Preventive Management of Eco-Friendly Building Materials Such as Windows/Doors and Built-In Furniture
“We Will Foster a Sound Production and Distribution Culture”
The government plans to strengthen preventive management of eco-friendly building materials from the manufacturing and distribution stages onward, thereby establishing a sound production and distribution culture for eco-friendly building materials and, ultimately, securing a safe and comfortable residential environment.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Minister Kim Hyun-mee), in partnership with the specialized inspection agencies Korea Land and Housing Corporation and Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, has launched inspections of the manufacturing and distribution stages of eco-friendly building materials, running from this month through November.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has conducted inspections every year since 2018 to prevent the manufacturing and distribution of non-compliant eco-friendly building materials. This year, it is carrying out intensive inspections of eco-friendly products such as windows/doors and built-in furniture, focusing on whether they comply with eco-friendly performance standards. These performance standards cover substances that contribute to sick house syndrome, such as total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and formaldehyde (HCHO).
For non-compliant building materials identified in the 2019 inspections—those that exceeded pollutant emission limits or failed to meet quality performance requirements—the entire quantity was discarded to prevent their use at construction sites, and where installation had already taken place, administrative measures such as re-installation were completed. In its 2019 inspections of five categories (15 products)—sealants, engineered flooring, general built-in furniture, kitchen furniture, and wooden windows/doors—the government issued non-compliance rulings for three categories (4 products), including kitchen furniture and wooden windows/doors.
This year, the inspections cover wooden windows/doors, kitchen furniture, and general built-in furniture (bedroom/dressing-room built-in wardrobes, entrance/living-room storage furniture, etc.)—which were among the 2019 inspection targets—and are being expanded to include products such as PL windows/doors.
These building-material inspections are conducted through unannounced visits during the inspection period to companies that manufacture and supply the targeted building materials. For each material inspected, samples will be randomly collected and submitted to accredited testing agencies, with a focus on verifying whether the materials meet eco-friendly performance and other requirements.
Lee Yu-ri, Director of the Housing Construction and Supply Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, “A distinctive feature of construction materials is that, compared with ordinary products, the social cost of follow-up measures such as re-installation is high once non-compliant materials have been installed.” She added, “We will respond firmly from the pre-installation stage to prevent building materials that fall short of eco-friendly performance standards from being installed, thereby establishing a sound production and distribution culture for eco-friendly building materials while ensuring that the public can live with peace of mind in safe homes.”