February 29, 2024
Green remodeling is the conversion to green buildings with low carbon emissions by improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings. New buildings are designed to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions from the architectural design stage by the standards of zero-energy and green buildings. The problem is that the proportion of existing buildings is overwhelmingly higher than that of new buildings. Therefore, green remodeling, an energy alternative to old buildings, attracts the attention of environmental, architecture, construction, and energy experts. (To learn more about the difference between green remodeling and green buildings, please refer to the last trend report for December and January.)
Green remodeling has economic and environmental advantages. It reduces cooling and heating costs and greenhouse gases by converting new buildings into eco-friendly buildings through renovation instead of demolishing old buildings. In addition, carbon occurs not only during the use of buildings but also in the process of producing, transporting, constructing, and demolishing construction materials. Therefore, green remodeling has a tremendous environmental advantage because these construction and demolition processes are omitted.
In particular, the deterioration of buildings continues to increase, which causes energy efficiency decreases in older buildings and increases in energy consumption and carbon emissions. According to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, green remodeling is an effective alternative to old buildings in the future, as the proportion of old buildings in Korea (more than ten years to less than 35 years) is more than 60% (based on total floor area). New buildings are showing a certain level of energy efficiency improvement effect through policies such as mandatory zero-energy buildings. However, two-thirds of buildings were built before the implementation of energy efficiency standards. Therefore, green remodeling is crucial for reducing carbon emissions in the building sector.
The green remodeling market is expected to grow tenfold in 2050 compared to the present, according to experts who emphasize the importance and urgency of green remodeling for carbon neutrality. According to the "Growth Potential and Challenges of the Green Architecture Market in the Era of Carbon Neutrality" report by the Korea Construction Industry Research Institute in December, the green remodeling market will grow to 180 trillion won in 2050.
However, it is dangerous to leave green architecture, such as green remodeling and green buildings, to the autonomy of the market to achieve carbon neutrality, as it has to become the standardization of future architecture. Experts say it can only be achieved through solid plans and policies like government support projects. In the case of domestic green remodeling policies, the previous government has supported the spread of green remodeling through the renovation of public buildings and interest support projects for private buildings, starting with the Korean version of the New Deal Comprehensive Plan in 2020. However, at the end of 2023, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport ended the green remodeling interest support project for the private part. The spread of green remodeling in Korea in 2024 remains sluggish due to the suspension of private sector support. Therefore, follow-up support projects are urgently needed to prevent the stagnation of the spread of green remodeling and the accumulation of carbon emissions.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the library of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies achieved 53.4% energy savings through green remodeling.
RIST won the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award in the private sector for the case of Green way in Green Campus at the 6th Green Remodeling Best Practices Contest in 2021. Green remodeling resulted in 50% energy savings.
The 742 house, aged 25 years, achieved 68.5% energy savings through the energy-efficient insulation system, heat exchange ventilation system, and solar module installation through green remodeling.
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