Energy-saving design standards for buildings

Source: International Energy Agency
Last updated: 26 May 2026

In 2008, Republic of Korea established a set of standards for energy-saving design such as the prevention of heat loss, standards for the preparation of energy conservation plans and design reviews, and matters related to the promotion of the construction of green buildings.
Since 2025, these standards have been strengthened through the expansion of mandatory Zero Energy Building (ZEB) requirements to private sector buildings, including residential complexes (≥30 units) and buildings typically above 1,000 m². This extends earlier requirements that applied primarily to public buildings and effectively raises minimum energy performance expectations for new construction. Compliance increasingly requires integration of high-efficiency systems and renewable energy contributions, in the aims toward near-zero energy standards for new buildings by 2030.

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