1. Reason for revision

After the declaration of the 2050 Carbon Neutrality, the Land Infrastructure and Transport Carbon Neutrality Roadmap (December 2020) and the 1st National Basic Plan for Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth (April 2023) were established together with a zero-energy building roadmap for apartment complexes.

Zero energy level 5 certification has been mandatory for public apartment complexes since 2023; for private apartment complexes, zero energy level 5 buildings are scheduled to be applied from 2025 in accordance with the 2024 Economic Policy Direction.

Therefore, the aim is to establish and apply eco-friendly level 5 housing construction standards that are acceptable to the private industry and actually applicable to apartment complexes.

2. Main contents

A. Strengthening primary energy consumption per unit area (Article 7.1.1 of the Draft)

- The primary energy consumption value per unit area as the basis for performance evaluation (performance standards) is strengthened compared to the current design standard (120kwh/㎡), but 100kwh/㎡—which is less strict than Grade 5 (90kwh/㎡)—is applied in consideration of the burden on private sectors.

B. Strengthening design standards for each item such as wall and window insulation performance (Article 7.1.2 and Tables 3·7 of the Draft)

- Standards on the airtightness of windows and lighting density, etc., which are design conditions (specification standards) to be satisfied by eco-friendly houses, are strengthened to the minimum in consideration of the burden on private sectors; new and renewable energy facility installation points, etc. are also raised to take into account the degree of energy independence. Heat exchange ventilation devices that are now commonly used are newly adopted as well.

C. Other matters requiring improvement, such as legal deficiencies (Article 7.2, etc. of the Draft)

- As Energy-saving design Standards on buildings—the basis for the installation of automatic standby power-blocking devices—were revised (mandatory → recommended), the automatic standby power-blocking devices of eco-friendly housing construction standards are also deleted from the mandatory requirements (Article 7.2.3 (d) and Appendix 1·2 of the Draft).

- The aim is to reduce the burden on businessmen by simplifying the preparation of an energy-saving performance plan if zero energy building certification—which is advanced building energy certification superior to current standards—is required, and a zero energy building certificate may be submitted instead of additional cost document for construction costs (Article 15.3, Table 8, and Appendix 1 of the Draft).

- The aim is to prepare a standardized form for the performance level of eco-friendly housing to be included in the resident recruitment notice so that prospective residents may sufficiently check and compare the performance of eco-friendly housing (Article 24 and Form 4 of the Draft).