The Application of Green Building Materials to Sustainable Building for Environmental Protection in Taiwan

"Sustainable development "is a necessary condition for continuation of the Earth, "Healthy and Comfortable" is a necessary condition for the continuation of life. The serious energy and natural resource shortage that our living environment is currently facing, however global climate change is the problem can not be ignored. This paper shows the application of green building materials to sustainable building for environmental protection. Since July 2006, the mandatory green building material utilization has been involved into Taiwan’s building code. For indoor decoration and floor materials in buildings, green building materials shall cover at least 30% of the total indoor decoration and floor material uses. Fulfilling the requirements of ecological, recycling, healthy, and high-performance attributes, the green building material regulation may effectively reduce environmental impacts and improve the indoor environmental quality (IEQ), so as to gradually achieve “human health and global sustainability.”Taiwan Green Building Material (GBM) evaluation system incorporates low toxicity, minimal emissions, low-VOC, recycled content, resource efficiency, recyclable and reusable materials, energy efficiency, water conservation, IAQ improvement, and use of locally products, among others (Froeschle, 1999). The criteria are systematically comprised of four categories, including Ecology, Health, High-Performance and Recycling. With respect to the relationship between the GBM labeling system and the current EEWH green building evaluation system in Taiwan, the GBM system can typically contribute to a sustainable environment. Starting from energy saving and resource efficiency by combining an ecological circulatory system, corresponding local environment, community civilization, as well as historic and regional features, the GBM system creates a core concept of sustainable built environment in Taiwan.