SWITCH-Asia: Building for a Circular Future: Policies and Partnerships for the Construction Sector
This initiative builds momentum to translate SCP and circular economy principles into concrete, actionable approaches for the buildings and construction sector—prioritising adoption by governments and public institutions. Country teams assess the full construction lifecycle, co-design pilots with authorities and market actors, and craft tailored policy recommendations aligned with national climate targets, green public procurement, and development plans.
Five-Axis Transformation
Data
Lifecycle mapping across planning, design, materials, construction, operation/maintenance, and end-of-life to identify high-impact “niches” and set measurable country roadmaps.
Capacity Building / Technical Assistance
Targeted support to ministries, city authorities, and standards bodies on policy design, rollout, and monitoring; practical toolkits and case studies to enable implementation.
Technology / Machinery
Pilots promoting material and energy efficiency, circular design, and product/process standards (e.g., secondary materials specifications, deconstruction protocols) to prove feasibility and scalability.
Finance
Guidance on linking policy actions to investment pathways—public budgets, climate finance, and private capital—to help governments and sector leaders resource implementation at scale.
Policy
Country-specific policy packages advancing SCP and circularity in construction, integrated with NDC commitments and procurement levers, and harmonised with existing regulations and codes.
Strategic Impact & Value Proposition
Government-Led Market Shift
Clear policy signals and standards catalyse private-sector change across development, materials, construction, O&M, and end-of-life value chains.
Practical Pilots → Faster Scale-Up
Co-created pilots de-risk adoption and demonstrate near-term wins, improving readiness for broad roll-out.
Climate & Resource Gains
Reduced embodied and operational carbon, lower waste generation, and improved resource productivity across the built environment.
Replicable, Flexible Method
A multi-country framework adaptable to local contexts while maintaining a consistent pathway to circular construction outcomes.
Capacity & Coordination
Stronger institutions, clearer roles, and better data enable continuous improvement and sustained market transformation.