With the greenhouse effect taking over the globe quite rapidly, numerous attempts are being made to control its effect on the earth. In such an attempt, Asia’s fourth largest economy, South Korea, has designed a business-centre, named the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), which is quite eco-friendly and claims to emit no greenhouse gases. The establishment uses only renewable energy and is one among the commitments of the government to reduce emission of greenhouse gases. The building which covers an area of 2500 square meter is located at Incheon near the capital city Seoul. Inaugurated by the Ministry of Environment and costing around $8 million, the NIER is covered with solar cells, with the help of which, carbon dioxide emissions could be cut by 100 tonnes per year, which is equivalent to the carbon emitted by a 2000 cc car after driving 200,000 kilometres. By this, the government hopes to save $100,000 in energy costs. 
The NIER is said to be using 66 kinds of technologies which include energy saving techniques such as solar heating and geothermal energy. In the words of Jae-Bum Lee, an NIER environmental researcher, buildings are responsible for about 25% of greenhouse gas emissions every year in South Korea. So until they cut such emissions in this manner, it won’t be possible for them to reach their goal. Buildings of such sort will certainly prove to play quite a vital role in raising public awareness of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. Via – The Star Phoenix
