Kuala Lumpur, 24 October 2025: ERIA showcased its latest research on energy efficiency at the 2nd International Conference on Built Environment and Sustainability (ICBE&S 2025), jointly organised by ERIA, ASHRAE Malaysia Chapter, and the Energy Commission of Malaysia (Suruhanjaya Tenaga).

The conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions, and academic experts to exchange insights on accelerating the transition toward sustainable and carbon-neutral built environments across Asia. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) of Malaysia, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan, the Malaysia Association of Energy Service Companies (MAESCO), Nomura Research Institute, Tokyo Metropolitan University & ASHRAE Japan Chapter, Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad, and CIMB.

ERIA presented studies emphasising energy efficiency as a cornerstone of ASEAN’s net-zero transition, highlighting practical pathways to strengthen policy frameworks, scale up clean technologies, and enhance regional co-operation.

Mr Kentaro Noma, Programme Manager on Energy at ERIA, presented the ongoing ASEAN Carbon Neutrality Roadmap, which identifies energy efficiency as a key enabler of regional decarbonisation. ASEAN aims to reduce its energy intensity by 40% by 2030. Mr Noma noted that demand-side efficiency improvements – particularly in the residential, industrial, and transport sectors – are critical to this goal. He also underscored that sustained behavioural change amongst consumers, supported by sound policies and incentives, will be vital to achieving long-term efficiency gains.

Dr Robi Kurniawan, Programme Manager on Energy at ERIA/Asia Zero Emission Center (AZE Center), presented findings from ERIA’s recent studies on high-efficiency technologies, including heat pumps and once-through boilers. Heat pumps with high coefficients of performance can reduce annual energy consumption by up to 47% compared with ASEAN’s Minimum Energy Performance Standards, while small-scale once-through boilers can cut CO emissions by 10–19%. Based on these findings, ERIA proposed three strategic directions to accelerate deployment:

• Developing quantitative metrics and testing schemes for performance evaluation;
• Enhancing refrigerant safety through certification and training; and
• Adopting regulatory flexibility to recognise the efficiency advantages of once-through boilers.

Dr Han Phoumin, Senior Energy Economist at ERIA, noted that ASEAN’s energy and carbon intensity remain above global averages, signalling vast untapped efficiency potential. He highlighted that a 1% improvement in energy intensity can boost industrial output by about 0.3%, positioning energy efficiency as a ‘hidden fuel’ for competitiveness. Drawing on case studies from Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, he outlined policy frameworks, financing mechanisms, and regulatory models that could scale up industrial energy efficiency across the region.

The conference also featured perspectives from Malaysia and Japan, whose leadership in advancing energy efficiency policies and technologies provides valuable lessons for ASEAN. Discussions underscored that achieving carbon neutrality is not only a technological challenge but also an opportunity to strengthen regional competitiveness, spur new green industries, and improve quality of life.