Eco-City Act to raise certification criteria
On 4th November, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(MLIT), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry(METI) and Ministry of Environment(MOE) held a joint meeting to begin study on raising the certification criteria for low carbon buildings based on the act concerning the promotion of low carbon cities (Eco-City Act). The study indicated the energy efficiency performance required for certification of low carbon buildings to be consistent with the standards of ZEH/ZEB(Net Zero Energy House/Buildings).It will promote the effort on ZEH/ZEB and develop the standards of energy efficiency performance for buildings and houses.The new certification criteria is scheduled to be announced around March next year.
The certification of low-carbon houses under the Eco Town Law requires two aspects: “thermal performance of the building envelope” and “primary energy consumption. Raising these standard requirements will accelerate ZEH and ZEB initiatives.