(From left to right) Rémy Rioux, Chief Executive Officer, AFD; Sebastian Markart, GIZ India; Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, TERI, India; Dominika Kalinowska, Project Director (Transport), GIZ Thailand; Romane Delcourt, Regional Projects and Partnership Officer – Southeast Asia, AFD; Marc-Alexandre Panteris, Alt. Deputy Permanent Representative to ESCAP, Embassy of France, Bangkok; Johannes Kerner, Deputy Permanent Observer to ESCAP, German Embassy Bangkok; Jarukarn Rassiri, Cluster Coordinator for Environment, Energy and Mobility, GIZ Thailand; Heinrich Gudenus, Project Director, Urban-Act, GIZ Thailand

On 23 April 2025, during the 81st session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), GIZ Thailand, through the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon & Resilient Cities project (Urban-Act) in collaboration with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), hosted a side event entitled ‘Collaborative Pathways to Net-Zero: Innovations in Sustainable Building for the Asia-Pacific’ at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok. The gathering brought together voices from Asia and Europe to underscore one powerful truth: to achieve net-zero, we need strong collaboration for decarbonising the building sector.

Finding solutions through collaboration
Buildings matter for climate change – buildings generate 40% of global emissions, with Asia projected to account for half of new construction by 2040. Southeast Asia’s cooling energy needs will quadruple by 2040, driven by rising temperatures and growing middle-class consumption.

According to discussions across this side event, it is not just about new technologies, it is about creating the right policies and partnerships to transform how we build.

Representatives from the French and German embassies highlighted the international cooperation needed and the joint commitment from countries to address this challenge.

“German and French collaboration in sustainable construction has been a beacon of hope and progress,” stated Marc-Alexandre Panteris, Alt. Deputy Permanent Representative to ESCAP, Embassy of France, Bangkok. “Through initiatives like the PEEB (Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings) – a French-German initiative operating under the GlobalABC (Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction), we’re catalysing the transformation of the built environment and demonstrating that energy efficiency is a key pillar of sustainable development.

Johannes Kerner, Deputy Permanent Observer to ESCAP, German Embassy, Bangkok echoed this commitment: “With France, we reaffirm our pledge to transform the buildings sector worldwide by 2050. Let today’s dialogue catalyse actionable partnerships, ensuring Asia-Pacific is a frontrunner in this critical decade for climate action.”

Accelerating the future of sustainable buildings through collaboration: aligning people, cities and policies

Carmen Vogt, Head of CITIES Global Section, GIZ gave a presentation on the Subnationals Action Group of the Global Alliance of Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC). She stressed that cities are on the frontline of the climate crisis, responsible for over 70% of global emissions. To rise to the challenge, they need integrated planning approaches, cross-sector coordination and inclusive governance models that leave no one behind.

Vogt shared insights from the newly launched GlobalABC report ‘Local Solutions for Green Buildings & Construction’ highlighting the role of multi-level governance, strategic frameworks, and Public-Private-People Partnerships (PPPP) to scale sustainable building solutions.

By putting people at the centre of climate action and supporting cities in navigating the complexity of the green transition, GIZ is working with governments and local leaders to foster resilient, low-carbon urban development across the Asia-Pacific. Vogt also pointed to examples from India and Indonesia, where GIZ supports affordable green housing and digital planning tools to enhance urban resilience.

Romane Delcourt, from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), highlighted the PEEB global push for zero-emissions buildings. Active in 21 countries, it supports large-scale, climate-smart projects with €2.2 billion in funding, cutting energy bills by 40%. Beyond finance, the PEEB is driving policy, partnerships and practical action for sustainable buildings by 2030.

Sanjay Seth, Senior Director at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India, emphasised that technology alone cannot solve the climate crisis. He called for greater public awareness, private sector involvement and local research to promote sustainable buildings – especially in cost-sensitive markets like India – highlighting that real change needs people, policies and industry working together.

For Dominika Kalinowska, Project Director (Transport), GIZ Thailand, representing GIZ’s flagship the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon & Resilient Cities project (Urban-Act), the future of climate-resilient cities lies in cooperation, not competition.

No city can tackle climate challenges in isolation – Urban-Act connects cities across India, Thailand, the Philippines, China and Indonesia, enabling them to learn from each other, co-develop solutions, and align with national climate frameworks. Through city-to-city dialogues, joint research, and access to financing tools like the Gap Fund, Urban-Act helps cities turn their climate plans into funded, implementable projects.

Together, expert perspectives deliver a clear message: achieving net-zero, climate-resilient buildings and cities is only possible through collective effort, grounded in local realities but reinforced by global solidarity and cooperation.

Buildings Breakthrough initiative
The event aligned with the global Buildings Breakthrough initiative, which aims to make near-zero emissions buildings the new normal by 2030. This collaborative effort recognises that transforming the building sector requires coordination among governments, businesses and civil society – when governments, financial institutions and technical partners work together, the building sector can be shifted to a climate solution.

Phanrob Techamongkhalaphiwat (topmost left), Deputy Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning (DPT), Thailand representing the Office of Architecture, joined the meeting along with a delegation from the DPT – as a key Urban-Act partner, their participation supports Thailand’s efforts to align building innovations with global standards.