Taiwan has issued a standard requiring coatings producers to limit volatile organic compound (VOC) in construction and industrial maintenance coatings.
The standard is applicable to five types of coatings which includes categories A and B – indoor wall and ceiling coatings; and categories C1-3 – outdoor wall coatings.
Published last year, Taiwan’s Environment Protection Administration (EPA) has mandated that manufacturers or importers have two years to comply with the provisions and three years to sell existing stock.
The standard requires coatings manufacturers or importers to list the chemicals on the safety data sheet, product catalogue, packaging or container within the two-year period – in Chinese language and supplemented by English or other foreign languages, as necessary.
Meanwhile Singapore has introduced a new standard to produce “super low energy” buildings. This requires buildings to use spray-on solar panels, smart aircon, and heat-reflective paint to reduce energy consumption.
A way of making buildings green is to minimise heat entry and reduce the energy needed for cooling by up to 12 per cent. This can be done by orienting building entrances away from direct sunlight, coating exteriors with cool paints and heat reflective materials, and designing for natural ventilation.
For the latest updates on sustainable coatings, attend CMT’s 20th Asia Coatings Markets .
