A high-rise using half of the energy of a typical residential apartment building joined Songdo, a new district in Incheon, near the gateway to the capital in Korea.

The Hillstate Lake Songdo accommodating 886 households is a project co-sponsored by the government as an energy-saving residential option. The complex has become ready for move-in from last week.

The new apartment built by Hyundai Engineering & Construction builder features enhanced thermal insulation and airtight window and door designs and an independent micro energy grid (MEG), helping to cut energy by half compared to ordinary apartments. MEG is an in-building small-scale energy network involving solar power and other renewable sources for independent power generation and energy storage systems.

The 36-storey apartment located in Incheon is equipped with BEMS (building energy management system) which is considered a core solution in the construction of zero-energy buildings and is capable to cover nearly a quarter of necessary energy independently, which meets the requirements for Grade 5 energy independence certified by Korea Energy Agency.

It is the first accredited high-rise apartment where the zero-energy technology was applied in Korea. The previous height record of an apartment built with the technology was seven, according to the ministry and Hyundai Engineering & Construction.

By Sohn Dong-woo and Minu Kim

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