Extending the Lifespan of Old Buildings Helps Reduce Emissions, But Operational Carbon Is the Real Key

Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior has recently launched the “Old Building Lifespan Extension” program, allocating NT$5 billion over three years to support the renovation of residential buildings over 30 years old. The program includes façade improvements, seismic reinforcement, and pipeline upgrades, aiming to enhance living conditions while reducing the carbon emissions and construction waste caused by demolition and rebuilding. It is estimated that the initiative could cut building-related carbon emissions by 60-70%, aligning with Taiwan’s net-zero goals. Professor Hsien-Te Lin, Emeritus Chair Professor of the Department of Architecture at National Cheng Kung University, emphasized that building emissions consist of “embodied carbon” from the construction phase and “operational carbon” from the usage phase, with the latter accounting for around 70%—the major contributor. While avoiding demolition helps reduce embodied carbon, the actual emission reduction depends on whether the building is ultimately demolished, making the benefits hard to quantify immediately.

Professor Lin further noted that if renovation projects do not adopt low-carbon materials and energy-efficient equipment, they may inadvertently increase embodied emissions. Many older homes still use energy-intensive appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, stoves, and water heaters. Upgrading to high-efficiency equipment and variable-frequency elevators could significantly reduce operational carbon. He advised that government subsidies should prioritize low-carbon materials and energy-saving retrofits, and the emission assessment guidelines for renovation projects should be developed. Promoting low-carbon cement, prefabricated construction methods, and energy-efficient coatings as alternatives to tiles would help maximize the emission reduction potential of building extensions and advance Taiwan’s transition to sustainable architecture.

Reference: https://e-info.org.tw/node/241442