The proposed green building certificate, linked with a mandatory building permit, could be a good solution for guiding eco-friendly building plans and should be expanded to the whole BMA. Upgrading informal settlements in Bandung remains a challenge requiring a comprehensive approach for enhancing urban resilience. This tool can anchor other sectoral urban policies. How well such a tool is utilised may determine residents’ access to public services and employment opportunities, energy demands and energy efficiency of the transport sector, and a city’s capacity to adapt to climate change.