Book excerpt: By 2050, it is predicted that half of the World's carbon emissions will be from developing countries (in particular, India, China and South East Asian countries). Modernization may come at the expense of society and the environment, as the ill-gotten mistakes of an industrialized West "pre-Brundtland" fail to deter the developing nation's quest for economic prosperity. However, a combination of governmental and private sector commitment to combating climate change has found expression in green building legislation and the establishment of green assessment methods tailored to the tropical climate and regional social economics. This book is a chronological journey through the creation of the Idea House, the first carbon zero house in Southeast Asia. Ideal for academics and professionals alike, this book also serves as a sustainable design process road map for the creation of the zero carbon home typology. The role of the architect, as a conduit to these different built environment professionals, is explored in order to highlight the increasing importance of a project leadership that embraces a broader interdisciplinary understanding of pertinent issues.