Roadmap towards Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Space Cooling in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Space cooling is the fastest-growing use of energy in buildings globally and in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Electricity use for cooling in buildings across the region has increased dramatically over the past decades. Yet today, only 15% of households in Southeast Asia have an air conditioner; fans represent around another 9% of residential energy use. With continued economic development and population growth across the region, the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that air conditioner ownership across the ASEAN Member States (AMS) will continue to grow. This growth could see electricity demand from space cooling in the region grow to 300 TWh in 2040 – approximately equivalent to the total electricity consumption of Indonesia and Singapore combined.

The Roadmap towards Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Space Cooling in ASEAN focuses on the policy tools available for AMS to drive energy efficiency improvements for space cooling. It sets ambitious milestones for space cooling technologies, including air conditioners and fans, that can help guide the ambitions outlined in this roadmap and subsequent action across ASEAN.