What Is Taiwan's EEWH Green Building Label? Nine Indicators, the 2026 Edition, Levels and Application Process
What is the EEWH green building label?
EEWH is Taiwan's homegrown green building rating system, established in 1999 by the Architecture and Building Research Institute (ABRI) of the Ministry of the Interior. Its name comes from its four domains: Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction and Health. Passing assessment at the design stage earns a "Candidate Green Building Certificate," and passing after completion earns the "Green Building Label." By score, there are five levels: Qualified, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond. Assessment is done by the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center (TABC), with approval and issuance by the Ministry of the Interior. The current 2023 edition uses nine indicators; the new edition published in June 2026 consolidates them into six, mandatory from July 1, 2030.
The Green Building Label at a Glance
| Competent authority | Ministry of the Interior (approval and issuance); Architecture and Building Research Institute, Ministry of the Interior (assessment manuals) |
|---|---|
| Assessment body | Taiwan Architecture and Building Center (TABC) |
| Rating systems | Basic BC, Residential RS, Factory GF, Ecological Community EC, Existing Building EB, Renovation RN, Overseas OS |
| Indicators | Nine indicators in the current 2023 edition; consolidated into six in the 2026 edition (mandatory from July 1, 2030) |
| Threshold indicators | Daily Energy Saving (renamed Building Energy Efficiency in the new edition) and Water Resources; both must pass |
| Levels | Qualified, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond |
| Certificate types | "Candidate Green Building Certificate" at the design stage and "Green Building Label" after completion, each valid for 5 years |
| Mandatory for | Public new buildings with a total construction budget of NT$50 million or more; from July 2026, public new buildings must also achieve building energy efficiency Level 1 or 1+ |
What Are EEWH's Nine Indicators?
The current 2023 edition (Basic and Residential) scores four domains and nine indicators, out of 100 points:
| Domain | Indicator | Maximum points (Basic) |
|---|---|---|
| Ecology | 1. Biodiversity | 9 |
| Ecology | 2. Greenery | 9 |
| Ecology | 3. Site water retention | 9 |
| Energy saving | 4. Daily energy saving (threshold indicator) | 32 |
| Waste reduction | 5. CO2 reduction | 8 |
| Waste reduction | 6. Waste reduction | 8 |
| Health | 7. Indoor environment | 12 |
| Health | 8. Water resources (threshold indicator) | 8 |
| Health | 9. Sewage and garbage improvement | 5 |
Threshold indicators : Daily Energy Saving and Water Resources must both pass, or the project cannot earn the Green Building Label; the other seven indicators accumulate points with no pass/fail requirement. Daily Energy Saving carries the most weight and may also be calculated using the Building Energy Rating System (BERS) method.
What Changes in the 2026 Edition?
In June 2026, ABRI published the 2026 edition of the green building assessment manuals (Basic BC, Residential RS, Factory GF, and Existing Building and Renovation EB&RN), merging the Green Building Label, the building energy efficiency label and the low-carbon building label into one track, so a single application can earn all three.
| Six indicators in the 2026 edition | Points (Basic) | How it changes from the old indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Biodiversity | 14 | Merges the former Biodiversity and Greenery indicators and adds bird-friendly design |
| Site water retention | 9 | Retained, with a revised method for underground storage and infiltration |
| Building energy efficiency (threshold) | 34 | Formerly Daily Energy Saving; directly uses the score from the BERS building energy efficiency assessment |
| Low embodied carbon | 18 | Merges the former CO2 Reduction and Waste Reduction indicators; directly uses the carbon reduction rate from the LEBR low-carbon building label |
| Indoor environment | 15 | Adds compensation for green building materials |
| Water resources (threshold) | 10 | Absorbs the former sewage facility check, with a higher pass threshold |
When does the new edition apply? The 2026 edition becomes mandatory on July 1, 2030. Before then, applicants may use the current 2023 edition or voluntarily switch to the 2026 edition. In principle, the manual in force on the date of the building permit application or assessment application applies.
For the two labels the new edition directly references, see " What Is the BERS Building Energy Rating?" and " What Is the LEBR Low-Carbon Building Label?"; for optimizing energy, ventilation and daylighting at the design stage, see " What Is Building Environment Simulation?".
What Are the Green Building Label Levels and Point Thresholds?
20 to under 37 points
37 to under 45 points
45 to under 53 points
53 to under 64 points
64 points or more
These are the thresholds for a full nine-indicator assessment of Basic and Residential projects under the 2023 edition; sites under 1 hectare that are exempt from the biodiversity assessment have lower thresholds. Both threshold indicators must pass before a level is assigned by total score.
Higher Thresholds in the 2026 Edition
| Level | Basic BC | Residential RS |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified | Under 42 points | Under 50 points |
| Bronze | 42 points or more | 50 points or more |
| Silver | 50 points or more | 58 points or more |
| Gold | 58 points or more | 66 points or more |
| Diamond | 71 points or more | 79 points or more |
ABRI ran trial calculations on 2019–2023 projects and found average total scores under the new edition were higher than under the old one, so it raised the level thresholds.
How Is the Candidate Green Building Certificate Different from the Green Building Label?
For buildings that have obtained a building permit and are still in design or construction. Valid for 5 years, with extensions available in cases such as long construction periods; it lapses automatically once the Green Building Label is obtained.
For buildings that have obtained an occupancy permit; assessment always includes an on-site inspection. Valid for 5 years; passing a simplified inspection within 6 months before the first expiry extends it once for another 5 years, after which a new assessment is required.
What Are the Steps to Apply for the Green Building Label?
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Design-stage assessment
Introduce it early in planning and design, assessing achievable points for each indicator and the target level, so the design does not need to be revisited after the permit submission.
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File with the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center
Submit the assessment application, assessment materials and drawings, and pay the assessment fee.
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Written assessment and corrections
The assessment panel issues written comments, and the applicant corrects within 30 days, extendable once by 30 days.
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On-site inspection
Green Building Label applications require an on-site inspection; candidate certificates generally do not.
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Assessment meeting
Once approved, an assessment report is issued.
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Apply to the Ministry of the Interior for approval
Within 6 months, apply for approval with the assessment report; once approved, the candidate certificate or Green Building Label is issued.
How long does it take? Statutory assessment periods (excluding correction time): 22 days for a candidate certificate and 50 days for a label for Basic and Residential projects; 30 and 60 days for Factory projects. In practice, including corrections and approval, it commonly takes about 2–4 months.
Which Buildings Must Obtain the Green Building Label?
- Public new buildings: those with a total construction budget of NT$50 million or more must obtain a Candidate Green Building Certificate and Green Building Label at Qualified level or above before final settlement and acceptance.
- Energy efficiency requirement for public new buildings: from July 1, 2026, all public new buildings applying for the Green Building Label must also apply for a building energy efficiency assessment and achieve building energy efficiency Level 1 or nearly zero carbon building Level 1+.
- Low-carbon requirement for public new buildings: from July 1, 2027, phased in starting with office and service buildings, projects must also apply for the low-carbon building label.
- Private buildings: there is no general national mandate, but the label is often required when applying for urban renewal or dangerous and old building reconstruction floor-area bonuses, for commitments made in environmental impact assessment or urban design review, or under local ordinances.
In addition, all new buildings must meet the statutory baselines in the "Green Building" chapter of the Building Technical Regulations, such as site greenery, site water retention and building energy saving, whether or not they apply for the label.
How Much Does the Green Building Label Cost?
Review fee NT$800, certificate fee NT$200.
Calculated by category and floor area; see the table below.
Assessment, simulation and documentation, quoted per project.
Design adjustments and equipment needed to meet the targets; this varies the most.
TABC Assessment Fees (Basic, NT$)
| Total floor area | Candidate certificate, written assessment | Label, written assessment | Label, on-site inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5,000 m² | 35,000 | 50,000 | 30,000 |
| 5,000–20,000 m² | 57,000 | 72,000 | 30,000 |
| 20,000–40,000 m² | 79,000 | 94,000 | 30,000 |
| 40,000 m² or more | 101,000 | 116,000 | 30,000 |
Assessment fees are higher for projects applying for floor-area bonuses; adding a building energy efficiency label assessment costs an extra NT$10,000. TABC's latest fee schedule prevails.
How Is EEWH Different from LEED and WELL?
| Certification | Developer | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| EEWH Green Building Label | Architecture and Building Research Institute, Ministry of the Interior | A Taiwanese regulatory tool covering ecology, energy saving, waste reduction and health; mandatory for public buildings and linkable to floor-area bonuses |
| LEED | U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) | Voluntary international certification centered on decarbonization and overall environmental performance; common with multinational tenants and ESG disclosure |
| WELL | International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) | Voluntary international certification centered on occupant health and well-being, with an emphasis on on-site testing |
All three can be pursued in parallel: choose EEWH for regulatory incentives, LEED for international capital, and WELL to emphasize employee health. Further reading: " What Is LEED?", " What Is WELL?".
Green Building Label FAQ
What is the EEWH green building label?
EEWH is Taiwan's green building rating system, established in 1999 by the Architecture and Building Research Institute of the Ministry of the Interior, scoring four domains: ecology, energy saving, waste reduction and health. Passing at the design stage earns a Candidate Green Building Certificate, and passing after completion earns the Green Building Label, in five levels (Qualified, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond), assessed by the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center and approved and issued by the Ministry of the Interior.
What are the nine green building indicators?
The nine indicators of the current 2023 edition are: biodiversity, greenery, site water retention, daily energy saving, CO2 reduction, waste reduction, indoor environment, water resources, and sewage and garbage improvement. The 2026 edition consolidates them into six: biodiversity, site water retention, building energy efficiency, low embodied carbon, indoor environment and water resources, mandatory from July 1, 2030.
What are the two threshold indicators?
For Basic and Residential projects, the threshold indicators are Daily Energy Saving (called Building Energy Efficiency in the 2026 edition) and Water Resources; failing either one means the Green Building Label cannot be obtained.
How many points does each level require?
2023 edition, Basic and Residential: Qualified 20 or more, Bronze 37 or more, Silver 45 or more, Gold 53 or more, Diamond 64 or more. The 2026 edition raises the thresholds: for Basic, Bronze 42, Silver 50, Gold 58 and Diamond 71 or more.
What is the difference between the Candidate Green Building Certificate and the Green Building Label?
The Candidate Green Building Certificate is issued to buildings that have a building permit and are still in design or construction; the Green Building Label is issued to completed buildings with an occupancy permit and requires an on-site inspection. Both are valid for 5 years, and the candidate certificate lapses once the label is obtained.
Which buildings must obtain the Green Building Label?
Public new buildings with a total construction budget of NT$50 million or more must obtain a Candidate Green Building Certificate and Green Building Label at Qualified level or above; from July 2026, public new buildings must also achieve building energy efficiency Level 1 or 1+. Private buildings have no general mandate, but the label is often required when applying for floor-area bonuses or under environmental impact assessment and urban design review commitments.
How long does the application take?
Statutory assessment periods, excluding correction time, are 22 days for a candidate certificate and 50 days for a label for Basic and Residential projects. In practice, including corrections and Ministry of the Interior approval, it commonly takes about 2–4 months.
How much does the Green Building Label cost?
Official fees include Ministry of the Interior fees (review fee NT$800, certificate fee NT$200) and TABC assessment fees. For a Basic project under 5,000 m², the candidate certificate written assessment is NT$35,000, and the label written assessment is NT$50,000 plus NT$30,000 for the on-site inspection. Consulting and design fees are extra.
Need Help with the Green Building Label?
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