Incentives for Green Retrofit
Are there any government-funded or sponsored schemes for improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings and, broadly, how do they work?

Except for the mandatory EEWH evaluation for public buildings, which has been in effect since 2001, the Taiwan government expanded the existing "Green Building Promotion Program" with a budget of TWD 3,236 million (approximately USD 102.7 million) to promote green building and relevant labelling systems from 2010 to 2015. In 2008, the government also launched the "Promotion Program for Ecological City," with a budget of TWD 2 billion (approximately USD 63.5 million) to be invested in the green urban plan.

Under the massive multidepartment programs mentioned above and the mandatory EEWH evaluation in the public sector, the government also provides subsidies to certain types of buildings in the private sector to perform renovations in accordance with the EEWH evaluation. These types of buildings include private schools, social welfare facilities, and residential buildings with a building management committee. A maximum of 45% of the renovation cost for green materials/products or a cap of TWD 3 million (approximately USD 952,000) will be granted subject to the specific application.

The government also provides special accreditations to "green factories" and "green convenience stores" as a voluntary mechanism in the private sector. The accreditation for "green factories" mainly focuses on factories in the digital or manufacturing industries, while the accreditation for "green convenience stores" particularly considers the high density of convenience stores in Taiwan.