Buildings for People and the Planet: A Review of the Multiple Benefits of Sustainable Buildings in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Increasing urgency to address climate change has focused attention on the buildings sector, which is responsible for over one third of global energy-related carbon emissions. Sustainable buildings—that reduce carbon emissions—carry additional benefits to health, economies, and climate resilience. These ‘multiple benefits’ have not been systematically documented nor harnessed to leverage policy and practice change. Through enhancing awareness of the multiple benefits of sustainable buildings, a ‘virtuous cycle’ could be created where consumer demand and political will drives interest and investment in a sustainable building stock that reduces climate and environmental risks to public health. Sustainable buildings have specific importance in Southeast Asia which is particularly vulnerable to climate change. A systematic review of reviews (i.e., rapid review) and practice review was conducted to identify the multiple benefits of sustainable buildings relevant to Southeast Asia and ascertain how these benefits could drive sustainable building practices in the region. A robust evidence base for multiple benefits was identified by the 37 included reviews, which demonstrated that sustainable building strategies, such as retrofits and energy efficiency, can result in benefits to health, economic, and energy security outcomes. Most notable were improvements to general/mental health and health equity that principally stemmed from improvements in air quality, thermal comfort, and light. Practice interviews highlighted that promotion of sustainable building policy in Southeast Asia has been driven by economic incentives rather than health and other multiple benefit considerations. This comprehensive identification and synthesis of evidence may aid in influencing decision-makers and driving sustainable building policy and practice.

Keywords: Multiple benefits, co-benefits, sustainable building, low carbon building, climate change, sustainable development goals

JEL Classification: I19, Q50, R39