and Taiwan could have similar results after it updates its codes.

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