AI Net-Zero / Railway Bureau Unveils Decarbonization Blueprint: 16 New Stations Aim to Become Net-Zero Smart Stations
Taiwan's Railway Bureau has announced phased carbon reduction targets for railway construction, aiming for a 50% reduction by 2050. Additionally, 16 new stations are slated to achieve higher building certifications and become fully net-zero smart stations.
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- 📰 Published: April 8, 2026 at 23:02
- 🔍 Collected: April 9, 2026 at 00:00 (58 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 10:08 (274h 7m after Collected)
Taipei, April 8 (Central News Agency) -- The Ministry of Transportation's Railway Bureau held a seminar today to release phased carbon reduction targets for future railway construction, striving to achieve the long-term vision of a 50% reduction by 2050. Furthermore, 16 new stations will aim to upgrade their building certification levels and be comprehensively promoted as net-zero smart stations.
With global climate change intensifying, net-zero emissions has become an international consensus. The Railway Bureau held the "PAS 2080 Carbon Management and Sustainable Railway Station Seminar" today, releasing reference guidelines for carbon reduction in railway engineering and concept design guidelines for railway stations.
The Railway Bureau issued a press release stating that during the meeting, future phased carbon reduction targets for railway construction were formally announced: 20% reduction by 2030, 30% by 2040, and achieving the long-term vision of a 50% reduction by 2050.
Railway Bureau Director Yang Cheng-chun stated that to align with international standards and implement whole-life cycle carbon management in railway construction from a systemic perspective, the "PAS 2080 Carbon Management Procedures and Reference Guidelines for Railway Engineering" was officially issued on January 1, 2026. Prior to this, numerous foundational efforts for carbon reduction had already been actively undertaken.
Yang Cheng-chun pointed out that the "Railway Station Concept Design Guidelines" were released on July 30, 2025, establishing design standards for next-generation stations. Simultaneously, engineering carbon inventories were proactively conducted, with preliminary carbon emission estimations for projects such as the Hualien-Taitung Plan and the Taoyuan Underground Plan. It was calculated that non-station engineering, specifically bridge construction, accounts for a high proportion of estimated carbon emissions at 69.24%, providing a concrete data basis for subsequent carbon reduction strategies.
The Railway Bureau further explained that Taiwan's railway engineering will adopt a whole-life cycle carbon management model based on PAS 2080 standards, estimating engineering carbon emissions during the planning phase and evaluating carbon reduction schemes. During the design phase, reasonable allowable carbon emissions will be set to develop carbon-reducing designs. The construction phase will implement frontend designs and continuously track performance, leading to cooperation across the entire value chain in the operation and management phase to comprehensively track carbon emission information during operation and management.
In terms of engineering, the Railway Bureau indicated that it will be managed in two major categories. For non-station engineering such as tunnels, bridges, and tracks, "engineering type carbon emission intensity" will be controlled. Specific methods include using mineral admixtures (fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag) to replace part of the cement, adopting earthwork balance design, reusing temporary track ballast and steel rails, promoting precast modular construction methods (e.g., precast cable troughs, bridge modules), introducing Building Information Modeling (BIM) applications, and selecting low-embodied carbon materials and optimizing construction methods.
Station engineering aims to obtain "Green Building Label," "Building Energy Efficiency Label," and "Low-Carbon Building Label," enhancing energy conservation and environmental benefits.
Regarding station design, the Railway Bureau stated that 16 new stations are expected to open successively in the next 10 years, covering stations such as Taoyuan, Zhongli, Fengming, and Neili in the Taoyuan Underground Plan; Chiayi, Minxiong, and Tropic of Cancer stations in the Chiayi Elevated Plan; Tainan, Linsen, and South Tainan stations in the Tainan Underground Plan; and the Xin Tainan station in the Changhua Zhutian Branch Line.
For the aforementioned new stations, the Railway Bureau indicated that, subject to budget, schedule, and land use permits, efforts will be made to upgrade and obtain building certification levels, comprehensively promoting net-zero smart stations. (Editor: Zhang Ya-jing) 1150408
With global climate change intensifying, net-zero emissions has become an international consensus. The Railway Bureau held the "PAS 2080 Carbon Management and Sustainable Railway Station Seminar" today, releasing reference guidelines for carbon reduction in railway engineering and concept design guidelines for railway stations.
The Railway Bureau issued a press release stating that during the meeting, future phased carbon reduction targets for railway construction were formally announced: 20% reduction by 2030, 30% by 2040, and achieving the long-term vision of a 50% reduction by 2050.
Railway Bureau Director Yang Cheng-chun stated that to align with international standards and implement whole-life cycle carbon management in railway construction from a systemic perspective, the "PAS 2080 Carbon Management Procedures and Reference Guidelines for Railway Engineering" was officially issued on January 1, 2026. Prior to this, numerous foundational efforts for carbon reduction had already been actively undertaken.
Yang Cheng-chun pointed out that the "Railway Station Concept Design Guidelines" were released on July 30, 2025, establishing design standards for next-generation stations. Simultaneously, engineering carbon inventories were proactively conducted, with preliminary carbon emission estimations for projects such as the Hualien-Taitung Plan and the Taoyuan Underground Plan. It was calculated that non-station engineering, specifically bridge construction, accounts for a high proportion of estimated carbon emissions at 69.24%, providing a concrete data basis for subsequent carbon reduction strategies.
The Railway Bureau further explained that Taiwan's railway engineering will adopt a whole-life cycle carbon management model based on PAS 2080 standards, estimating engineering carbon emissions during the planning phase and evaluating carbon reduction schemes. During the design phase, reasonable allowable carbon emissions will be set to develop carbon-reducing designs. The construction phase will implement frontend designs and continuously track performance, leading to cooperation across the entire value chain in the operation and management phase to comprehensively track carbon emission information during operation and management.
In terms of engineering, the Railway Bureau indicated that it will be managed in two major categories. For non-station engineering such as tunnels, bridges, and tracks, "engineering type carbon emission intensity" will be controlled. Specific methods include using mineral admixtures (fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag) to replace part of the cement, adopting earthwork balance design, reusing temporary track ballast and steel rails, promoting precast modular construction methods (e.g., precast cable troughs, bridge modules), introducing Building Information Modeling (BIM) applications, and selecting low-embodied carbon materials and optimizing construction methods.
Station engineering aims to obtain "Green Building Label," "Building Energy Efficiency Label," and "Low-Carbon Building Label," enhancing energy conservation and environmental benefits.
Regarding station design, the Railway Bureau stated that 16 new stations are expected to open successively in the next 10 years, covering stations such as Taoyuan, Zhongli, Fengming, and Neili in the Taoyuan Underground Plan; Chiayi, Minxiong, and Tropic of Cancer stations in the Chiayi Elevated Plan; Tainan, Linsen, and South Tainan stations in the Tainan Underground Plan; and the Xin Tainan station in the Changhua Zhutian Branch Line.
For the aforementioned new stations, the Railway Bureau indicated that, subject to budget, schedule, and land use permits, efforts will be made to upgrade and obtain building certification levels, comprehensively promoting net-zero smart stations. (Editor: Zhang Ya-jing) 1150408