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ALCBT Training Empowers Thai Designers to Advance Low-Carbon Buildings
Bangkok, Thailand, 12 February 2026—The setting of our sit-down interview with green building design manager Supanut Wisitkananan could not have been more fitting: a low-carbon building on a university campus designed for climate-smart learning.
Inside the main Bangkok campus of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), the high-ceilinged hallway lets warm air rise, helping keep the ambient temperature cool, while a large wall of glass panes brightens up the area with natural daylight, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
These energy-efficient features are among the benefits Mr. Supanut, who works for EM Design Management Co., often highlights when advocating for green buildings. Such emphasis is vital, he said, particularly for cost-conscious consumers who are hesitant to adopt the concept due to high upfront investment costs.
“We have to provide knowledge and understanding of the concept to our customers, so that they can see what they will gain from owning energy-efficient buildings,” he said.
“We also presented a suite of [green] certification options for them to choose from,” he added, referring to third-party sustainability validations that could enhance brand reputation.
Over the past eight years, his work in green building design has mainly involved working with architects, engineers, and interior designers to ensure that energy-efficiency principles form the backbone of architectural, structural, and interior designs.
“For instance, the structures must be made from the least polluting materials,” Mr. Supanut said, pointing to the need to factor in carbon emissions from material production and transportation. “We also opt for fast construction technologies that reduce project timelines and energy use,” he added.
Despite his experience, Mr. Supanut said there is still so much to learn. “We still have doubts about several issues,” he said.
To deepen his knowledge, he enrolled in the four-day Low-Carbon Building Development Pathways course held at the KMUTT green building in December 2025. The course is part of the Low-Carbon Buildings Training Program under the Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition (ALCBT) project, implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), with KMUTT and Thailand’s Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) supporting the training. Mr. Supanut was among the first cohort of 73 graduates.
“My real-world applications will mainly be in the areas of carbon emission assessment of construction materials and building energy simulation,” said Mr. Supanut.
Jisu Min, GGGI Thailand’s Country Representative and ASEAN Program Development Lead, pointed out that this training is designed to equip professionals across the building value chain with practical tools to reduce carbon emissions.
“Through the ALCBT project, GGGI aims to support Thailand in strengthening technical capacity, improving policies, and mobilizing finance for low-carbon buildings,” said Mr. Min.
The course covers policy frameworks, technical standards, and practical applications. It aims to equip at least 770 professionals, from government agencies, financial institutions, property developers, energy service companies, energy auditors, and material manufacturers, with tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector.
In Thailand, the building sector accounted for one-fifth of the final energy consumption in 2018, with emissions arising from construction, material production, and electricity use for appliances and systems, including cooling. However, the number of new low-carbon offices, commercial premises, and government buildings has been steadily increasing.
Viriyah Insurance Co. is among the businesses gradually adopting this approach through retrofits and new building designs. Two female colleagues from its Design and Construction Control Department, Ticha Kongraksa and Suwicha Supaluang, graduated the course and said it met their expectations, despite its short duration.
“The training helped us understand the big picture of the problem and the low-carbon building design concept—something which we can use as guidelines for further application to our work,” said Mrs. Ticha.
Mrs. Suwicha added, “What I can actually further apply to my work is the selection of materials, especially for the design of structures, facades, and [relevant] systems such as air-conditioning, electrical work, and lighting.”
Both emphasized the need to continuously enhance their knowledge, noting that “the problems will keep evolving” while “innovation continues to advance.”
On 6 January 2026, ALCBT formally launched the course while awarding certificates to the first batch of graduates. Eleven additional courses are planned in Bangkok and other provinces.
Presiding over the launch, Nunthanis Wongwatthana, Deputy Director General of DEDE, emphasized the curriculum’s role in supporting Thailand’s energy transition, urging graduates to build on their knowledge and experiences to develop building policies that promote a low-carbon society.
“The development of low-carbon buildings not only reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions but also stands as an essential mechanism for enhancing energy security and competitiveness of the country and lifting the quality of people’s lives,” he said.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suvit Saetia, President of KMUTT, added that the course should also serve as a platform for knowledge exchange and network building.
With additional training sessions planned across Bangkok and other provinces, the ALCBT project aims to equip more professionals with the knowledge and tools to accelerate Thailand’s transition to low-carbon buildings.
About ALCBT
The Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition (ALCBT) project is a five-year multistakeholder initiative that seeks to significantly reduce GHG emissions by catalyzing nationwide transition towards low carbon buildings in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Funded by the Government of Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the project is implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), and HEAT International.
In Thailand, the project works with public and private stakeholders to create a more sustainable pathway for the building value chain, focusing on reducing its growing carbon footprint by addressing barriers to energy efficiency adoption. It supports national commitment to reducing GHG emissions by up to 40% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
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For more information, visit: https://alcbt.gggi.org/ | https://gggi.org/
