Investment of 17 million KRW to install and operate cooling chairs at 161 bus stops... Easy conversion to heated chairs by removing covers, saving budget... Yangcheon-gu supports 'Safety Equipment' for protection of women living alone and stores to prevent stalking crimes... Gangbuk-gu recruiting participants for 'Building Energy Efficiency' loan support program
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) has started operating cooling chairs by installing them at 161 roadside bus stops to enhance the convenience of residents using buses during the summer season.
The district invested 17 million KRW of its budget to install cooling covers made of polycarbonate, a material with low thermal conductivity, over the heated chairs installed last year to prepare for the cold wave. Cooling chairs have been installed at 161 roadside bus stops with boarding platforms in the area, allowing the use of cooling chairs at all bus stops except for 20 stops equipped with wooden heated chairs.
The cooling covers were carefully designed not only to prevent overheating but also to visually convey a sense of coolness by applying bright colors centered on white.
Additionally, the newly installed cooling chairs can be converted back to the original heated chairs simply by removing the covers, eliminating the need to replace chairs seasonally and thus achieving budget savings.
A district official stated, “With a record-breaking heatwave expected to continue this summer, we hope that residents using buses can escape the heat even a little through the cooling chairs. We will continue to improve public transportation facilities to enhance residents’ convenience.”
Yangcheon-gu is operating a safety equipment support project again this year to create a safe living environment for single female households and single-person stores.
Notably, from this year, the support scope has been expanded to include prevention of stalking crimes, attracting attention.
The district plans to support 65 single female households with the Women’s Single Safety Home Set, 25 single female-operated stores with the Women’s Single Safety Store Set, and 25 households with the Emergency Support Set for Stalking Crime Victims.
First, single female households will receive the ‘Safety Home 3-piece Set,’ which includes ▲double lock for the front door ▲portable emergency bell that sends alarm sounds and emergency messages ▲window lock that adjusts the opening width of windows.
The support target for single female households is tenants or owners living in housing with a monthly rent deposit of 250 million KRW or less and must be the sole head of the household. Additionally, mother-child households, youth aging out of care (self-reliant youth under 24), and single male households who have experienced residential intrusion crimes are newly included in this support.
Single female-operated stores will be provided with a ‘wireless emergency bell’ linked to the U-Yangcheon Integrated Control Center for emergency dispatch upon reporting. Eligible applicants are stores operated by single women, with priority given to stores that have experienced actual crimes, are located in crime-prone areas, or are small-scale stores.
In case of an emergency, pressing the wireless button or shouting “Help me” into the emergency bell device will notify the U-Yangcheon Integrated Control Center, which will quickly assess the situation and dispatch the police urgently.
The newly established ‘Emergency Support 3-piece Set’ for crime victims consists of equipment to prevent residential intrusion, one of the main types of stalking behavior. The set includes ▲smart doorbell that allows real-time monitoring of the front door via mobile phone before and after returning home ▲home CCTV for monitoring the interior when away ▲door opening sensor.
Applicants must be registered as personal protection targets and victims of stalking or dating violence crimes, recommended and referred by the Yangcheon Police Station.
The application period for safety equipment is from June 7 until the budget is exhausted. Applicants can refer to the announcements on the Mokdong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center or the district office website and submit the required documents via email to the person in charge. In-person visits to the Mokdong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center and fax applications are also possible. For more details, contact the Mokdong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center.
Applicants will undergo on-site inspections and selection reviews, and final support recipients will be notified individually.
A family policy official said, “Through this safety equipment support project, we will create a safe city, Yangcheon-gu, where not only single female households but everyone can feel secure in their daily lives.”
Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Gyeom-su) is recruiting participants for the ‘Building Energy Efficiency Loan Support Project,’ which provides interest-free loans for construction costs such as insulation windows and insulation materials.
This support project is promoted by Seoul City to improve the energy performance of private buildings, aiming to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Eligible buildings are those with a usage approval date over 10 years ago, and applications can be made by building owners, tenants, or energy-saving specialized companies.
The support covers four areas: ▲building sector including insulation windows and interior/exterior wall insulation ▲mechanical sector including heating and cooling efficiency improvement ▲electrical sector including lighting facility construction ▲renewable energy.
Interest-free loans covering 80-100% of construction costs are provided. The support limit ranges from 10 million KRW up to 2 billion KRW, or up to 3 billion KRW if Zero Energy Building (ZEB) certification is obtained. For detached houses, the maximum support is 60 million KRW, and for multi-family housing, up to 30 million KRW.
Loan conditions include equal installment repayments within 8 years, with grace periods set annually.
Those interested can apply through the Building Energy Efficiency Project online loan system website. Applications are accepted until 6 PM on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
Additionally, one-on-one customized consultations with energy experts such as architects are provided for old detached houses and non-residential buildings.
For more details, visit the Gangbuk-gu website. For inquiries, contact the Gangbuk-gu Environment Division or the Low Carbon Building Support Center.
Mayor Park Gyeom-su of Gangbuk-gu said, “Through this support project, we can improve the energy efficiency of old buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We encourage residents to actively participate in carbon neutrality efforts.”
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