Aging Government Buildings Enhance Energy Efficiency Through Green Remodeling

Expected Annual Energy Savings of 1.8 Billion Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Green Remodeling project, as part of the Green New Deal policy, will be implemented for aging government buildings such as the Government Seoul Office and Government Gwacheon Office, which were completed in 1970 and 1982 respectively.

On the 16th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Government Building Management Headquarters announced that it will promote a high-efficiency and eco-friendly facility construction project to create “energy-saving green government buildings” until 2025.

This Green Remodeling focuses on improving the energy efficiency and performance of government buildings, with a project budget of 17.5 billion KRW for this year. Starting from this first year of the project, thorough preparation of design services will be conducted, and by 2025, when the Green New Deal policy project is completed, it is expected to save 1.8 billion KRW in public facility energy and create approximately 1,037 indirect jobs.

First, energy-efficient remodeling will be promoted targeting aging government buildings with decreased energy use efficiency to improve their energy efficiency to grade 1. The Seoul Office (completed in 1970) and Gwacheon Office (completed in 1982), which are buildings over 30 years old, currently have low heating and cooling thermal efficiency. Through Green Remodeling, wall insulation will be reinforced and windows will be replaced with high-efficiency, high-air-tightness windows, raising the Seoul Office’s energy efficiency rating from grade 4 to grade 1, and the Gwacheon Office’s from grade 2 to grade 1.

Not only Seoul and Gwacheon Offices but also all government buildings will see improved energy efficiency by introducing energy storage systems (ESS) that distribute daytime power demand with surplus nighttime power, and lighting will be replaced with LED lights. Additionally, aging air conditioning units will be converted to eco-friendly air conditioning systems (at Gwacheon and Daejeon Offices), and electric vehicle charging stations will also be expanded.

Jo So-yeon, head of the Government Building Management Headquarters, said, “Saving energy and improving efficiency is a task for the future, so government buildings must also make efforts.” She added, “We will continuously strive for rational energy management and the creation of eco-friendly green government buildings to ensure that energy-saving policies achieve visible results.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.