There is no denying that sustainable design is still in its embryonic stage in Thailand. As in many emerging economies, limited awareness, insufficient national policies and procedures, and deficient incentives to encourage the adoption of these practices are the main challenges for sustainable design and building.
As architects, we must design a self-sustaining micro-ecosystem that forms part of the larger ecosystem. When we encourage clients to realize green buildings, they initially often associate being “green” with photovoltaic installation, complicated air purifier engineering or other engineering gadgets. Although these fixtures can be environmentally beneficial, they are often costly to install and maintain.