Asia Pacific Launches Circular Building Framework for Sustainability

LONDON — The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) unveiled its Asia Pacific Resources and Circularity Readiness Framework on May 13, 2025, providing a practical roadmap to accelerate the building and construction sector’s transition to a circular economy.

The Framework was launched ahead of the “Retrofitting Buildings” session at the World Circular Economy Forum 2025 and aims to guide governments and businesses in reducing waste, conserving resources, and cutting carbon emissions through sustainable building practices.

Developed by WorldGBC’s Asia Pacific Regional Network (APN) in collaboration with 17 national Green Building Councils (GBCs) and expert partners, the Framework outlines five key pillars necessary for a successful circular transition: Government Leadership, Technical Solutions, Data, Finance, and Mindset.

“The Framework has been developed by sustainability experts from the Asia Pacific, one of the most diverse regions in the world,” said Joy Gai, Head of the Asia Pacific Network at WorldGBC. “Our network recognizes that harnessing diversity is fundamental to shaping a more resilient, resource-efficient future.”

Unlike aspirational blueprints, the Framework offers concrete indicators, assessment criteria, and policy tools tailored to the region’s diverse cultures, economies, and environmental conditions.

“It creates a common language to guide businesses through collaboration,” Gai added, “identifying their needs and applying circular methods which support our shared vision for a sustainable and regenerative future.”

Jeff Oatman, Chair of the Asia Pacific Regional Network and Head of Collaboration at the Green Building Council of Australia, called the Framework “a much-needed initiative to accelerate the transition to a more regenerative and resource-efficient built environment.”

The Framework is aligned with WorldGBC’s 2025–2027 strategic plan and global 2030 decarbonization targets.

It is expected to serve as both a diagnostic and planning tool, helping stakeholders quantify the business case for circularity while identifying immediate steps based on their current capacity.

In Southeast Asia, where construction-related waste and resource constraints are growing concerns, regional GBC leaders have hailed the Framework as transformative.

“The launch comes at a pivotal time,” said Yvonne Soh, CEO of the Singapore Green Building Council. “The Framework consolidates all the necessary measures into a single, accessible resource, enabling us to systematically address key barriers.”

In the Philippines, Christopher Cruz de la Cruz, Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Regional Network and CEO of the Philippine Green Building Council, praised the Framework’s potential to position the region as a global leader in green innovation and job creation.

“With this framework, we’re not just building greener — we’re building smarter, leaner, and ready for the future,” he said.

India’s GBC Deputy Executive Director M Anand noted the alignment of the Framework with India’s Net Zero and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies.

He emphasized that it offers “a pivotal milestone in our collective pursuit of a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.”

From Vietnam to Sri Lanka and Malaysia, industry leaders emphasized that the Framework provides region-specific solutions to systemic challenges, including raw material scarcity, construction waste, and regulatory fragmentation.

“The significance of circularity is on par with zero carbon efforts,” said Hang Phan, Chairperson of Vietnam GBC. “These two critical topics are deeply intertwined and complement each other.”

Architect Jayantha Perera, Chairman of the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka, said traditional “take-make-dispose” models are no longer viable and called the Framework “timely, region-specific guidance to reimagine how we design, build, and live.”

The Framework also earned praise from the private sector, with AGC Group’s Asia Pacific Chief Representative Takuji Kohama calling it “a practical path to sustainable growth in our resource-constrained and climate-challenged region.”

JLL’s Tim Wedemeyer, a sustainability lead, underscored the importance of raising awareness around circularity in building design, calling for “a louder voice for a more circular future.”

Representatives from Green Building Councils across Indonesia, Malaysia, and the wider APAC region committed to leveraging the Framework to develop national strategies, benchmark progress, and inspire collective action.

“The Framework invites us to look beyond just buildings — it challenges us to rethink how we use resources throughout their entire lifecycle,” said a spokesperson from the Green Building Council Indonesia. “Let this be the spark that shifts our industry from extractive to regenerative.”