Air pollution is a critical environmental challenge in Southeast Asia, affecting millions of lives. This report outlines a strategic approach to improving air quality while also combatting climate change in the ASEAN region. The Clean Air Solutions for ASEAN report identifies 15 priority measures that could more than triple the number of people breathing clean air by 2030 and reduce PM2.5 levels by 50–70%. These solutions also provide significant climate benefits, cutting emissions of black carbon (-70%), methane (-39%), and HFCs (-75%), alongside a 25% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2030. Importantly, nearly 40% of the air pollution reduction potential can be achieved by strengthening enforcement of existing policies, highlighting the need for better implementation rather than entirely new regulations. This report is a roadmap and call to action for ASEAN nations, urging policymakers, businesses, and communities to adopt science-based solutions for a healthier, more sustainable future.
Construction’s shift to sustainability continues to draw attention as financing models increasingly support change across the supply chain. Lincoln CDM Services has adopted invoice finance to strengthen collaboration between contractors and suppliers, ensuring delivery of sustainable building practices. Stable funding is proving as critical as low carbon construction materials or energy-efficient buildings, safeguarding long-term adoption of sustainable building design.
Concerns over waste management are intensifying, with industry experts warning that construction and demolition waste could stall progress toward net zero Whole Life Carbon. The lack of clear policy and delayed investment is restricting recycling and reuse, undermining circular economy in construction efforts. Greater focus on end-of-life reuse in construction and resource efficiency in construction is now seen as essential to protect achievement of carbon footprint reduction goals.
Repurposing of outdated fossil fuel infrastructure in the US and Europe highlights potential pathways for the sector. Projects converting coal plants into data centre energy hubs illustrate how circular construction strategies can bring new value to redundant assets. This approach reduces embodied carbon in materials, cuts the carbon footprint of construction, and reinforces sustainable construction as a driver of wider decarbonising the built environment efforts.
Urban development continues to be shaped by transport planning, with the Energy Saving Trust publishing guidance for local authorities to advance low carbon design strategies. Sustainable urban development requires integration of mobility solutions with eco-design for buildings and green infrastructure. These measures influence building lifecycle performance and provide opportunities for net zero carbon buildings through coordinated planning.
Architectural projects are also driving awareness of environmental sustainability in construction. The planned Sustainability Hall in Taipei from architect Tadao Ando demonstrates how sustainable architecture can combine sustainable material specification with cultural value. It reinforces the role of sustainable building design in shaping public understanding of Whole Life Carbon Assessment and sustainable design.
Across these developments, industry leaders emphasise the need for lifecycle assessment and life cycle thinking in construction to ensure transparent benchmarks. From embodied carbon measurement to life cycle cost analysis, the sector is defining pathways toward carbon neutral construction. The alignment of finance, design innovation, and circular economy strategies is demonstrating that green construction and eco-friendly construction are becoming both achievable and commercially sustainable.
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