(January 27, 2026) Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, today launched a major seminar on energy-saving and Net Zero Energy Building (ZEB) technology, marking a new milestone in the Bangkok-Yokohama City-to-City Cooperation Program. The event underscores a five-year collaborative effort to modernize urban infrastructure in line with the Bangkok Climate Change Master Plan 2021–2030. Organized by the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan (OECC), the event featured an opening address by Mr. Norio Tomioka of Yokohama’s International Affairs Bureau, who joined via video link at Bangkok City Hall.

Importantly, the Governor clarified that ZEB standards are not strictly about high-cost investments. Rather, they rely on smart design, data-driven system management, and the efficient renovation of existing structures, such as hospitals and schools, which is a critical challenge for Bangkok’s dense urban environment. By reducing energy expenditures in these high-use facilities, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) can redirect savings toward broader public development. A key highlight of the seminar was the progress report on the “BMA Net Zero” policy. Now in its second year, the initiative has already begun auditing the carbon footprints of all 50 district offices. The BMA is on track to complete assessments for all 77 affiliated agencies by the close of the 2026 fiscal year.

Expert speakers, including Bangkok’s Chief Sustainability Officer Pornphrom Vikitsreth and representatives from Yokohama’s Housing and Architecture Bureau, shared practical case studies, such as the ZEB renovation of the Tsurumi District Public Works Office. With over 70 participants from the public and private sectors, including Daikin Industries and the Japanese Business Alliance for Smart Energy Worldwide (JASE-W), the seminar provided a roadmap for adapting Japanese energy innovations to the Thai context, which reinforced the importance of international synergy in building a sustainable, low-carbon future.

#GoodEnvironment #BMANetZero #EnergyEfficientBuildings