Southeast Asia: Focusing on Local Energy Conservation and Smart Practices

Ⅰ.Vietnam updates energy-saving regulations: On February 2nd, the Vietnamese government issued Decree No. 30/2026/NĐ-CP, which detailed the implementation rules of the "Energy Saving Law". This decree stipulates that large buildings (such as office buildings, hotels, and shopping malls with annual energy consumption exceeding 500 tons of oil equivalent) must undergo mandatory energy audits and formulate energy-saving plans, and requires the implementation of energy efficiency labeling for energy-using equipment and building materials. This has created a clear market demand for energy audit services and energy-saving products. 

Ⅱ.Jakarta strengthens water management for construction: On February 5th, the governor of Jakarta signed Regulation No. 5 of 2026, which strictly controls the use of water resources in buildings, especially prohibiting the use of groundwater, in order to address the issue of land subsidence. This indicates that water resource efficiency is becoming a new focus of building regulation in this region. 

Ⅲ.Local Smart City Investments: The state of Penang in Malaysia allocated 790,000 ringgit in its 2026 budget for the "Digital Penang" initiative, promoting the integration of technologies such as 3D building mapping and intelligent applications. Luxembourg (even though it is in Europe, its smart city fund has reference significance for Southeast Asia) updated its smart city funding program on February 3rd, still offering 4 million euros in funds available for municipal projects, covering areas such as intelligent building management and parking guidance.

Europe and America: Strengthening Financial Support and Legislative Framework

Ⅰ.EU launches large-scale decarbonization funding: On February 4th, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission jointly approved a 3 billion euro "ETS2 Pre-Financing" mechanism, aiming to provide early funding for decarbonization projects in buildings and transportation. This fund will focus on the renovation of clean heating, cooling, and energy reduction in buildings, providing direct support for related technologies and engineering services. 

Ⅱ.U.S. legislation promotes smart and energy-efficient buildings: 

（1）Smart Buildings: The "Smart Building Acceleration" clause in the "Energy Act 2020" of the United States remains in effect. It clearly defines smart buildings as systems that are automated, capable of remote monitoring, can interact with the power grid, and prioritize cybersecurity. It also sets smart renovation targets and assessment plans for federal government buildings. 

（2）Energy-saving regulations: The United States Code has a special subsidy program called "Implementation of Building Energy Efficiency Regulations", which authorizes the allocation of 225 million US dollars from 2022 to 2026 to fund states and local governments to update and effectively implement stricter building energy efficiency regulations. 

Ⅲ.European energy efficiency monitoring cooperation: The "MonitorEE" project, funded by the EU Interreg Europe program, is underway. Its core is to develop and share best practices for using digital tools to monitor the actual energy efficiency of buildings, in order to enhance the renovation effects. The project will conclude at the end of February 2026, and its outcomes may influence subsequent policies.