Resolution 0194 of 2025

After a decade in force, Resolution 0549 of 2015 has been replaced. In its place comes Resolution 0194 of 2025, which consolidates a new national system for sustainable construction, with tougher savings targets, an updated climate classification, sustainability certification options and clear obligations for social housing. For anyone developing, designing or building in Colombia, knowing this regulation is no longer optional.

WHERE THE REGULATION COMES FROM

Decree 1077 of 2015 instructed the Ministry of Housing to adopt sustainable construction parameters, and that gave rise to Resolution 0549, the first national regulation on the subject. Over almost ten years the system took on methodological adjustments, monitoring mechanisms and technical updates. Resolution 0194 gathers up that accumulated learning and turns it into a more complete, better documented system.

WHAT CHANGES

The essential changes can be summarised in five points:

New savings targets. Every project must demonstrate savings of between 15 and 30% in water, and between 5 and 20% in energy. The requirement varies with climate, use and project size.

VIS and VIP housing enter the system. Social and priority-interest housing now has sustainability targets of its own, something the previous regulation had left unresolved.

A new national climate classification. The four climate types —hot dry, hot humid, temperate and cold— are now documented municipality by municipality, with open data and a map viewer for consultation.

An expanded catalogue of strategies. Passive strategies (orientation, natural ventilation, shading, window-to-wall ratio) and active ones (heat recovery, rainwater harvesting, efficient equipment) are both expanded, aligned with the international ASHRAE 90.1 standard.

Verification from the design stage. The regulation recognises labels and certifications such as EDGE and CASA Colombia as part of the compliance process.

THE CENTRAL REQUIREMENT: DEMONSTRATING THE SAVINGS

At the heart of 0194 is a simple formula: savings are the difference between baseline consumption and projected consumption, measured against a national baseline. That percentage has to be documented and justified technically.

There are three routes to calculating it: energy simulation, simplified methods based on tables and technical assumptions, or certifications such as EDGE and CASA Colombia.

And here is the critical point of the regulation: it sets quantitative targets but does not standardise the calculation procedure. Each designer has to build and justify their own model. That flexibility is an opportunity for anyone who can substantiate their technical decisions through deliberate design, and a considerable risk for anyone who improvises.

HOW IT IS VERIFIED

Control operates during construction and follows a clear route: completing the monitoring mechanism, verifying the Formulario Único Nacional (FUN), a site visit to the project, and issuing the certificate.

Only the FUN is submitted to the licensing authority. Even so, our recommendation is to have the declared savings percentage backed by calculations or simulations from the design stage onwards. Arriving at the site visit without that evidence exposes the project to rework that costs time and money.

COMPLIANCE ALSO BRINGS BENEFITS

Sustainability has stopped being purely a regulatory obligation. There are now concrete incentives on two fronts.

UPME tax incentives. Law 1715 of 2014, amended by Law 2099 of 2021, grants tax benefits to investments in energy efficiency and efficient energy management, subject to UPME certification: a deduction of up to 50% of the investment against income tax, VAT exclusion, exemption from import duties and accelerated depreciation. A project that incorporates well documented energy-saving measures can therefore turn that investment into a direct fiscal benefit.

Urban planning incentives in Bogotá. Regulations such as Decree 676 of 2025 and the ECOS Manual translate sustainability into urban planning benefits: greater flexibility in use mix, parking and setbacks for projects that go beyond the required minimum.

The conclusion is the same on both fronts: sustainability done well is no longer an added cost, it is financial and planning viability.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR PROJECT

Resolution 0194 raises the standard and rewards those who understand it thoroughly. The difference between complying at the last minute and designing with the regulation from day one is measured in saleable area, licensing timelines, tax benefits and operating costs.

At 57 Architecture we support the design, calculation and verification of sustainable construction. If your project is at the structuring stage, this is the right moment to talk.