Regulatory Requirements for New Buildings and Existing Buildings Undergoing Major Additions and Alterations (A&A)

To advance sustainable development, the Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations requires a minimum environmental sustainability standard for new buildings and existing buildings that undergo major retrofitting.  

Scope and details

The Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations 2008 applies to:

• All new buildings with a gross floor area of 2,000m²or more
• Additions or extensions to existing buildings that involve increasing the GFA by 2,000m²or more
• Major retrofitting to existing buildings with a GFA of 2,000m²or more

Note: Alteration to existing buildings which does not involve major retrofitting works is not subject to this requirement.

Submission requirements

The requirements on environmental sustainability of buildings are integrated with the Building Plan and TOP processes. The qualified person (who submits the building plan) and the other appropriate practitioners are jointly responsible to ensure that their building works meet the minimum environmental sustainability standard. They are to submit their declaration and GM Score along with their Building Plan submission for approval. Upon project completion, they are to submit their declaration and as-built GM score before making TOP application. 

To generate the GM score and form for submission, please use the Green Mark e-Filing System.

Compliance standard

Compliance with the respective environmental sustainability standards will be based on the first submission date for URA planning permission as stated in the table below.

Note: Projects with building cooling systems will be required to submit the Air Conditioning System Information, endorsed by the PE (Mech) in-charge once ready. 

Mandatory higher Green Mark standard for Government Land Sales (GLS) sites in selected strategic areas

To maximise the potential for cost-effective energy savings in our built environment, projects developed on land sold under the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme sites in selected strategic areas will be subject to higher Green Mark standards.