Rising net-zero mandates and an influx of green-certified buildings are transforming Bangkok’s office market, as flight-to-quality now defines success.
Insight
23 January 2026
Will green certification secure Bangkok office demand?
Bangkok faces a pivotal moment as major occupiers commit to net zero while prioritising high-quality workplaces. A substantial pipeline of green-certified buildings prepares to enter the market through 2030. The next three to five years will determine which assets successfully capture demand and which face intensifying competition.
Our latest occupier analyses reveal that 81% of Bangkok's top 100 office occupiers have pledged to reduce their carbon footprint or achieve net zero emissions. Roughly half of these largest occupiers already operate from green-certified buildings. Financial and professional services firms lead this shift, linking office portfolios to global disclosure frameworks such as GRESB and CDP while demanding verifiable energy and emissions reporting from landlords. Technology and consulting tenants view high-performing buildings as proof of climate commitments and employer brand differentiation, alongside requiring operational reliability in power and connectivity.
The implications are becoming prominent in leasing patterns. In Q3 2025, green-certified buildings absorbed over 92,000 sqm of net demand while non-green spaces contracted by 11,000 sqm. This performance gap continues to widen each quarter with no reversal in sight. Tenants are optimising footprints with premium specifications, increasing the importance of per-seat quality and energy performance as decision drivers. ESG priorities are also broadening beyond environmental metrics. Social and governance factors now influence space design and operations. This shift is prompting many existing building owners to pursue LEED O+M certification, addressing tenant wellness, indoor air quality and occupant engagement alongside energy performance.
Against this demand backdrop, a 660,000 sqm pipeline of planned LEED/WELL-certified projects is scheduled through 2030, with 74% currently under construction. This represents a substantial addition to net leasable area in a market where overall occupancy already stands at 80%, down from 91% pre-pandemic in Q4 2019.
Figure 1: Green certification penetration by building age
Source: JLL Research, 3Q25
The resulting stratification is pronounced. CBD prime buildings with green credentials command a 37% gross rent premium over the market average, reaching THB 999 per sqm monthly. Older non-green buildings face mounting occupancy pressure. Assets over 20 years old are pursuing LEED/WELL retrofits, driving 87% growth in certified stock since 2019. However, only 15% of this oldest cohort holds certification, versus 69% of stock less than five years old. Landmark developments that achieve dual LEED and WELL Platinum certifications with advanced energy systems exemplify the performance standards top-tier tenants now expect as baseline.
The defining challenge for landlords extends beyond securing green certification. It requires aligning assets with evolving workplace requirements. As substantial new supply enters an already highly competitive market, buildings that integrate sustainability credentials with genuine tenant experience will capture disproportionate demand. Service-oriented landlords with proactive engagement, wellness-focused amenities and hospitality mindsets increasingly differentiate themselves in ways that certifications alone cannot.
This bifurcation will only intensify further. Premium green assets aligned with corporate net zero mandates will sustain occupancy and rental growth. Secondary stock without meaningful upgrades addressing both environmental performance and workplace quality faces structural pressure. Those who incorporate sustainability as inseparable from asset competitiveness will navigate Bangkok’s evolving landscape successfully, while those who view green certification as sufficient differentiation will discover the market demands considerably more.