THE RAPID rate of urbanisation in South-east Asia is sending infrastructure construction and development on an overdrive across the region, resulting in unprecedented levels of carbon emissions. At present, 309 million people - 48 per cent of the Asean population - live in urban areas. This number is expected to increase by an additional 63 million by 2025. Governments and cities face an uphill task to cater to the influx of city dwellers while keeping sustainability goals in their vision. As buildings are among the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, it is now more important than ever that governments focus on designing net-zero buildings (NZB).

The World Green Building Council (WGBC) defines NZB as highly energy-efficient buildings that are fully powered from onsite and/or off-site renewable energy sources. In fact, WGBC recently called for 100 per cent net-zero carbon buildings by 2050. While the higher initial cost of installing renewable energy sources is a barrier to entry, once installed, NZB can save building owners and managers an estimated S$84,000 a year in energy costs compared to a typical office in Singapore.

The benefits of NZB are clear. What are countries in South-east Asia doing to make this a reality?