The EPA Minister Tzi-chin Chang visited the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) on 8 September 2020 to inspect the progress of multiple green living technologies that the EPA and the ITRI are jointly developing. The projects are mostly low-carbon equipment or products of practical that provide more options for our citizens. Minister Chang indicated that the EPA will continue to promote the New-Generation Environmental Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies and build the Taiwan AI Water Alarm Network to safeguard water resources in Taiwan.

“Green Living for Everyone” is an important policy the EPA has been promoting. Its main purposes are to encourage public participation in green living, raise public awareness of environmental protection and eco-friendly lifestyles, stimulate development of green industries, and improve energy and resource efficiency.

To develop new environmental technologies using smart technologies and provide a better living environment for our citizens, the EPA has been collaborating with ITRI for a number of projects and technologies. They include the New-Generation Pollution Traceability and Predictive Environmental IoT Technologies, the Taiwan AI Water Alarm Network, and Waste Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Recycling Technologies. To date, high-quality glass derived from waste LCD recycling technology has been used as adsorbents in wastewater treatment by electroplating industries in the Changhua Coastal Industrial Park.

Carbon reduction and energy saving have become two key issues in tackling global warming. Currently, one-third of the world’s energy is consumed by buildings. Hence, ITRI is making it a priority to enhance buildings so as to save energy. Most buildings of the ITRI headquarters are at least 20 years old, among which the oldest dates to 1984. Moreover, to stimulate industrial development while protecting the environment, ITRI launched the Green Campus Program in 2011 and has been inspecting buildings for renovation.

Building 64, where the leading team of the Green Campus Program, the Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, is located, was one of the earliest renovated buildings. It was transformed into a building with ultra-low energy consumption with an annual energy use intensity (EUI) of 74 kWh/m², which is roughly half of the average energy density of all business buildings in Taiwan. The successful transformation was largely due the application of self-developed energy saving technologies, including high efficiency magnet-bearing centrifugal compressors, the Intelligent Building Energy Management System (IBEMS), human factor lighting technology, and lighting control technology. By employing advanced equipment and innovative technologies, ITRI has achieved an eco-friendly, low carbon campus.

Excerpt from Environmental Policy Monthly, 23 (10)