VGBC introduces certification for green buildings By Dinh Dung - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC - The Vietnam Green Building Council (VGBC) has introduced a pilot project offering green building certification for property projects around the country and calling for developers to join the program for energy saving and greener surroundings as a contribution towards sustainable development. Speaking at the Windsor Plaza Hotel in HCMC on Wednesday, Yannick Millet, managing director of VGBC, said that Lotus was based on international systems and was adapted for property projects in Vietnam. Lotus is like other green certification systems such as LEED, BREEAM in the United Kingdom, Green Star in Australia and Green Mark in Singapore. Millet said that VGBC was being applied as a pilot version on some buildings, among them the United Nations Green House in Hanoi, which will be the first project given green Lotus certification. Other projects to be considered include the Six Senses Hideaway … [Read more...] about VGBC introduces certification for green buildings
Hcmc green building
Vietnam lacks standards for green buildings
By Van Nam - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC vice chairman Nguyen Trung Tin (spectacled) listens to HCMC Energy Conservation Center (ECC-HCMC) director Huynh Kim Tuoc (3rd, L, front row) introducing the first Vietnamese-made solar cell panel on the opening day of ENCON EXPO 2010 in HCMC on Thursday. This product is made by Red Sun Energy Joint Stock Company, a joint venture between ECC-HCMC and Tan Ky Nguyen Trading and Technology Company. The expo at Phu Tho Indoor Stadium in District 11 is attended by more than 200 local and 30 foreign firms - Photo: Kinh Luan HCMC – Vietnam still lacks official standards for assessing and certifying green buildings while the trend of developing more energy-saving buildings is emerging in major cities such as Hanoi and HCMC, said the director of the Energy Conservation Center of HCMC. Huynh Kim Tuoc said on Thursday that the lack of assessment standards and the absence of qualified consulting companies for green building construction hindered … [Read more...] about Vietnam lacks standards for green buildings
Vietnam yet to have standards for green buildings
Vietnam yet to have standards for green buildings By Van Nam - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Vietnam still has no standard available to assess green buildings in urban areas and high-rise constructions, said the Vietnam Architects Association. “We are compiling a set of assessment standards for high buildings and urban areas,” said Nguyen Van Tat, vice chairman of the architects association, to the Daily at the seminar on green solutions for project development on Thursday. The standards are estimated for completion late this year and aimed to encourage investors to join the trend of energy saving in urban development, creating a harmonious living environment for human beings. The association would recommend seven standards to assess green buildings in Vietnam, including the efficient use of land, energy, water and building materials, indoor environment quality, waste reduction and climate change adaptation. Green architecture has recently become a trend for urban … [Read more...] about Vietnam yet to have standards for green buildings
Green buildings, an idea whose time has come
Energy-efficient buildings are the way forward for Vietnam Electricity of Vietnam, which hiked power prices by 5 percent last year, is set to increase them again by 40 percent by the end of 2015. Water prices went up by 50 percent last July. With fuel bills likely to go in only one direction in the foreseeable future and given the economic situation, the time has come for a concerted effort to tackle energy efficiency. To start with, green buildings are seen as a great way to reduce household energy use. The International Energy Agency recently estimated that buildings are responsible for more than 40 percent of the world's primary energy consumption and 24 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. UN statistics pointed out further that the world's construction projects use up 17 percent of potable water, 25 percent of timber, and 40-50 percent of raw materials. In Vietnam too, buildings account for a lot of energy use and the construction sector has put huge pressure on the … [Read more...] about Green buildings, an idea whose time has come
Green buildings do not simply have trees
Green buildings do not simply have trees Architect Khuong Van Muoi Green architecture is not a new topic, but it will never get old given the global trend of sustainable and green development. Like other countries, Vietnam has a set of criteria for evaluating green buildings, and the first 11 construction works of this kind were honored by the Vietnam Association of Architects in April this year. The Saigon Times Daily spoke with architect Khuong Van Muoi, chairman of the HCMC Architects Association, on the sidelines of the Vietnam Architecture 2012 Exhibition (VietArc 2012) held in District 7, HCMC. Excerpts: The Saigon Times Daily: Green architecture has been much discussed in recent times, but can you tell us how to persuade investors to join this trend? - Khuong Van Muoi: Investors are those who pour money into construction projects, so they have to make the projects efficient and profitable, or even quicken their recoup of capital. That’s what investors expect and no one … [Read more...] about Green buildings do not simply have trees