Buildings account for a significant share of global energy consumption and emissions, placing them at the forefront of net zero transition. The challenge is clear: reduce carbon, manage rising costs, and ensure every sustainability initiative delivers measurable results.
Three forces are driving this change:
- Artificial intelligence is enabling real‑time, data‑driven decisions that enhance building performance.
- Automation is providing the foundation for efficiency at scale.
- Climate technologies such as solar photovoltaics (PV), heat pumps, and advanced energy‑efficient systems are accelerating electrification and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Together, these forces are transforming sustainability into a catalyst for stronger business performance. Design choices are equally critical. Buildings that optimize ventilation, harness natural light, and incorporate low‑carbon materials can lower operating costs while reducing embodied carbon. When combined with digital platforms that track usage, forecast demand, and prevent inefficiencies, these practices deliver measurable benefits.
Smart building tools like predictive energy management systems (PEMS) are also emerging as essential enablers, helping operators monitor performance, streamline maintenance, and reduce risks across a building’s lifecycle.
The question is: Will sustainability in your organization remain a compliance exercise, or will you embrace it as a strategic growth opportunity to create long
Frost & Sullivan’s latest Homes & Buildings webinar shed light on Aligning Sustainability with Business Strategy. Through practical insights and regional perspectives, the discussion examined the role of technology, design, and policy in advancing net zero transformation while creating measurable value.
Featured Experts
The following growth experts shared their perspectives on how technology, design, and new business models are reshaping the path to sustainable buildings:
Speakers
- Melvin Leong, Growth Expert and Senior Director, Frost & Sullivan
- Anirudh Bhaskaran, Growth Expert and Associate Director, Frost & Sullivan
- Amanda Yeo, Lead Consultant – ESG and Sustainability, JFourth Solutions .
This webinar shed light on the following perspectives:
Navigating Key Challenges on the Path to Net Zero
Internal Challenges:
- Upfront Costs: High capital requirements for digital platforms, solar systems, heat pumps, and sustainable materials slow adoption in regions with limited incentives.
- Value Perception: Many organizations still view sustainability as a cost rather than a driver of long‑term value, delaying stronger commitments.
Transformative Megatrends:
- Policy Differences: Europe is advancing with strict directives, while Malaysia remains at a voluntary stage, creating uneven adoption across regions.
- Building Retrofits: Renovating existing stock is expensive and time‑consuming, making large‑scale carbon reduction difficult.
Which growth processes and partnership strategies will help your organization thwart these barriers?
Growth Opportunities Shaping the Future of Sustainable Buildings
These opportunities will allow businesses to align sustainability goals with measurable financial returns:
- Digital Platforms for Energy Efficiency
- Deploying Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) to achieve 10–30% energy savings with a two‑ to three‑year payback
- Using predictive analytics and real‑time monitoring to cut operating costs and accelerate net‑zero progress
Which technology strategies will you prioritize to maximize efficiency?
- Sustainable Design Choices
- Integrating natural ventilation, daylight optimization, and low‑carbon materials to reduce lifetime energy demand and embodied carbon
- Applying generative design and open‑building concepts to balance efficiency, comfort, and cost from the outset
How will you embed sustainable design principles across your organization?
- Circular Business Models
- Reusing construction materials and recycling lighting components to extend asset lifecycles and reduce waste
- Creating new circular models that lower lifecycle costs and strengthen sustainability branding
Which circular best practices will you implement to build resilience and capture new value streams?
- Regulation‑driven Opportunities
- Leveraging Europe’s Renovation Wave, which targets upgrades of 35 million buildings by 2030, along with Singapore’s green certification mandate and India’s carbon trading and ESG reporting, to capture rising demand for retrofit solutions and advisory services
- Gaining first‑mover advantage in Malaysia, where only about 1% of buildings are certified green, by adopting sustainability practices ahead of mandatory standards
How will you use regulatory shifts to set new performance benchmarks for your industry?
- Carbon Monetization
- Participating in carbon credit trading scheme (CCTS) in geographies like India to generate revenue from verified emission reductions
- Meeting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure requirements to improve transparency and unlock investor confidence
Which tools will help you measure the ROI potential of these opportunities?
Next Steps: Sustainability as a Growth Strategy
The transition to net zero will separate businesses that treat sustainability as compliance from those that turn it into a source of advantage. For business, the challenge lies in balancing higher upfront costs with long‑term returns, as most investments take two to six years to pay back. However, projects like the Empire State Building retrofit prove that smart investments can reduce costs, attract premium tenants, and deliver lasting value.
Companies that act now will:
- Capture measurable savings by deploying proven digital platforms and sustainable design strategies
- Build resilience by aligning early with evolving policy frameworks
- Strengthen competitiveness through circular models and carbon monetization
Click here to connect with Frost & Sullivan’s Homes & Buildings experts for customized strategies and best practices in sustainable building transformation.
“Sustainable is a future-proof investment, a foundation of business resilience and a catalyst for long-term growth and profitability.” – Melvin Leong, Growth Expert and Senior Director, Frost & Sullivan
