ASEAN Countries Chart a Cool Path Forward: Regional Roadmap for Passive Cooling Takes Shape
As urban areas across Southeast Asia contend with rising temperatures, denser skylines, and shrinking green spaces, the ASEAN countries has launched a coordinated drive to scale up low-emission cooling solutions that safeguard both public health, economic productivity and environmental sustainability.
On 30 June 2025, the ASEAN Passive Cooling Advisory Group held its inaugural meeting, co-convened by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition. This session opened work on a Regional Roadmap for Passive Cooling Strategies (PCS) that aims to curb reliance on energy-intensive air conditioning, strengthen resilience to extreme heat, and broaden access to thermal comfort, especially for vulnerable communities. The “ASEAN Passive Cooling Strategies Roadmap – An Inclusive Heat Resilience Approach” is being developed jointly by UNEP Cool Coalition and ACE in partnership with UN Women, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GABC), and UNEP’s EmPower Program.
Passive cooling measures include natural and cross-ventilation, high-albedo surfaces, shading, nature-based solutions, and climate-responsive architecture. Although such techniques can sharply lower indoor and outdoor temperatures, they remain underused in Southeast Asia. Recent research efforts by Cool Coalition members in the Asia-Pacific region including UNEP, ESCAP, ACE, Global Green Growth Institutes have found that widespread adoption of passive cooling strategies could significantly reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in residential and commercial buildings.
The Advisory Group brings together national authorities from ASEAN member states, development partners including UN ESCAP, UN Women, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), Clean Cooling Collaborative and other Industry and Academic experts. It will provide technical and strategic guidance for the Roadmap, aligning with regional action with the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, the Global Cooling Pledge, the Declaration of Chaillot, and the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation.
Participants endorsed the group’s Terms of Reference and confirmed its leadership. Dr Daniel Collin G. Jornales from the Philippines, Chair of the ASEAN Working Group on Buildings, will serve as Chair, with Professor Tetsu Kubota of Hiroshima University as co-Chair.
The roadmap will apply a region-specific, evidence-based approach. It will promote the integration of passive cooling into building codes, national energy strategies, and climate adaptation plans. A series of consultations, webinars, and workshops will ensure broad engagement across sectors and member states. The group will also identify policy gaps, coordinate data collection, and catalyse finance and partnerships to accelerate implementation.
To inform this work, a regional survey has been launched to gather insights from building occupants, developers, local authorities, and other stakeholders. The questionnaire seeks to identify barriers to adoption, financing constraints, and social dimensions of heat exposure, including disproportionate risks for women, children, and low-income households.
The Advisory Group will reconvene regularly through 2025 to review progress and refine the roadmap, laying the foundation for inclusive, climate-resilient development across Southeast Asia.
For more information, contact Manjeet Singh.