Gyeonggi-do Promotes Expansion of Universal Design and Zero-Energy Buildings

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Gyeonggi Province will actively expand the application of 'Universal Design' and 'Zero Energy Buildings' to new constructions.

To this end, Gyeonggi Province announced on the 19th that from October, the '2nd Gyeonggi Province Universal Design Basic Plan' will be applied to buildings subject to prior approval for building permits, and from January next year, the standard for Zero Energy Buildings of grade 5 or higher will be applied.

According to current law, buildings in cities with a population under 1 million that are 30 stories or higher or have a total floor area of 100,000㎡ or more, and buildings in metropolitan cities with a population over 1 million that are 51 stories or higher or have 200,000㎡ or more, must obtain prior approval for building permits from the provincial governor. Gyeonggi Province explained that related standards will be actively encouraged at this stage to expand 'Universal Design' and 'Zero Energy Buildings.'

Universal Design refers to tools or facility designs that can be comfortably used by everyone regardless of disability, age, nationality, etc., such as ramps visible at building entrances.

In the 2nd Universal Design Basic Plan announced last May, Gyeonggi Province specified five key focus areas: ▲creating resting spaces in publicly accessible areas ▲installing smart mobility parking lots ▲improving underground access for delivery and freight vehicles ▲improving working conditions for vulnerable workers such as cleaners ▲installing electric vehicle charging facilities. Gyeonggi Province plans to actively encourage these in private buildings subject to prior approval for building permits starting this October.

Zero Energy Buildings minimize external energy loss through insulation and other means and independently manage all energy consumption such as heating, cooling, and electricity supply by utilizing renewable energy. The grade 5 or higher recommended by Gyeonggi Province requires meeting all three conditions: an energy self-sufficiency rate of 20% or more, energy efficiency rating of 1++ or higher, and installation of a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) or remote metering electronic meters.

Ko Yong-su, Director of the Architectural Design Division of Gyeonggi Province, said, "If Universal Design and Zero Energy Buildings are actively expanded to the private sector, all residents including transportation-vulnerable groups will be able to use buildings safely and without discrimination, and low-carbon green buildings will increase. We expect this policy to contribute to realizing Governor Kim Dong-yeon's pledge of ‘More Opportunities, Fairer Opportunities, Better Opportunities.’"

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