Hanoi, October 22, 2021 – The Ministry of Construction (MOC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) jointly organized a conference to share final results of the project entitled “Energy Efficiency Improvement in High-rise and Commercial Buildings in Viet Nam” (EECB) and discuss the continued development of the energy efficient and green buildings in Viet Nam.

Participating in the workshop were representatives from the Ministry of Construction, Ministries of Industry and Trade, Science and Technology, Natural Resources and Environment, provincial departments of construction, business and building associations, building owners and developers, development partners, university representatives, as well as international and national experts in green and energy-efficient buildings.

Construction is an energy-intensive industry, accounting for about 35% - 40% of the total national energy consumption, mainly electricity consumption. However, the industry has a great potential for energy efficiency. Energy use in buildings can be saved by 25% to 67%, which will help reduce building operating costs and CO₂ emissions and bring about environmental benefits and improve the quality of life.

Local development and promotion of energy efficient buildings in Viet Nam, supported by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) through UNDP, address energy-saving measures leading to the achievement of direct greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation of 73,035 tCO_2.

The project provided policy review and technical inputs to the inclusion of energy efficient and green buildings provision into the Law on amendment and supplementation of many articles of Construction Law (June, 2020) and a Decree guiding the management of construction investment projects (Decree No.15/2011/ND-CP); 05 technical standards on energy efficient properties of building materials, 06 technical standards on the methodology of the establishment of Specific Energy Consumption Profiles; 01 technical cost norm related to energy efficiency consultancy service costs and 01 roadmap on development of energy efficient buildings in Viet Nam, 02 databases on energy efficient equipment and materials, etc.

The project also provided technical support to 23 new and existing buildings with a total of 75 solutions applied, resulting in a savings of 12,000 MWh (equivalent to 10,000 tCO2e reduction), corresponding to a VND 35 billion. This also proved the economic and technical feasibility investment in energy efficiency solutions with averaged incremental cost of less than 3% and a pay-back period of 3.5 years.

In the opening speech, Mr. Le Quang Hung, Vice Minister of Construction, said, “the project brings about meaningful impacts in the construction industry in particular and contributes to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions of Viet Nam in general.” He emphasized that “results and lessons from 75 energy-saving solutions will be shared and further promoted.”

Speaking at the conference, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Viet Nam, Patrick Haverman stated “energy efficient and green buildings are essential for sustainable growth and green recovery efforts of the real estate sector. Retrofitting and economic recovery through energy efficient and green construction could result in long-term cost savings and greenhouse gas emissions reduction while improving the well-being, health, and living and working environment of users”.

He highlighted some further actions that the government should consider to sustain the development of energy efficient and green buildings, including (i) formal establishment of the building Specific energy consumption profiles, energy benchmarking, and energy-efficient building certification system in Viet Nam; (ii) design of specific incentive schemes and innovative financing models to encourage the higher demand and supply of EE buildings; (iii) long-termed vision of private sector towards Net-zero energy building by 2050 and (iv) continued public awareness-raising of the co-benefits in the form of health, environment, and reduced electricity bills to generate increased demand for energy-efficient and green buildings.

EECB project aimed to reduce intensity of greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector in Viet Nam, by improving the energy utilization performance of commercial and high-rise residential buildings in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. It started in 2016 and ends this year of 2021.

For more information, please contact:
Phan Huong Giang
CCE Media and Communications Analyst
United Nations Development Programme
Tel: (+84 24) 38500136       
Mob: +84 0948466688
Email: phan.huong.giang@undp.org