Understanding the regional context of sustainable concrete in Asia: Case studies in Mongolia and Singapore

• We propose that sustainability of concrete should consider regional context.
• We conducted interviews with concrete stakeholders in Mongolia and Singapore.
• Geography and climate strongly affect the need to assure durability.
• Ability to access materials and resources is also related to geography.
• Quality control in Mongolia may be related to the lower level of economic development.

In order to improve the sustainability of the Asian concrete industry, it is important to understand the effect of regional context considering the widely varying socio-economic conditions present in Asia. This research in Mongolia and Singapore was conducted as a continuation of previous studies in Japan, Thailand and South Korea in order to further contribute to understanding regional context, particularly geographic, climate, and economic factors. Geography and climate were found to strongly affect the means by which durability should be assured in each country, as Singapore has a tropical climate whereas Mongolia experiences a large temperature variation with extremely cold winters. The ability to access construction materials and resources was also related to geography, as Singapore, while resource poor, is an international shipping center, whereas Mongolia has abundant resources but few access routes for imports. Quality control issues in Mongolia could be understood in the context of the lower level of economic development, whereas in Singapore the high level of development has lead to an emphasis on green construction, with the government taking the lead in implementing new systems and technologies.