The first Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction and Health building evaluation system certificate was issued July 28 to a firm operating outside Taiwan in recognition of its efforts to improve energy management practices and slash carbon emissions, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Presented by Interior Minister Yeh Jiunn-rong in Bangkok, the diamond-level certification overseen by the MOI acknowledges the commitment of Tainan City-headquartered Everest Textile Co. Ltd. to meeting its obligations as a green friendly corporate citizen at its manufacturing facility in the Southeast Asian country.
This certification is a milestone in Republic of China (Taiwan) government policymaking aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and enhancing the global visibility of the nation’s EEWH certification system, Yeh said.
According to the minister, numerous Taiwan firms operate in Southeast Asia and contribute to the development of countries in the region through job creation and other measures. The ministry will work with these companies to ensure the design of their facilities is compatible with climatic conditions, serve as models for other businesses and satisfy EEWH standards.
Initiated in 1999 by the MOI Architecture and Building Research Institute, EEWH is the fourth evaluation system of its kind in the world and one of the few focusing primarily on buildings in tropical and subtropical regions.
EEWH certification assesses how green a building is using the following indicators: biodiversity, carbon emissions and construction waste reduction, daily energy conservation, greenery, indoor environment, water conservation, water content of the site, and sewage and waste disposal facility improvement. It is issued at the levels of certified, bronze, silver, gold and diamond.
As of end of June, 2,155 buildings and projects were issued EEWH certification, including landmark Taipei 101 and award-winning Taipei Municipal Library Beitou Branch. A total of 4,319 projects are pending evaluation.
MOI estimates reveal that EEWH certified and applicant buildings can save 1.61 billion kilowatts per hour of electricity annually, cut water usage by 75.71 million tons and reduce carbon emissions by 900,000 tons. (SFC-E)
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