BERS

TAIWAN'S BUILDING EFFICIENCY

RATING SYSTEM

What is BERS?

The Building Envelope Rating System (BERS) is Taiwan’s performance-based framework for evaluating the thermal efficiency of a building’s envelope.

BERS assesses how effectively the building envelope, such as façades, glazing, insulation, and shading systems, limits heat gain and supports energy-efficient building operation. By quantifying the thermal performance of the building envelope, BERS helps project teams optimize building design and reduce cooling loads, which is particularly important in Taiwan’s hot and humid climate.

BERS is commonly used to demonstrate compliance with Taiwan’s building energy regulations and to support high-performance building design.

BERS Assessment Scope

Taiwan’s Building Energy Rating System (BERS) evaluates the energy performance of buildings through a set of assessment frameworks tailored to different building types and project stages.

The system distinguishes between non-residential buildings and residential buildings, with specific evaluation methods depending on whether the project is new construction or an existing building.

Non-Residential Buildings

For commercial, hospitality, office, and other non-residential building types, the following BERS assessment systems apply:

BERSn – New Building Energy Rating
Used for new non-residential developments to evaluate the building’s energy efficiency during the design stage.

BERSe – Existing Building Energy Rating
Evaluates operational energy performance of existing buildings based on utility billing data.

E-BERSe – Expert Evaluation Method
A detailed expert-based assessment method used when energy performance requires deeper technical evaluation.

BERSc – Existing Convenience Store Assessment
A specialized evaluation method designed specifically for existing convenience store buildings.

These assessments provide a structured approach for benchmarking and improving operational energy performance in existing assets and ensuring efficient design for new projects.

Residential Buildings

For residential developments, BERS includes separate assessment pathways tailored to different housing types:

R-BERSn – Residential New Building Energy Rating
Applies to new residential buildings, including single-family homes and multi-unit residential developments.

RP-BERSn – Residential Public Area Energy Rating

Evaluates the energy performance of shared or common areas in newly constructed multi-unit residential buildings.

These residential assessment pathways support improved energy efficiency and performance in housing developments while aligning with Taiwan’s building energy policies.

Product Energy Efficiency Rating

Taiwan Building Efficiency Rating

EEWH & BERS

Supporting Building
Energy Performance

In Taiwan, EEWH and TBERS (Building Energy Rating System) play complementary roles in evaluating and improving building energy performance.

EEWH provides a comprehensive green building framework that assesses multiple aspects of sustainability, including ecology, energy saving, waste reduction, water conservation, and indoor environmental quality.

BERS, including BERSn for new buildings and BERSe for existing buildings, focuses specifically on building energy efficiency and performance benchmarking. It evaluates how efficiently a building uses energy based on standardized performance indicators.

Because energy efficiency is a core component of sustainable building design, BERS assessments can support EEWH certification by providing measurable data on building energy performance and operational efficiency.

RCI frequently integrates EEWH and TBERS strategies during project development, helping teams optimize building energy performance while meeting Taiwan’s green building certification requirements efficiently.

Go to EEWH

Why Use BERS?

The building envelope plays a critical role in overall building energy performance, particularly in subtropical climates where cooling demand is significant.

Projects that utilize BERS benefit from:

Improved thermal performance of building façades
Reduced cooling loads and operational energy consumption
Compliance with Taiwan’s energy efficiency regulations
Data-driven façade design and material selection
Enhanced building comfort and indoor environmental quality

BERS provides a structured method for optimizing envelope performance as part of high-performance building design.

RCI’s BERS Advisory Services

RCI provides technical expertise in building energy analysis and TBERS performance assessments.

Our services include:

BERS feasibility studies and early-stage project guidance
BERSn calculations and energy performance analysis for new developments
BERSe energy benchmarking for existing buildings
Building envelope and system performance optimization
Coordination with architects, engineers, and project teams
Documentation preparation and submission support

By integrating BERS strategies early in the design process, we help project teams improve energy performance while meeting regulatory and certification requirements.

Improve Building Energy Performance with RCI

Whether you are designing a new building or evaluating the energy performance of an existing asset, RCI can support your project with BERS analysis and energy optimization strategies.