The construction sector is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector of the economy. Southeast Asia’s challenge is ushering 100m more people by 2030 into its cities on the back of climate change and doing so sustainably.

A few shared perspectives from industry professionals on the path to sustainability stand out:

• Concerted and collective action is needed at an industry level
• The reduction in embodied carbon is difficult and must be prioritized
• Consumer behaviours and market perceptions must be changed with education
• Legislation and regulation would boost momentum and accelerate greening of the industry

As part of a 3-part series on Sustainable Urbanisation, produced by Hello Tomorrow Asia Pacific and supported by the Singapore Global Network (SGN), this report frames Southeast Asia’s building and construction landscape, and contemplates this mass migration as an opportunity to build better and more sustainably.

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