A Comprehensive Literature Review on Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Thailand’s Building and Industrial Sectors: Technical, Economic, and Policy Insights from Recent Studies

Abstract

This scoping review examines greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation options in Thailand's industrial and building sectors, synthesizing findings from 26 peer-reviewed articles and five national policy documents. The review is structured around three themes: technical viability, financial performance, and policy alignment of key mitigation strategies. Results indicate that energy-efficiency retrofitting, renewable energy integration, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and life-cycle assessment (LCA)-guided design – particularly when combined with Building Information Modeling (BIM) – can substantially reduce both operational and embodied emissions. Many of these approaches demonstrate strong financial attractiveness, characterized by high internal rates of return (IRR) and short payback periods. However, widespread deployment remains constrained by policy fragmentation, insufficient incentive mechanisms, and weak stakeholder coordination. The review also exposes critical gaps in sectoral strategies, including the absence of tailored energy conservation measures for certain building typologies. The limited uptake of local green certification schemes, such as TREES, which cover fewer than 15% of certified green buildings nationwide, further reflects structural barriers in Thailand's regulatory and market environments. To address these challenges, this study proposes a sectoral strategy matrix that maps appropriate technologies to specific building types alongside relevant economic indicators. It also recommends harmonizing existing frameworks – EEP2015, AEDP2015, and BEC2021 – with Thailand's 2022 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LT-LEDS). Future research should explore integrated models incorporating ESG criteria, stakeholder capacity-building, and carbon tracking linked to Science-Based Targets (SBTs). By bridging technical rigor with policy relevance, this review offers actionable guidance for researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners.