Cabinet okays draft on energy conservation
The Cabinet approved a draft bill on Wednesday (July 8) that requires buildings covering more than 2,000 square metres to conserve energy in order to help the country reduce the money it spends on the production of energy, deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said.
The law, which is in line with the energy management reform plans, will go into effect 120 after publication in the Royal Gazette.
The buildings that need to follow the new regulations include academic institutions, offices, convention complexes, theatres, entertainment venues, hotels, medical institutes, shopping malls and condominiums.
The Energy Ministry will put in place guidelines on heat regulation, light and ventilation for different sized buildings, which builders need to follow to calculate energy usage before reporting it to the ministry, which will then inspect the report to see if it lies within the standards.
Moreover, already existing buildings will be required to make adjustments in line with the new energy preservation design.
Ratchada added that contractors who do not follow the regulations will face punishment and not be allow to build or open a building without making adjustments in line with the law.