ASEAN Roadmaps Towards Sustainable and Energy Efficient Buildings and Cooling in Southeast Asia

In 2019, ASEAN's buildings sector accounted for 23% of final energy use and 24% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, excluding emissions from manufacturing building materials (IEA, 2020). While the ASEAN Member States (AMS) are at various stages of economic development and have access to different energy resources and energy consumption requirements, they share the common challenge of meeting rising energy demand in a secure, affordable and sustainable manner.

Space cooling is the fastest-growing energy use in buildings globally and Southeast Asia, with electricity use for cooling in buildings across the region increasing 7.5 times from 1990 to 2017. Yet today, only 15% of households in Southeast Asia have an air conditioner, indicating significant potential for further growth in major markets. As incomes rise, access to electricity improves, and economic development progresses, making air conditioning increasingly affordable for more people across Southeast Asia.

Energy efficiency can play a key role in enabling a sustainable and clean energy future for the AMS, while fuelling economic growth, job creation and enhancing the standard of living while avoiding the energy system cost, security, affordability, and sustainability impacts of unchecked growth in cooling energy demand. Improving energy efficiency for cooling, the most energy-consuming end-use in ASEAN's buildings sector, is critical to address the increasing energy demand.

Proven energy efficiency policy options, including building energy codes, minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), and disclosure of building energy consumption, can reduce the energy burden from economic and demographic growth. The practical implementation of energy efficiency in buildings and the construction sector and space cooling can result in multiple benefits for ASEAN, including reduction in energy use and bills, assist poverty alleviation, improve productivity, increase comfort, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and improve health. Collaboration on regional standards fosters shared resources and knowledge, and help widen the market for building materials and services. 

The International Energy Agency (IEA), in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), the ASEAN Secretariat, the Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Sub Sector Network and with funding from the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program Phase II (AADCP II) are implementing a new project to develop detailed roadmaps for buildings and space cooling in the region. The roadmap process is designed to assist the AMS in developing and implementing strategies, plans, policies and programmes to reduce the energy demand from buildings and cooling.

The workshop aims to bring together expert policy makers, academics, architects and engineers, and industry representatives from across Southeast Asia to share their knowledge and experience and provide inputs into the roadmap process.

In 2019, ASEAN's buildings sector accounted for 23% of final energy use and 24% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, excluding emissions from manufacturing building materials (IEA, 2020). While the ASEAN Member States (AMS) are at various stages of economic development and have access to different energy resources and energy consumption requirements, they share the common challenge of meeting rising energy demand in a secure, affordable and sustainable manner.

Space cooling is the fastest-growing energy use in buildings globally and Southeast Asia, with electricity use for cooling in buildings across the region increasing 7.5 times from 1990 to 2017. Yet today, only 15% of households in Southeast Asia have an air conditioner, indicating significant potential for further growth in major markets. As incomes rise, access to electricity improves, and economic development progresses, making air conditioning increasingly affordable for more people across Southeast Asia.

Energy efficiency can play a key role in enabling a sustainable and clean energy future for the AMS, while fuelling economic growth, job creation and enhancing the standard of living while avoiding the energy system cost, security, affordability, and sustainability impacts of unchecked growth in cooling energy demand. Improving energy efficiency for cooling, the most energy-consuming end-use in ASEAN's buildings sector, is critical to address the increasing energy demand.

Proven energy efficiency policy options, including building energy codes, minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), and disclosure of building energy consumption, can reduce the energy burden from economic and demographic growth. The practical implementation of energy efficiency in buildings and the construction sector and space cooling can result in multiple benefits for ASEAN, including reduction in energy use and bills, assist poverty alleviation, improve productivity, increase comfort, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and improve health. Collaboration on regional standards fosters shared resources and knowledge, and help widen the market for building materials and services. 

The International Energy Agency (IEA), in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), the ASEAN Secretariat, the Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation Sub Sector Network and with funding from the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program Phase II (AADCP II) are implementing a new project to develop detailed roadmaps for buildings and space cooling in the region. The roadmap process is designed to assist the AMS in developing and implementing strategies, plans, policies and programmes to reduce the energy demand from buildings and cooling.

The workshop aims to bring together expert policy makers, academics, architects and engineers, and industry representatives from across Southeast Asia to share their knowledge and experience and provide inputs into the roadmap process.