Accelerating the Shift to Low-Carbon Construction Across Asia and the Pacific

Summary:

SourcingHaus was invited to co-facilitate and contribute expert guidance at a high-level regional workshop jointly hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI). The workshop brought together senior government officials from across Asia and the Pacific to accelerate the uptake of sustainable construction practices and green public procurement. Representing SourcingHaus, we led technical sessions, shared emissions tracking tools, and supported policy design labs focused on mainstreaming sustainability in infrastructure procurement.

The Challenge:

Governments across Asia and the Pacific are increasingly recognizing the potential of public procurement to advance climate and sustainability goals. Many countries have already launched national green building initiatives, updated construction standards, or adopted eco-labelling schemes. However, turning these strategies into operational procurement frameworks requires ongoing support—particularly in embedding emissions data, setting performance indicators, and aligning with global best practices. ADB and ADBI convened this workshop to provide practical tools, promote regional collaboration, and support governments in moving from policy to practice.

What We Did:

SourcingHaus contributed to the workshop as both a technical expert and regional facilitator. Our engagement included:

• Leading the regional experience-sharing session on Green Construction Materials and Eco-Labelling, facilitating exchanges between governments and partners from India, Thailand, and development organizations
• Delivering a technical presentation on Monitoring and Measuring Progress and Impact, focused on construction emissions measurement, lifecycle assessment tools, and sustainability performance tracking
• Co-facilitating a strategy design lab, where participants applied procurement frameworks and developed draft action plans for climate-smart infrastructure procurement
• Moderating group discussions on practical entry points for sustainable construction in public procurement, including eco-labelling, lifecycle costing, and supplier engagement
• Sharing insights from SourcingHaus’s ongoing work, including Scope 3 emissions inventories, supply chain engagement strategies, and the development of a Sustainable Construction Index

The Impact:

• Strengthened regional strategies for low-carbon construction procurement and sustainable materials selection
• Expanded awareness of emissions measurement tools and green performance indicators
• Fostered regional peer learning, encouraging cross-country knowledge exchange and collaboration
• Positioned procurement as a driver of climate action in infrastructure investment across the region