From Circular Building Solutions to Housing Policy: Advancing Resilient and Sustainable Homes

WHEN:  2 July 2026     I    TIME:  14:00 - 16:00 (Bangkok Time) / 15: 00 - 17:00 (Manila)   I  Register HERE

Background

The development agenda for adequate, accessible, and affordable housing in Asia faces compounding challenges, including constrained public budgets, rapidly growing urban demand, high exposure to climate hazards, and inequalities in land and basic service access.

To address these vulnerabilities, this learning session bridges the gap between circular economy practices and housing resilience. In a circular economy framing, sustainability expands and safeguards housing outcomes by reducing lifecycle costs through durable design, repairability, and incremental upgrading. Prioritising locally sourced, low-carbon materials lowers exposure to price volatility and supply disruptions while creating pathways for safe, formalised secondary-material markets. This holistic approach proves that circularity goes far beyond simple waste management—it is a cornerstone for long-term climate resilience and social equity.

Building on a history of impactful collaboration, including the 8th Asia-Pacific Housing Forum in 2021 and the 2023 Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Innovation Awards in Suwon, Korea, EU SWITCH-Asia and Habitat for Humanity are uniting once again in 2026. This joint session combines technical field practices with enabling policy frameworks to advance sustainable housing systems across the region.

Key Learning Objectives

• Share Evidence-Based Field Practices: Highlight locally adapted, resilient housing models and low-carbon construction methods showing proven scalability within national policy frameworks.
• Advance Material Circularity: Demonstrate how utilizing building material circularity and secondary-material markets can reduce supply-chain risks and emissions without compromising safety or structural durability.
• Mainstream Enabling Policy & Standards: Discuss the key role of modernized building codes, green public procurement rules, inclusive financing, and risk-informed planning in scaling up sustainable housing.
• Highlight Socio-Economic Co-benefits: Explore how sustainable housing systems directly contribute to wider strategic outcomes in health, education, equity, and local job creation.

Speakers

Zinaida Fadeeva, Team Leader at the SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component

Zinaida Fadeeva is the Team Leader of the Policy Support Component of the SWITCH-Asia Programme. Zinaida has over 25 years leading international professional experience in policy for and practice of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and Education for Sustainable Development, amongst others working with the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Studies of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). Her work has focused on diverse topics such as tourism, plastics, construction, small and medium enterprises, procurement and lifestyle. Zinaida has worked extensively with governments, private sector, international organisations and academia in East, South East, South and Central Asia.

Elisa SUTANUDJAJA, Executive Director, Rujak Center for Urban Studies, Indonesia

Architect Md. Nafizur RAHMAN, Principal Research Officer, Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI)

Architect Md. Nafizur Rahman is the Principal Research Officer at the Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI) and former Deputy Director at SREDA, specializing in eco-housing, energy efficiency, and sustainable building standards. A key figure in Bangladesh's green building policy, he co-authored the BEEER System Guideline, developed the GreenARCH rating system, and edited the Energy Efficiency chapter of the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC). He holds a Bachelor's in Architecture from the University of Asia Pacific and a Master's in Renewable Energy Technology from Dhaka University. Professionally certified as an IFC EDGE Expert/Auditor and Certified Energy Manager, his contributions earned him the Best Officer in the Power Sector award in 2016, as well as selection for the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Agenda