Factiva 20240226 1326

• Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corp.
- Phat Dat's new head office: New symbol, new stature

• Views on Vietnam’s economic performance
• Banking: Vietnam Vietinbank Introduces VND5T Green Finance Package
• Baran Group Ltd
• Living up to the Nordic model
• Investment opportunities open in Vietnam's green real estate market
• Sustainability can be a net positive for businesses
• Investment opportunities open in Vietnam s green real estate market
• Sustainability can be a net positive for businesses
• US firms express interest to invest in technology, aerospace in Ho Chi Minh City
• Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co Ltd
• Vietnam has over 300 green buildings
• Vietnamese enterprises Phuc Khang applies green building standards to reduce carbon emissions
• Phuc Khang applies green building standards to reduce carbon emissions
• Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1610 GMT, Sept. 23
• Xinhua world economic news summary at 0900 GMT, Sept. 23
• Climate investment opportunities in Vietnam to reach 757 bln USD by 2030
• Vietnam’s climate finance estimated at US$757 billion by 2030, says IFC
• IFC: Climate investment opportunities in Vietnam to amount to 757 billion USD by 2030
• Vietnam's 300 certified green buildings yet to reach net-zero
• Vietnam s 300 certified green buildings yet to reach net zero
• Vietnam: Embracing Green Finance to Propel Real Estate Sustainability
• Standard Chartered achieves LEED Gold certification for Hanoi headquarters
• Standard Chartered achieves LEED Gold certification for Hanoi headquarters
• HCMC to host green construction conference
• Environment; Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture Researchers Publish New Studies and Findings
in the Area of Environment (Green...
• Energy - Renewable Energy; Data from Hanoi Architectural University Provide New Insights into
Renewable Energy (Situation and solutions for...
• 30 years of consistent and sustainable development of a pioneer in the alloy-coated steel industry
• Vietnam holds tremendous opportunities for property investors: Keppel executive
• Vietnam ranks 28th worldwide in terms of green buildings
• Vietnam sees good performance on industrial property in H1
• Engineering; Researchers from Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Report Recent Findings in
Engineering (An experimental evaluation...
• Flamingo Holdings green architecture unveils sustainable lifestyle of the future
• Diamond Lotus Riverside eco-apartment project for better health and life quality
• Gelex in collaboration with Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-end industrial zones
• Gelex, Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-end industrial zones
• Gelex, Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-end industrial zones
• Outlining Vietnam's urban identity
• Outlining Vietnam s urban identity
• Banking: Lack of Regulations Blockage for Green Capital Mobilization in Vietnam
• Vietnamese Phuc Khang Corporation’s CEO: Raising social responsibility for green and sustainable lifestyle
• Competition to promote green buildings in Binh Dinh province
• Competition to promote green buildings in Binh Dinh province
• Greater Mekong Subregion countries head toward sustainable tourism
• Banking: Vietnam Lacks National Criteria for Green Projects: Official
• Meeting for cooperation measures and private finance mobilization for energy transition
• Industry: Vietnam Seeks Private Capital for Energy Transition
• Determined to fulfill Vietnamese commitment on climate change
• Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Determined to fulfill
the commitment on climate change
• Green credit: The inevitable trend
• Schuylkill County Vietnam War casualties remembered
• Vietnamese Phuc Khang Corporation oriented towards sustainable green construction
• Global climate efforts now underway
Page 1 © 2024 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

• HSBC launches first recycled plastic cards in Vietnam
• First recycled plastic cards launched in Vietnam
• Industry: Vietnam PM Urges Ministries to Build Plans to Respond to Climate Change
• TechnoPark Tower awarded LEED Platinum Green Construction Certificate
• Promotion of energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings in Vietnam
• Vietnam Investment Review: Low-carbon economic growth Green building examples from the world
• Vietnam hotels win big at international awards amid the pandemic
• Vietnam’s polluted cities are markets for green solution providers
• Green works - Way to the future in Vietnam
• New Vietnam-Germany partnership to save 6.3 bln kWh of electricity in 10 years
• New Vietnam-Germany partnership to save 6.3 bln kWh of electricity in 10 years
• Chemical industry urged to go green
• Vietnamese chemicals industry urged ‘Go Green’
• Chemical industry urged to go green
• Vietnam: Green building trend severely undervalued in local real estate
• Vietnam: Few construction works are green
• IFC Course to Equip Students with Green Design Skills, Drive Green Building Adoption in Vietnam
• Vietnam aims to utilize energy saving and environmental protection
• Green construction the way forward for Vietnam
• Green construction welcomes Party Congresses in Vietnam
• Industry: Vietnam Quy Nhon City Encourages Development of Green Construction
• Vietnamese Phuc Khang hands over more Diamond Lotus Riverside apartments
• US$80 billion green building investment opportunities available in Vietnam
• Hanoi promotes linkage in sustainable production and consumption chain in construction industry
• Trade: Phase 3 of Vietbuild HCMC to Take Place on Sep 25-29, Featuring 2,500 Booths
• Vietnam thirsty for green real estate
• Greening affordable housing in Vietnam face many challenges
• Green buildings benefit both investors and home buyers
• Vietnam: Green buildings benefit both investors and home buyers
• Green school – Educational model for sustainable life
• Vietnamese VNREA leaders to greet the French Development Agency delegation
• Banking: Total Loans for Green Growth Projects in Vietnam Hit VND242T, up 20% y/y
• Round-up
• Design for Can Gio Bridge project in Ho Chi Minh City announced
• Green construction adds value to property, protects environment: Vietnamese conference
• Green construction adds value to property, protects environment
• Time for environmentally-friendly building materials
• Time for environmentally-friendly building materials in Vietnam
• Round-up
Page 2 of 172 © 2024 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corp. - Phat Dat's new head office: New symbol, new stature
Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corp. published this content on 05 Feb 2024 and is solely responsible for the
information contained herein. Distributed by PUBT, unedited and unaltered, on 05 Feb 2024 17:55:58 UTC.
464 words
5 February 2024
Public Companies News and Documents via PUBT
LCDVP
English
Copyright 2024. As included in the Information
Access the original document here
Phat Dat's new head office: New symbol, new stature
Located in a prime location, right in the center of District 3 in Ho Chi Minh City, the new head office is built on
a humble 673.m2 land, including 12 above-ground floors and 4 basement levels, with Central Construction
Corporation as the main contractor. The office's design reflects a modern, luxurious, and prestigious style with
open spaces to foster connectivity and create an ideal working environment for the staff.
Phat Dat Head Office at 39 Pham Ngoc Thach, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
In a bid to prioritize the well-being of its employees, as well as clients and partners who visit the office, PDR's
head office is designed and constructed according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
standards - a certification issued by the U.S. Green Building Council, a non-governmental organization
specializing in evaluating green construction projects. Thus, the building meets environmental standards,
emphasizing energy efficiency, CO2 reduction, efficient water drainage, and resource management.
Luxurious interior of Phat Dat Office Building
Putting the new head office into operation when the Lunar New Year 2024 is approaching is also a great effort of
the Group's Leadership, affirming its stable financial potential and firm foundation to implement future plans. In
addition to creating a dynamic and efficient working environment that meets global standards, Phat Dat Head
Office serves as a model and benchmark for the company's upcoming green construction projects.
Luxurious interior of Phat Dat Office Building
Currently, Phat Dat's office building serves as the workplace for subsidiaries within Phat Dat's ecosystem,
including Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corporation, Phat Dat Holdings Ltd., Phat Dat Industrial
Investment and Development JSC, and Phat Dat Energy Investment JSC.
The building commenced operations on February 5, 2024
In the business plan for 2024, Phat Dat aims to introduce at least 6 projects that meet the market demands,
focusing on core products such as apartments, land plots, and hospitality real estate. These projects are
strategically located in rapidly developing urban areas or high-potential regions in Binh Duong, Binh Dinh, Da
Nang, Vung Tau, and other areas.
* This content was originally posted here
Disclaimer
Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corp. published this content on 05 February 2024 and is solely responsible
for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 05 February 2024
17:57:30 UTC.

Document LCDVP00020240205ek2500i7m

VET Exclusive
Views on Vietnam’s economic performance
Ngoc Lan
2,967 words
30 January 2024
VnEconomy
VNECON
English
Copyright 2024. Tap Chi Kinh Te Viet Nam
Views on Vietnam’s economic performanceRepresentatives from international organizations share their thoughts
with VnEconomy / VET on Vietnam’s economy in 2023 and the outlook for 2024.
Mr. Gabor Fluit, Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham)
Views on Vietnam’s economic performance - Ảnh 1
Three years into the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EUVFTA), the impressive trade performance clearly
indicates the developing relationship between our two economies as well as Vietnam’s increasing integration into
the global economy.
Vietnam’s shift away from its traditional export markets toward markets in Europe is a sign of export market
diversification. This is a wise move, as it stabilizes export markets against global economic problems such as
currency fluctuations, trade disputes, political tensions, and changing consumer preferences.
Growth in the EU’s exports to Vietnam also signals expanded investment opportunities for European businesses,
especially in non-traditional sectors beyond basic manufacturing. This expansion is indicative of a broader, more
diverse investment landscape taking shape in Vietnam, with a great deal of potential for European stakeholders.
High-tech manufacturing, for example, is attracting considerable interest. As Vietnam moves up the value chain
from basic manufacturing to more advanced and high-tech industries, opportunities are opening up in fields such
as electronics, precision engineering, pharmaceuticals, agri-tech, and green construction, to name just a few.
The rising export figures to the EU also reflect an overall increase in European confidence in the Vietnamese
market. This is reflected in the EuroCham Business Confidence Index, where Vietnam now sits comfortably
among the top 3 global investment destinations for 31 per cent of EuroCham members. This speaks volumes
about how the European business community perceives Vietnam’s future.
The EUVFTA has driven significant growth in Europe-Vietnam trade. With its signing in 2019, the agreement
has gone beyond simply cutting tariffs. Yes, over 99 per cent of goods will be exempt from tariffs by the
decade’s end. However, the EUVFTA has also reduced non-tariff barriers, improved regulatory transparency, and
aligned standards across our economies. This has had a real impact. Vietnam’s exports to the EU have climbed
nearly 50 per cent since the EUVFTA entered into force, while EU exports to Vietnam have risen over 40 per
cent. As the economic climate improves and tariffs are further reduced, these numbers will only improve.
Moreover, in response to recent shifts in global supply chains, European firms are exploring more diversified and
resilient sourcing options. Vietnam, owing to its advantageous geographical location and friendly trade and
investment policies, has emerged as a key manufacturing hub. This serves two purposes: it benefits Vietnam
through increased investment and job creation, and it offers European businesses a more dependable alternative
for their supply chain needs, improving operational stability.
Vietnam’s transition from an economy primarily focused on agriculture and basic manufacturing to one that
emphasizes advanced technology and sustainable products and services is also a key driver. This shift directly
corresponds with European investment priorities and consumer demand. Increasingly, European companies are
investing in these growth sectors in Vietnam as part of their own global strategies, while European consumers are
seeking sustainable goods and services. These trends are both likely to continue long into the future, which
presents room for growth for Vietnam’s export markets.
The growth of Vietnam’s consumer market is also a key driver. As incomes increase, a growing Vietnamese
middle-class is showing a strong preference for high-quality foreign goods and services. This is leading to a

surge in demand for European imports, including consumer electronics, food and beverages, fashion, luxury
items, automobiles, machinery, and much more.
While immediate trade gains are welcome, the EUVFTA’s true power lies in its long-term vision. It’s a robust
framework, not just a temporary boost, designed to build on and reinforce EU-Vietnam trade relations for years
to come. We are therefore confident that the best is yet to come for the EUVFTA.
The growing focus on sustainability and green trade practices is another element that is influencing bilateral
trade. Both Europe and Vietnam are increasingly investing in sectors such as renewable energy, eco-friendly
products, and sustainable agriculture. This transition towards green and sustainable trade practices mirrors a
global movement towards environmental stewardship and responsibility. The alignment of EU-Vietnam trade
priorities with these global sustainability trends is shaping a future where economic progress and environmental
care go hand in hand. This idea was the driving force behind EuroCham’s Green Economy Forum (GEF) 2023,
hosted in Hanoi last November, and it will continue to be the guiding principle for our upcoming Green
Economy Forum Exhibition (GEFE) 2024, set to take place in southern Vietnam next November.
Additionally, Vietnam is proactively developing its domestic industries, aiming to compete not just on price but
also on quality. This evolution aligns well with the EU’s emphasis on quality and sustainability in trade. The
transition contributes to Vietnam’s economic growth and also ensures its industries remain relevant and
competitive in the rapidly-changing global marketplace. This commitment to quality, paired with competitive
pricing, sets the stage for a dynamic and enduring trade relationship under the EUVFTA.
Furthermore, the evolving geopolitical landscape and shifting global economic paradigms also play a crucial role
in shaping EU-Vietnam trade dynamics. In an era where global trade relations are increasingly influenced by
geopolitical considerations, the strategic partnership between the EU and Vietnam serves as a stabilizing force in
the region. This partnership enhances economic and political ties, and also contributes to the broader strategic
balance in Southeast Asia. As the global economy continues to navigate uncertainties and shifts, and as both
regions adapt to new economic realities and challenges, the EU-Vietnam relationship showcases the potential of
strategic partnerships to foster economic security and prosperity.
Mr. Shantanu Chakraborty, ADB Country Director for Vietnam
2023 has been a challenging year for Vietnam’s economy. The ADB has revised its growth projection for
Vietnam to 5.2 per cent for the year, down from the earlier 5.8 per cent. Strong headwinds have come from the
global economic slowdown and collapsed external demand, while the government was proactive in its policy
responses to maintain the recovery in 2023. Inflation is expected to have been 3.8 per cent last year, with core
inflation (excluding controlled price items) at 4.3 per cent, while the consumer price index (CPI) was only at 3.2
per cent by end-November.
The key factors that kept the economy quite resilient in 2023 included the domestic recovery of services,
including tourism, as well as public spending, though performance could have been better. Public investment
disbursement as of the end of November reached 75 per cent of the planned expenditure in the year, a significant
22 per cent increase year-on-year. The disbursement of public investment, though still slow, partly boosted
domestic consumption to 9.6 per cent in November 2023 over the same period of 2022.
FDI performance was also positive, and FDI disbursement reached $20.3 billion, up 2.5 per cent year-on-year,
which is the highest increase in the first eleven months for six years. Total registered FDI as of November 25
was estimated at $29 billion, up 14.8 per cent year-on-year.
Macro-economic fundamentals remain resilient with timely monetary easing in the first half of the year, while
inflation was comfortably controlled at below the 4 per cent target set by the National Assembly. The fluctuation
of the VND-USD exchange rate triggered by the interest rate differential between the US Fed fund rate and the
State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s policy rates was kept well within the latter’s 3-5 per cent benchmark range.
Key challenges are seen in the real economy, especially the impact of negative trade growth. This is compounded
by a short-lived recovery around the third quarter of last year and lackluster trade performance since. As of the
end of November, exports were down about 6 per cent while imports fell by over 10 per cent, resulting in an
overall trade volume contraction of 8.3 per cent. While this resulted in a sizable trade surplus of almost $26

billion, it still meant that export orders, and consequently export-processing jobs, have not recovered.
Another sign of challenges was the slow credit growth, reaching only 8.21 per cent by the end of November
against the target of 14.5 per cent set by the SBV. This is an indication that credit demand is growing slowly, a
result of weaknesses in the real economy, including the challenges in the real estate sector.
From a broader look at the Southeast Asia region, Vietnam’s economic performance is still quite positive. The
ADB has also revised its growth forecast downwards for countries in Southeast Asia to 4.3 per cent from the
earlier 4.6 per cent. The revisions reflect the continued lackluster performance of manufacturing in the
subregion’s more open, bigger, and trade-oriented economies such as Malaysia (with GDP forecast 4.2 per cent)
and Thailand (2.5 per cent). Growth forecasts for Indonesia and the Philippines have been maintained at 5.0 per
cent and 5.7 per cent, respectively, as both countries showed robust growth momentum, despite tighter financial
conditions. Services and construction in Singapore continue to grow strongly, and the country’s growth forecast
is unchanged at 1.0 per cent.
The ADB maintained its projection for Vietnam’s growth in 2024 at 6 per cent, assuming a certain level of
recovery in the external sector, while domestic recovery could regain momentum, compared to 2023. An
important driver will be prudent macro-economic stability resulting from proactive monetary and fiscal policies,
continuing on from 2023. But this alone will not be enough. Public investment, domestic consumption, and
export recovery will be the three main growth drivers of Vietnam’s economy in 2024.
In order, public investment as a fiscal stimulus measure should be prioritized because Vietnam still has fiscal
space. Public debt was well controlled at around 38 per cent of GDP as of end-2022. Vietnam should accelerate
the disbursement of sizable public investment of around $30 billion. This will directly support contracting
industries such as construction and mining, and provide more employment opportunities. Policy implementation
could be more effective, with efficient public investment spending in quality infrastructure to stimulate economic
activities.
It is also critical to swiftly implement other fiscal measures, like the 2 per cent VAT cut, and this should be
implemented until the end of 2024, not June 30. The government could also consider social safety measures to
support the labor market, including unemployment allowance or reskilling incentives.
Second, domestic consumption can be boosted with increased demand from fiscal measures, supported by
accommodative monetary policy to keep interest rates relatively low. Coordinated policy can effectively support
economic recovery, considering relative price stability and weak demand. In the near term, monetary policy
should be accommodative and fiscal policy expansionary. Slow credit growth indicates that monetary policy
loosening must be closely coordinated with fiscal policy implementation to effectively boost economic activities.
Lastly, while the global market is expected to continue to face challenges over 2023-2024, it is an opportunity
for Vietnam to strengthen its competitiveness and value creation in global production networks to improve its
exports. This could be supplemented by stronger reforms to the business environment, the further strengthening
of FDI attraction, and enhancing competitiveness to recover trade demand in 2024.
However, significant downside risks remain both externally and internally. External demand recovery is
uncertain, while domestic difficulties come from the real estate sector and the significant red tape hampering
domestic demand recovery.
Mr. Andrea Coppola, Lead Economist for the World Bank in Vietnam
Vietnam is considered one of the most open economies in the world. Its strong trade relations with the rest of the
world are a source of strength and success. At the same time, the reliance on demand from trade partners heavily
exposed Vietnam to the global economic slowdown experienced in 2023. As a result, after the very difficult
Covid years of 2020 and 2021, economic performance in 2023 was the least strong since the period following the
Asian financial crisis at the end of the 1990s. However, I still consider Vietnam’s economic performance in 2023
to be positive considering the very challenging global context.
The international context is expected to remain challenging this year. After the global slowdown experienced in
2023, global economic growth is expected to decelerate further in 2024, including in key trade partners of

Vietnam such as the US. The expected weak performance is the result of lagged and ongoing effects of tight
monetary policy, restrictive credit conditions, and weakening global trade. Downside risks predominate,
including geopolitical risks, the impact of conflicts on energy prices, financial stress associated with the increase
in long-term yields, and weaker than expected activity in China. In such a context, it would be important for
Vietnam to reduce its vulnerability to external shocks and increasingly leverage its internal strength and domestic
productivity to support economic growth.
Given that global economic growth is expected to continue slowing in 2024, I think the GDP growth target of
between 6 and 6.5 per cent for 2024 is ambitious. Despite the global slowdown, demand for Vietnamese exports
could gradually improve, and we project economic growth to slightly accelerate but it will be challenging to
reach 6 or 6.5 per cent unless domestic demand, consumption, and investment accelerate further. Authorities can
play an important role in supporting the economy though fiscal policy, particularly by accelerating the
implementation of transformational public investment and infrastructure projects that are going to strengthen
economic growth both in the short-term and in the longer term.
Vietnamese people are the country’s greatest source of internal strength. Vietnamese workers and entrepreneurs
allowed the Vietnamese economy to grow by seven-fold during the last 30 years. To sustain this rapid growth,
while also considering the challenging external environment, my suggestion is to continue promoting private
sector development and boosting productivity. Vietnamese authorities can play a key role to help the country
achieve this objective, and I suggest doubling efforts in human capital development, by upskilling the workforce,
and physical capital development, through public investments in transport and energy infrastructure that can
further strengthen the competitiveness of Vietnam’s private sector.
While we hope that demand for Vietnamese exports from the rest of the world will recover in 2024, it is not
going to be as strong as in the past and this challenging situation may last for some time. In this context, my
message for Vietnam is to leverage its internal strength and boost the productivity growth of its domestic
economy to transform the challenges provided by the global economic slowdown in an opportunity to further
strengthen its economic growth model. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a healthy,
prosperous, and successful 2024.
Mr. Ken Nibayashi, Head of the Southeast Asia Desk, OECD Economics Department
Vietnam’s economy has proven remarkably resilient through the extraordinary shocks that have affected the
world economy in recent years, including the Covid-19 pandemic, changing global supply chains, and the rise in
global inflationary pressure. Agile policy responses have helped avoid worse outcomes, and economic growth
outperformed most other Southeast Asian economies throughout the pandemic, for example. In 2023 and 2024,
the economy is projected to gradually recover from domestic and external headwinds, helped by policy support
and increasing external demand. Increasing government investment will also be a key driver of activity.
Despite all of Vietnam’s recent achievements, there are also challenges and opportunities for further
improvement. Vietnam has a favorable business climate, but further improvements would support stronger
growth, including through lower regulatory barriers in services sectors, a more level playing field between
private and State-owned companies, and more high-quality infrastructure. Keeping up strong investment in
human capital would help nurture high value-added sectors, alongside measures to provide more comprehensive
social protection to a rapidly ageing population.
The OECD Economic Survey of Vietnam published last April projected GDP growth of 6.6 per cent for 2024. In
light of more recent data releases, we would probably now have a slightly lower projection than what we had in
April, but not by much. That brings our projection very close to the targets published by the National Assembly.
Taking a longer view, there are two challenges that Vietnam - and the global economy - will face: the digital
transition and the green transition. These challenges will require additional policy efforts, but they also offer
opportunities, notably for investment. Vietnam is already among the leaders in digitalization in Southeast Asia,
but digital infrastructure should still be developed further, and enhancing the scope for competition in
telecommunications may also bring new opportunities.
For the green transition towards a more sustainable and climate-friendly economy, Vietnam will require a
comprehensive and predictable long-term climate strategy to guide all economic sectors towards a low-carbon
path. This should include energy sector reform, which is crucial to upscale investment in renewable energies.
Accelerating the establishment of a carbon market could also help to encourage investment into renewable

energy sources.
Fiscal policy, and in particular public investment, will be one factor supporting growth in 2024. To maximize the
fruits of this effort, it will be important to ensure that disbursements of public investment actually proceeds in
line with plans. Accelerating disbursements, including by simplifying public investment procedures and
regulations, would make this investment more effective.
Click to view image
Document VNECON0020240130ek1u00002

Banking: Vietnam Vietinbank Introduces VND5T Green Finance Package
136 words
10 January 2024
Vietnam News Brief Service
VIETNB
English
(c) 2024 Toan Viet Limited Company. All rights reserved.
Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank; HOSE: CTG), the third largest bank
in the country by total assets, has released the GreenUp financial package worth VND5 trillion ($208.3 million)
to provide preferential loans for environment-social projects, local media reported.
The package, which will expire on December 31, will offer an interest rate of 5.8% per year for short-term loans
and 6.2% per year for medium to long-term loans. Firms with projects regarding green energy, green exports,
and green construction, among others, will be eligible for such credit.
Besides, borrowers meeting requirements on sustainable developments, such as the Global Recycled Standard
(GRS) certificate, OEKO standards, Fairtrade certificate, and USDA organic certificate, will be able to access the
GreenUp package.
Document VIETNB0020240110ek1a00003

Baran Group Ltd
MarketLine Company Profiles, 28 November 2023, 2894 words, (English)
Baran Group LtdBaran Group Ltd (Baran) is a provider of engineering,
telecommunication, technology, and construction solutions. Baran offers
construction and related services including feasibility and conceptual
studies, engineering and ...
Living up to the Nordic model
Nguyen Thu
1,619 words
28 November 2023
Vietnam Investment Review
VNAMIR
English
Copyright 2023. Vietnam Investment Review.
The Nordic region is known for its commitment to the environment and circularity Zung Nguyen executive
director of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce Vietnam NordCham told Nguyen Thu about the opportunities for
key Vietnamese actors and stakeholders to learn from the Nordic model
Vietnam’s focus on greener and sustainable development has been much inspired by the Nordic model. Can you
share the areas that Nordic companies are interested in Vietnam in the green sector?
Zung Nguyen, executive director of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce Vietnam (NordCham)
In recent years, the growing presence of Nordic companies in Vietnam has introduced sustainability models and
expertise. These practices and insights are positioned to significantly advance Vietnam on its path towards a
green economy. These companies’ contributions extend across pivotal sectors, with a strong emphasis on
fostering a circular economy.
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland have successfully integrated circular principles into their economies,
emphasising resource efficiency, waste reduction, and responsible consumption. By studying Nordic experiences
and learning from their strategies, Vietnam can gain valuable insights into building a circular economy that
prioritises environmental preservation, economic growth, and long-term sustainability.
First off, Nordic companies have a long history and passion to deliver green and sustainable products, logistics
and energy, and have been the global leaders in many of these areas, particularly the likes of offshore wind,
establishing the first commercial offshore wind farm in 1990 in Denmark. The Nordic companies also possess
some of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers, and European offshore wind hubs.
These countries have actively driven the ambition to reduce reliance on fossil-fuels and the impacts that
mining/exploiting and burning these can have on the environment, both directly and indirectly, and invested in
supporting technologies that seek to resolve this.
The Nordic model is very much one that works backwards, focusing on what is needed to be delivered (a
product, an operation, or a development such as a renewable energy project), and then to consider how such an
item needs to be designed in a way that is site-specific to the environment both physically, biologically, and
socially.
Meanwhile, Vietnam faces mounting challenges stemming from rapid urbanisation with waste and increased
plastic consumption across sectors. However, inadequate waste management has resulted in widespread wasted
and single-use plastic pollution. Annually, Vietnam generates 25.5 million tonnes of waste, with 75 per cent
ending up in landfills. An additional 3.1 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are illegally dumped, contributing
to Vietnam’s ranking as a major ocean plastic polluter. Beyond environmental concerns, waste management
poses a significant economic burden, with cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City allocating substantial budgets
for waste collection and disposal.
Nordic companies have shown interest in providing eco-friendly waste management solutions. Tomra is looking
to provide advanced recycling technologies and machines for the collection and sorting of recyclable materials.

Valmet’s involvement in waste-to-energy projects typically includes providing technologies and solutions for
converting waste materials into renewable energy sources like biofuels and biogas. And Eagle Technology’s
WASTX Plastic offers a groundbreaking solution, employing high-temperature pyrolysis to convert plastic waste
into energy.
In green building and infrastructure, the growth of Vietnam’s middle-income class and its emergence as a
manufacturing hub have led to a booming demand in the construction sector. The importance of green building
and sustainable infrastructure has never been more evident.
Nordic companies are at the forefront of this effort. Key players such as Sweco, KAZE, and DK Engineering are
advancing sustainable construction development in the country. They bring their expertise to design and
implement eco-friendly building solutions. Notable Nordic investors, including the Lego factory with its carbon-
neutral aspirations, as well as ECCO, Tetra Pak, AssaAbloy, Trelleborg, and Pandora, all pursue green
certification, aligning their materials, principles, and operations with sustainable standards.
In logistics, Vietnam’s transformation into a burgeoning manufacturing hub and the rapid growth of its e-
commerce sector have elevated the significance of this industry within the country’s economy. Projections
indicate that by 2025, this sector’s growth rate will surpass that of Vietnam’s overall GDP. Given its status as an
export-driven economy, the movement of goods, encompassing the import of raw materials and the export of
finished products, continues to surge.
Within this dynamic logistics landscape, Nordic companies like Eimskip, DSV, and Maersk hold the potential to
make substantial contributions to promoting sustainable logistics practices in Vietnam. Their initiatives may
involve route optimisation, the adoption of green technologies like electric and hybrid vehicles, transitioning to
alternative fuels such as electricity and hydrogen, and fostering intermodal transport. Strategies to enhance
sustainability further encompass implementing digital supply chain solutions, providing training and education
on sustainable practices, and promoting collaboration with local stakeholders.
What are the main challenges facing Nordic firms’ sustainable development and what does Vietnam need to
encourage businesses to develop sustainably?
These challenges encompass regulatory compliance, consumer education, resource efficiency, innovation, and a
commitment to responsible business practices.
For the government, it is imperative to facilitate the quick implementation of Power Development Plan VIII,
advancing towards renewable energy while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Regulations must align with the
green transition, encompassing areas such as renewable energy, rooftop solar, waste management, and water
management. Financial incentives and support should be provided to businesses adopting sustainable
technologies and practices. Public awareness should be raised through campaigns, education, and information
dissemination about sustainable choices.
Emphasising the interconnectedness of social and environmental responsibility is crucial, encompassing

principles of equality, labour rights, and inclusivity for minority groups. Stringent environmental regulations
should be enacted to mandate sustainable practices, reducing adverse impacts on ecosystems. Infrastructure
improvements, such as better utilisation of inland container depots and a review of rail opportunities, can help
alleviate road congestion and reduce emissions from stop-and-start traffic.
Continuing on the path to sustainable development, a crucial aspect is the development of a more advanced and
vertically integrated supply chain. In Vietnam, lead times in production still surpass those of other manufacturing
markets, and many suppliers rely on importing fabric and raw materials from abroad. By expanding and
strengthening the upstream segments of the supply chain, the garment industry can enhance its overall value
proposition. This not only leads to job creation and industry growth but also shortens lead times, solidifying
Vietnam’s position as a sought-after sourcing destination for numerous international brands.
Moreover, opportunities for adopting cleaner energy sources and reducing emissions within the production
process are emerging as decisive factors in the purchasing decisions of companies like H&M Group and IKEA.
As companies set ambitious goals to achieve carbon neutrality, 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030, and
phase out coal by 2025, the accessibility of renewable energy becomes a key competitive advantage. The
implementation of a direct power purchase agreement mechanism, which the industry eagerly anticipates, would
significantly contribute to these sustainability efforts.

Nordcham Vietnam has provided many initiatives to promote green activities. What are those activities, and what
are some recommendations for green development strategies?
As the representative body of Nordic businesses in Vietnam, NordCham, comprising over 400 members
representing 160 corporations, plays an important role in disseminating knowledge and best practices from
Nordic countries to the Vietnamese business community. In 2023, NordCham embarked on a series of initiatives.
Greennovate, a unique YouTube and podcast series, stands as Vietnam’s pioneering platform dedicated to
exploring and advocating for the finest environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices derived from
successful businesses. The series features prominent business leaders, experts, activists, scientists, entrepreneurs,
influencers, change-makers, and individuals who have made significant contributions to sustainability in their
respective fields. The primary objectives are to create a forum for sharing insights, knowledge, and exemplary
sustainability practices, and spotlight the pioneering role of Nordic businesses in ushering in a greener future.
In September, NordCham assumed a leadership role by orchestrating the Green Construction Conference. This
three-hour programme drew the participation of more than 100 representatives from businesses, foreign business
associations, and experts specialising in the realm of green construction.
Eminent keynote speakers hailing from renowned companies such as GreenViet, Royal HaskoningDHV, Sweco
Vietnam, and Bestmix delved into a range of pivotal topics, encompassing the green building concept and its
ESG advantages, the drive towards achieving net-zero, investments in sustainable building projects, and more
besides.
Meanwhile, in our conference focusing on EU-Vietnam trade and sustainability directives, we delved into
significant topics including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence
Directive, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, and EU Deforestation-Free Regulations.
Elsewhere, the event Work The Nordic Way is a significant and longstanding initiative by NordCham. For
several years, it has been the platform where Nordic values are introduced and celebrated within the workplace.
The focus of this event is to emphasise the importance of diversity and inclusion, which are fundamental
principles in Nordic cultures. These values are not only about acknowledging differences but also actively
promoting a work environment where everyone is treated equitably, regardless of their background, gender, or
other characteristics.
Finally, the Women at Work project represents a motivated response to the success and impact of the Women in
Business activities. This initiative goes beyond just aligning with the Women in Business concept; it aims to
broaden its benefits by specifically focusing on the women’s workforce. The project is designed as an ongoing
endeavour, with the initial execution planned for late 2023 and annual repetitions to follow.
The initiative seeks to create a more family-friendly work environment, one that acknowledges and
accommodates the needs and responsibilities of female workers, including those related to family and
caregiving.
Document VNAMIR0020231129ejbs0000l

REAL ESTATE
Investment opportunities open in Vietnam's green real estate market
772 words
23 November 2023
Vietnam News Summary
VENEWS
English
Copyright 2023. Vian Company Limited.
As Vietnam continues to undergo rapid urbanization, underpinned by economic growth and an expanding middle
class, coupled with the improvement in infrastructure networks, the country continues to offer tremendous
opportunities for investors, according to Wong Wai Foo, head of Sustainable Urban Renewal in Vietnam, Keppel
Corporation, at the Sustainable Development 2023 conference held by Vietnam Investment Review on
November 16.
Since entering Vietnam more than three decades ago, Keppel has grown with Vietnam and is, today, one of the
largest foreign real estate investors in the country.
“As a global asset manager and operator with deep capabilities in infrastructure, real estate, and connectivity,
Keppel can bring in global financial investors, who will contribute capital to fund the development of more
solutions and assets that are also smarter and greener,” said Foo.
“We will leverage our strong track record in the development and operation of such assets to provide critical
infrastructure and services for renewables, clean energy, decarbonization, sustainable urban renewal and digital
connectivity to Vietnam.”
A good example is the Keppel Vietnam Fund. This private fund is combining capital from Keppel and global
institutional investors to co-invest in residential developments, commercial properties as well as mixed-use
projects and townships, especially ones that are smart and sustainable, in Vietnam. To date, the Keppel Vietnam
Fund has invested alongside Keppel in five high-quality residential projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The company is collaborating with Khang Dien to develop two smart and sustainable residential projects in Thu
Duc city, Ho Chi Minh City. When completed, the development will set the benchmark of the residential projects
landscape as well as contribute to the sustainable urban space in Thu Duc.
In addition, it is also looking to implement sustainable urban renewal technologies at its projects and will work
with best-in-class local and international partners to incorporate innovative urban solutions such as smart
security, smart mobility and environmental infrastructure solutions into projects to make them more energy-
saving.
“We believe that sustainable urban renewal is a compelling solution for Vietnam as the country advances on its
journey to net zero,” Foo added.
Apart from real estate, Keppel sees promising opportunities in the energy and data center sectors, given the
growing emphasis on green and circular economy in Vietnam.
It is making significant progress in these sectors, notably, with the launch of the Operations Nerve Center to offer
long-term 'Energy-as-a-Service' solutions to many domestic customers.
“This initiative not only delivers exceptional economic value to our customers but also contributes to enhancing
community wellbeing and advancing Vietnam’s sustainable development,” Foo added.
The Vietnamese government has set ambitious goals and sustainability standards for the construction and real
estate industry, including reducing carbon emissions.

At Keppel, its real estate division is undertaking various measures such as phasing out the use of non-essential
diesel equipment, achieving high green building standards for all new commercial developments, improving the
energy efficiency of existing buildings through energy optimization and digitalization strategies, maximizing on-
site renewable energy, and purchasing renewable energy certificates. In addition to those, it is also looking at
increasing the use of green-labeled and low-emission materials and products.
One notable project that exemplifies its commitment to green construction is The Estella, a residential
development. It was the first project in Vietnam to receive BCA's Green Mark Gold Award in 2012.
Some of the green initiatives at The Estella include solar roof panels, use of low Volatile Organic Compound
paint and low emission formaldehyde composite wood. The development also features thoughtfully designed
elements such as natural ventilation-enabled interiors.
As part of Keppel’s sustainability strategy, Keppel increased its use of renewable energy. The photovoltaic panels
installed on Keppel’s residential and commercial developments in Vietnam have generated an energy yield of
nearly 150,000 kWh over the past three years. Celesta Avenue, the newest addition to CELESTA City, will be
developed with water-efficient drip irrigation controlled by rain sensors and solar lighting for the streets.
“With many countries and companies making net-zero pledges, including Vietnam, we see immense
opportunities where Keppel can harness our strong capabilities and experience to help other companies along
their decarbonization journey. Through our sustainable urban renewal initiative, we look forward to actively
contributing to Vietnam's efforts to achieve net-zero by retrofitting older buildings and turning them into energy-
efficient ones. Through these efforts, we contribute to combatting climate change and in building a more
sustainable future for the country,” Foo added. (Vietnam Investment Review – November 21)
Document VENEWS0020231123ejbn00027

BUSINESS EXPENDITURE
Sustainability can be a net positive for businesses
2,073 words
22 November 2023
VENEWS
English
Experts across a raft of sectors have agreed that while sustainable development demands substantial initial
capital, it is essential to recognize it not as an expense, but an investment in the future.
At VIR’s conference on sustainable development held on November 16 in Hanoi, a myriad of business

representatives, government figures, and industry insiders came together to delve into the unique issues Vietnam
is dealing with in terms of sustainable development. As a developing country with many challenges, it was
agreed that the nation needs a business community with high awareness of responsibility and proactive action.
While high costs might be the biggest deterrence for businesses on the sustainable path, according to Dao Xuan
Lai, head of the Climate Change and Environment Department at the United Nations Development Program
Vietnam, in the long run, such investment will help save companies costs.
“In order to achieve net-zero targets by 2050, it is not enough for businesses to stop at corporate social
responsibility (CSR). While it is mostly associated with voluntary actions, sustainability is now a responsibility,”
he explained. “Contrary to common belief, sustainability also presents opportunities, in terms of reputation,
carbon credits and international cooperation.”
Lai cited an example from the renewable energy sector, emphasizing that along with Vietnam’s sustainability
commitment, the country can draw assistance from developed nations and international organizations, ensuring
not only domestic energy security but also export opportunities.
“A notable example would be the recent cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore, allowing us to export
renewable energy to this island. This also presents significant growth opportunities for Vietnamese businesses,”
he said.
In the same vein, Le Viet Anh, director general of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources, and
Environment under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, believes that businesses should embrace the
investment mindset towards sustainability.
“Once we are clear about the future, with recognition and persistent implementation, the outcomes will yield
much greater returns than the initial expenses,” he assessed.
Speaking from a business perspective, Bui Bich Lien, director of health and beauty suppliers EMcom JSC.,
explained that the cost-saving benefit can further be transferred to the consumer side of the equation.
“Compared to conventional cleaning products on the market, many people say ours are expensive. However,
considering the price range of organic and imported bioproducts with multi-layered functions and benefits, we
are quite affordable,” Lien said.
As for Hoiana Resort & Golf, its sustainable development activities are based on the pillars of education,
environment, healthcare, and improved living standards, as shared by CEO and chairman Steven Wolstenholme.
“It’s not easy to cover all aspects, but we try as much as we can. We have been conducting many projects that
have long-lasting influence besides regular green activities like picking up rubbish and cleaning surrounding
areas,” Wolstenholme said. “We have about 15,000sq.m of solar power panels to generate electricity, and an
organic waste recycling machine to alter by-products from restaurants and leftovers into organic compost.”

Dr. Le Thi Hong Na, director of Sustainable Development Strategy at Phuc Khang Corporation, said that the
company’s CSR activities have always gone hand-in-hand with its core business activities in the past 14 years.
“During the research and formulation of ESG strategies, we found that the company’s CSR activities, to some
extent, align with ESG indicators. That helped us in introducing relevant strategies, with specific activities
clearly defined,” Na said.
She emphasized that practicing ESG did not entirely change the company’s nature, strategy, or operations.
Rather, it helped the company gain a clearer view of the direction and choose a suitable and sustainable
development path.
“ESG serves both as a measure and a motivation to drive business development. In practice, businesses that have
adopted the criteria have done so at various levels, not starting from scratch. However, it is a long-term process
that requires substantial and serious investment from businesses. This is the right strategy to help businesses
establish a common standard, sustainable development, and contribute to the community and society,” she said.
Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment
The digital economy, circular economy, and green growth are increasingly becoming the chosen development
models globally, and sci-tech and innovation are becoming decisive factors in each country’s competitive ability.
Vietnam’s socioeconomic development strategy for 2021-2030 reflects the nation’s aspiration for a sustainable
economy.
However, there are some upcoming challenges. The global economy is expected to change rapidly with complex
developments. Domestically, economic growth confronts challenges including urbanization pressures,
environmental pollution, sustainable resource usage, and the escalating severity of natural disasters and climate
change.
Resource mobilization for future needs, especially in the post-pandemic context, is expected to be challenging.
Compared to before the pandemic hit, the national budget revenue to GDP ratio has shown a declining trend.
Post-2010, as Vietnam entered the lower-middle-income group, official development assistance significantly
reduced. The domestic private sector’s role in driving economic growth and sustainable development has not met
our expectations.
In this challenging environment, achieving green growth and sustainable development is seen as both a challenge
and an opportunity for the business community and its investors.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment proposes key solutions on the national focal point for green growth. To
drive and transform the implementation of sustainable development goals, we need to improve and enhance the
quality of our socialist-oriented market economy institutions and strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of
policy implementation through public administrative reform.
Emphasis must be on the need for continuous investment in human resources, sci-tech, innovation, and the
completion of modern and synchronized economic and social infrastructure systems. These are essential to
enhance productivity and promote sustainable economic growth.
Other focus areas include macroeconomic stability, post-pandemic recovery support, the efficient mobilisation
and use of financial resources for sustainable development, and social security system reform. Environmental
protection, climate change response, disaster prevention, and the promotion of green and circular economies are
also key priorities.
Le Viet Anh, Director general Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources, and Environment Ministry
of Planning and Investment

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) sees the improvement in responsibility and specific actions of
businesses related to green growth and sustainable development. Our actions and responsibilities are not only for
today’s society but also for the future of all humanity.
Vietnam is appreciated for its commitment and deployment of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The MPI is organizing the implementation of the UN’s latest initiatives to innovate the implementation of these
goals. The prime minister issued Decision No.841/QD-TTg in July on the roadmap for the implementation of
Vietnam’s SDGs by 2030 to update and adjust the targets.
This is pivotal because there were many fluctuations and uncertainties last year, so the roadmap must be
recalculated and become a foundation and reference for businesses to deploy.
We hope that businesses will learn more about existing policies related to green growth and sustainable
development to receive support, and then propose additional policies for us to synthesize and consider in the
time coming.
A specific standard that businesses can refer to is the national green economic sector system that the MPI is
building and will submit to the prime minister for promulgation in the near future. After being integrated with the
statistical economic industry system, this will be the green classification applied in investment, credit, and
banking, and we will have a very obvious legal corridor to recognize the efforts of businesses and provide
benefits and support for businesses.
With such a clear policy system, businesses can be more confident in making decisions on spending on green
growth and sustainable development, which is not a cost but an investment for the future. If we are aware of the
future, we will devote adequate resources to it, then the results received will be much greater than the initial
costs spent.
Vu Minh Ly, Deputy director of the Communication Centre for Environmental Resources, Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment
Every action of businesses will contribute to the Vietnam’s net-zero journey to become closer to the goal set
forth.
The journey to net-zero cannot be quick and easy: there is still a lot of work to transform technology and
consumption, as well as transform from linear production processes to circular economy, which requires a lot of
resources and capital. Reducing the use of natural resources and fossil fuels in production and business of every
enterprises is contributing to the journey.
The Law on Environmental Protection and Decree No.08/2022/ND-CP detailing a number of articles of the law
provided numerous instructions for businesses in the transition process. Moreover, businesses can access the
Environmental Protection Fund to offer some funds for green projects.
After extended producer responsibility rules take effect from January 2024, more and more recycling businesses
in many fields will be established and developed.
I hope there will be more projects aimed at environmental protection and sustainable development – issues that
the whole world cares about. We have just worked with UNESCO Vietnam on implementing the national
initiative on education for sustainable development, hoping to be paid attention by all of businesses.
Sustainable development must start from educating children, providing knowledge to teachers, and the entire
community.
Le Anh, Sustainability director DuyTan Plastics Recycling
We have 36 years of operation in the industry, and the company currently invests in a high-tech factory to recycle
every bottle after use. If before, these only had one life cycle, now they have a lifespan 50 times longer.

While many people think of recycling as a responsibility but, in reality, it is an opportunity and a market. The
world over, waste has now become a resource. However, how to exploit and use it efficiently and effectively
depends on us.
In Vietnam, there are associations that bring together recycling units such as those for packaging, metal, and
plastic products. All of this is refreshing the recycling industry here and brings great expectations for a cleaner
and greener environment that will benefit the whole society.
The current situation in Vietnam and elsewhere in other Southeast Asian countries is that the classification of
waste at source is not carried out strongly enough. Of every 100 tons of plastic we collect, only half is suitable to
be recycled into plastic bottles. The rest must be recycled into other products.
Poor classification causes a low recycling rate. By around 2025, we will apply classification at source
completely. We hope that consumers who are still hesitant about recycled products will be educated and many
programs to raise awareness and recycle more products will also be implemented.
Wong Wai Foo, Head of Sustainable Urban Renewal in Vietnam, Keppel Corporation
Our real estate division is undertaking various measures such as phasing out the use of non-essential diesel
equipment, achieving high green building standards for all our new commercial developments, improving the
energy efficiency of existing buildings through energy optimization and digitalization strategies, maximizing on-
site renewable energy, and purchasing renewable energy certificates. We are also looking at increasing the use of
green-labeled and low-emission materials and products.
One notable project that exemplifies our commitment to green construction is The Estella, our residential
development. It was the first project in Vietnam to receive BCA’s Green Mark Gold Award in 2012. Some of the
green initiatives at The Estella include solar roof panels, use of low volatile organic compound paint, and low
emission formaldehyde composite wood.
As part of Keppel’s sustainability strategy, we have increased our use of renewable energy. The photovoltaic
panels installed on Keppel’s residential and commercial developments in Vietnam have generated an energy
yield of nearly 150,000kWh over the past three years. Celesta Avenue, the newest addition to CELESTA City,
will also be developed with water-efficient drip irrigation controlled by rain sensors and solar lighting for the
streets. (Vietnam Investment Review – November 21)
Document VENEWS0020231122ejbm0000x

Investment opportunities open in Vietnam s green real estate market
Bich Ngoc
773 words
21 November 2023
VNAMIR
English
As Vietnam continues to undergo rapid urbanisation underpinned by economic growth and an expanding middle
class coupled with the improvement in infrastructure networks the country continues to offer tremendous
opportunities for investors according to Wong Wai Foo head of Sustainable Urban Renewal in Vietnam Keppel
Corporation at the Sustainable Development 2023 conference held by em Vietnam Investment Review em on
November 16
Click to view image.
Since entering Vietnam more than three decades ago, Keppel has grown with Vietnam and is, today, one of the
“As a global asset manager and operator with deep capabilities in infrastructure, real estate, and connectivity,
Keppel can bring in global financial investors, who will contribute capital to fund the development of more
solutions and assets that are also smarter and greener,” said Foo.
“We will leverage our strong track record in the development and operation of such assets to provide critical
infrastructure and services for renewables, clean energy, decarbonisation, sustainable urban renewal and digital
connectivity to Vietnam.”
A good example is the Keppel Vietnam Fund. This private fund is combining capital from Keppel and global
institutional investors to co-invest in residential developments, commercial properties as well as mixed-use
projects and townships, especially ones that are smart and sustainable, in Vietnam. To date, the Keppel Vietnam
Fund has invested alongside Keppel in five high-quality residential projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The company is collaborating with Khang Dien to develop two smart and sustainable residential projects in Thu
Duc city, Ho Chi Minh City. When completed, the development will set the benchmark of the residential projects
landscape as well as contribute to the sustainable urban space in Thu Duc.
In addition, it is also looking to implement sustainable urban renewal technologies at its projects and will work
with best-in-class local and international partners to incorporate innovative urban solutions such as smart
security, smart mobility and environmental infrastructure solutions into projects to make them more energy-
saving.
“We believe that sustainable urban renewal is a compelling solution for Vietnam as the country advances on its
journey to net zero,” Foo added.
Apart from real estate, Keppel sees promising opportunities in the energy and data centre sectors, given the
growing emphasis on green and circular economy in Vietnam.
It is making significant progress in these sectors, notably, with the launch of the Operations Nerve Centre to offer
long-term 'Energy-as-a-Service' solutions to many domestic customers.
“This initiative not only delivers exceptional economic value to our customers but also contributes to enhancing
community wellbeing and advancing Vietnam’s sustainable development,” Foo added.
At Keppel, its real estate division is undertaking various measures such as phasing out the use of non-essential
diesel equipment, achieving high green building standards for all new commercial developments, improving the

energy efficiency of existing buildings through energy optimisation and digitalisation strategies, maximising on-
site renewable energy, and purchasing renewable energy certificates. In addition to those, it is also looking at
increasing the use of green-labelled and low-emission materials and products.
One notable project that exemplifies its commitment to green construction is The Estella, a residential
development. It was the first project in Vietnam to receive BCA's Green Mark Gold Award in 2012.
Some of the green initiatives at The Estella include solar roof panels, use of low Volatile Organic Compound
paint and low emission formaldehyde composite wood. The development also features thoughtfully designed
elements such as natural ventilation-enabled interiors.
As part of Keppel’s sustainability strategy, Keppel increased its use of renewable energy. The photovoltaic panels
installed on Keppel’s residential and commercial developments in Vietnam have generated an energy yield of
nearly 150,000 kWh over the past three years. Celesta Avenue, the newest addition to CELESTA City, will be
developed with water-efficient drip irrigation controlled by rain sensors and solar lighting for the streets.
“With many countries and companies making net-zero pledges, including Vietnam, we see immense
opportunities where Keppel can harness our strong capabilities and experience to help other companies along
their decarbonisation journey. Through our sustainable urban renewal initiative, we look forward to actively
contributing to Vietnam's efforts to achieve net-zero by retrofitting older buildings and turning them into energy-
efficient ones. Through these efforts, we contribute to combatting climate change and in building a more
sustainable future for the country,” Foo added.
Document VNAMIR0020231122ejbl00006

Linh Le
2,170 words
21 November 2023
VNAMIR
English
Experts across a raft of sectors have agreed that while sustainable development demands substantial initial
capital it is essential to recognise it not as an expense but an investment in the future
A range of topics were addressed at last week’s conference, from green financing and modernising agriculture to
applying ESG, Photo: Chi Cuong
At VIR’s conference on sustainable development held on November 16 in Hanoi, a myriad of business

representatives, government figures, and industry insiders came together to delve into the unique issues Vietnam
is dealing with in terms of sustainable development. As a developing country with many challenges, it was
agreed that the nation needs a business community with high awareness of responsibility and proactive action.
While high costs might be the biggest deterrence for businesses on the sustainable path, according to Dao Xuan
Lai, head of the Climate Change and Environment Department at the United Nations Development Programme
Vietnam, in the long run, such investment will help save companies costs.
“In order to achieve net-zero targets by 2050, it is not enough for businesses to stop at corporate social
responsibility (CSR). While it is mostly associated with voluntary actions, sustainability is now a responsibility,”
he explained. “Contrary to common belief, sustainability also presents opportunities, in terms of reputation,
carbon credits and international cooperation.”
Lai cited an example from the renewable energy sector, emphasising that along with Vietnam’s sustainability
commitment, the country can draw assistance from developed nations and international organisations, ensuring
not only domestic energy security but also export opportunities.
“A notable example would be the recent cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore, allowing us to export
renewable energy to this island. This also presents significant growth opportunities for Vietnamese businesses,”
he said.
In the same vein, Le Viet Anh, director general of the Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources, and
Environment under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, believes that businesses should embrace the
investment mindset towards sustainability.
“Once we are clear about the future, with recognition and persistent implementation, the outcomes will yield
much greater returns than the initial expenses,” he assessed.
Speaking from a business perspective, Bui Bich Lien, director of health and beauty suppliers EMcom JSC.,
explained that the cost-saving benefit can further be transferred to the consumer side of the equation.
“Compared to conventional cleaning products on the market, many people say ours are expensive. However,
considering the price range of organic and imported bioproducts with multi-layered functions and benefits, we
are quite affordable,” Lien said.
As for Hoiana Resort & Golf, its sustainable development activities are based on the pillars of education,
environment, healthcare, and improved living standards, as shared by CEO and chairman Steven Wolstenholme.
“It’s not easy to cover all aspects, but we try as much as we can. We have been conducting many projects that
have long-lasting influence besides regular green activities like picking up rubbish and cleaning surrounding
areas,” Wolstenholme said. “We have about 15,000sq.m of solar power panels to generate electricity, and an
organic waste recycling machine to alter by-products from restaurants and leftovers into organic compost.”

Dr. Le Thi Hong Na, director of Sustainable Development Strategy at Phuc Khang Corporation, said that the
company’s CSR activities have always gone hand-in-hand with its core business activities in the past 14 years.
“During the research and formulation of ESG strategies, we found that the company’s CSR activities, to some
extent, align with ESG indicators. That helped us in introducing relevant strategies, with specific activities
clearly defined,” Na said.
She emphasised that practising ESG did not entirely change the company’s nature, strategy, or operations.
Rather, it helped the company gain a clearer view of the direction and choose a suitable and sustainable
development path.
“ESG serves both as a measure and a motivation to drive business development. In practice, businesses that have
adopted the criteria have done so at various levels, not starting from scratch. However, it is a long-term process
that requires substantial and serious investment from businesses. This is the right strategy to help businesses
establish a common standard, sustainable development, and contribute to the community and society,” she said.
Tran Quoc Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment
The digital economy, circular economy, and green growth are increasingly becoming the chosen development
models globally, and sci-tech and innovation are becoming decisive factors in each country’s competitive ability.
Vietnam’s socioeconomic development strategy for 2021-2030 reflects the nation’s aspiration for a sustainable
economy.
However, there are some upcoming challenges. The global economy is expected to change rapidly with complex
developments. Domestically, economic growth confronts challenges including urbanisation pressures,
environmental pollution, sustainable resource usage, and the escalating severity of natural disasters and climate
change.
Resource mobilisation for future needs, especially in the post-pandemic context, is expected to be challenging.
Compared to before the pandemic hit, the national budget revenue to GDP ratio has shown a declining trend.
Post-2010, as Vietnam entered the lower-middle-income group, official development assistance significantly
reduced. The domestic private sector’s role in driving economic growth and sustainable development has not met
our expectations.
In this challenging environment, achieving green growth and sustainable development is seen as both a challenge
and an opportunity for the business community and its investors.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment proposes key solutions on the national focal point for green growth. To
drive and transform the implementation of sustainable development goals, we need to improve and enhance the
quality of our socialist-oriented market economy institutions and strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of
policy implementation through public administrative reform.
Emphasis must be on the need for continuous investment in human resources, sci-tech, innovation, and the
completion of modern and synchronised economic and social infrastructure systems. These are essential to
enhance productivity and promote sustainable economic growth.
Other focus areas include macroeconomic stability, post-pandemic recovery support, the efficient mobilisation
and use of financial resources for sustainable development, and social security system reform. Environmental
protection, climate change response, disaster prevention, and the promotion of green and circular economies are
also key priorities.
Le Viet Anh, Director general Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources, and Environment Ministry
of Planning and Investment
The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) sees the improvement in responsibility and specific actions of
businesses related to green growth and sustainable development. Our actions and responsibilities are not only for

today’s society but also for the future of all humanity.
Vietnam is appreciated for its commitment and deployment of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The MPI is organising the implementation of the UN’s latest initiatives to innovate the implementation of these
goals. The prime minister issued Decision No.841/QD-TTg in July on the roadmap for the implementation of
Vietnam’s SDGs by 2030 to update and adjust the targets.
This is pivotal because there were many fluctuations and uncertainties last year, so the roadmap must be
recalculated and become a foundation and reference for businesses to deploy.
We hope that businesses will learn more about existing policies related to green growth and sustainable
development to receive support, and then propose additional policies for us to synthesise and consider in the time
coming.
A specific standard that businesses can refer to is the national green economic sector system that the MPI is
building and will submit to the prime minister for promulgation in the near future. After being integrated with the
statistical economic industry system, this will be the green classification applied in investment, credit, and
banking, and we will have a very obvious legal corridor to recognise the efforts of businesses and provide
benefits and support for businesses.
With such a clear policy system, businesses can be more confident in making decisions on spending on green
growth and sustainable development, which is not a cost but an investment for the future. If we are aware of the
future, we will devote adequate resources to it, then the results received will be much greater than the initial
costs spent.
Vu Minh Ly, Deputy director of the Communication Centre for Environmental Resources, Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment
Every action of businesses will contribute to the Vietnam’s net-zero journey to become closer to the goal set
forth.
The journey to net-zero cannot be quick and easy: there is still a lot of work to transform technology and
consumption, as well as transform from linear production processes to circular economy, which requires a lot of
resources and capital. Reducing the use of natural resources and fossil fuels in production and business of every
enterprises is contributing to the journey.
The Law on Environmental Protection and Decree No.08/2022/ND-CP detailing a number of articles of the law
provided numerous instructions for businesses in the transition process. Moreover, businesses can access the
Environmental Protection Fund to offer some funds for green projects.
After extended producer responsibility rules take effect from January 2024, more and more recycling businesses
in many fields will be established and developed.
I hope there will be more projects aimed at environmental protection and sustainable development – issues that
the whole world cares about. We have just worked with UNESCO Vietnam on implementing the national
initiative on education for sustainable development, hoping to be paid attention by all of businesses.
Sustainable development must start from educating children, providing knowledge to teachers, and the entire
community.
Le Anh, Sustainability director DuyTan Plastics Recycling
We have 36 years of operation in the industry, and the company currently invests in a high-tech factory to recycle
every bottle after use. If before, these only had one life cycle, now they have a lifespan 50 times longer.

While many people think of recycling as a responsibility but, in reality, it is an opportunity and a market. The
world over, waste has now become a resource. However, how to exploit and use it efficiently and effectively
depends on us.
In Vietnam, there are associations that bring together recycling units such as those for packaging, metal, and
plastic products. All of this is refreshing the recycling industry here and brings great expectations for a cleaner
and greener environment that will benefit the whole society.
The current situation in Vietnam and elsewhere in other Southeast Asian countries is that the classification of
waste at source is not carried out strongly enough. Of every 100 tonnes of plastic we collect, only half is suitable
to be recycled into plastic bottles. The rest must be recycled into other products.
Poor classification causes a low recycling rate. By around 2025, we will apply classification at source
completely. We hope that consumers who are still hesitant about recycled products will be educated and many
programmes to raise awareness and recycle more products will also be implemented.
Wong Wai Foo, Head of Sustainable Urban Renewal in Vietnam, Keppel Corporation
Our real estate division is undertaking various measures such as phasing out the use of non-essential diesel
equipment, achieving high green building standards for all our new commercial developments, improving the
energy efficiency of existing buildings through energy optimisation and digitalisation strategies, maximising on-
site renewable energy, and purchasing renewable energy certificates. We are also looking at increasing the use of
green-labelled and low-emission materials and products.
development. It was the first project in Vietnam to receive BCA’s Green Mark Gold Award in 2012. Some of the
green initiatives at The Estella include solar roof panels, use of low volatile organic compound paint, and low
emission formaldehyde composite wood.
yield of nearly 150,000kWh over the past three years. Celesta Avenue, the newest addition to CELESTA City,
will also be developed with water-efficient drip irrigation controlled by rain sensors and solar lighting for the
streets.
Business community takes responsibility for sustainable development SABECO's principles and commitments
towards sustainable development Technology investment key to sustainable agriculture Views offered at
Sustainable Development 2023 conference VIR honours firms committed to sustainable development VIR
honours businesses with sustainable development commitments Hoiana Resort & Golf emphasises sustainable
development goals Vinamilk invests in sustainable development solutions SLP Vietnam empowering
sustainable development in the logistics sector Tien Phong Plastic striving for sustainable development
Traphaco: Sustainable development via a green value chain
Document VNAMIR0020231121ejbl00004

US firms express interest to invest in technology, aerospace in Ho Chi Minh City
429 words
18 November 2023
Tuoi Tre Newspaper
TUOTRE
English
Copyright 2023 Tuoi Tre Newspaper
Multiple U.S. companies said they wanted to invest in the fields of technology, energy, healthcare, aerospace,
and others in Ho Chi Minh City, heard participants at a meeting held in San Francisco on Thursday (local time).
The meeting gathered chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City administration Phan Van Mai and representatives of
nearly 30 major U.S. enterprises operating in energy, infrastructure development, hi-tech, information
technology, finance, and innovation.
The event was part of Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong's trip to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Week in San Francisco from Tuesday to Friday this week.
Speaking at the meeting, David Lewis, chairman and CEO of Energy Capital Vietnam, pledged that the company
will invest in innovation and green energy in the upcoming time.
Energy Capital Vietnam was established in 2017 by a group of experienced investors and experts in energy and
infrastructure development.
Patrick Sweeney, vice-president at Business Executives for National Security (BENS), said many BENS member
companies look to invest in technology, aerospace, defense, finance, healthcare, and energy in Ho Chi Minh City.
At the event, the Ho Chi Minh City chairman stressed that the city is aware of its pioneering role in executing
cooperation activities, with a focus on developing hi-tech, semiconductor, digital economy, and green economy
sectors.
Mai also briefed the U.S. investors on the southern Vietnamese metropolis' green and sustainable development
strategies.
The Vietnamese city had completed its green growth strategic framework until 2030 with a vision to 2050, Mai
continued.
The city encourages green consumption behaviors, green transportation, and green construction and prioritizes
investment in hi-tech, green startup, innovation, and green tourism projects.
Mai also called on U.S. firms to invest in renewable energy and green transportation projects in the city.
The head of the Ho Chi Minh City administration revealed that his city wishes to approach green credit and
green finance programs.
The Ho Chi Minh City administration on Thursday also held an investment promotion conference in San
Francisco, where U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper highlighted the favorable conditions in the
investment climate of the Vietnamese city and called on U.S. firms to make further investment in the city.
At the conference, Vietnamese and U.S. enterprises signed and exchanged four memoranda of understanding
(MoU) and two letters of intent to bolster green growth and hi-tech projects.
Like us on Facebookorfollow us on Twitterto get the latest news about Vietnam!
Document TUOTRE0020231118ejbi000b5

Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co Ltd
MarketLine Company Profiles, 9 November 2023, 5199 words, (English)
Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co LtdSumitomo Osaka Cement Co Ltd (Sumitomo Osaka)
is a manufacturer and supplier construction materials. It produces
concrete, aggregates, and cement. The company carries out the supply of
construction materials, ...
REAL ESTATE
Vietnam has over 300 green buildings
303 words
2 October 2023
VENEWS
English
Vietnam now has over 300 projects meeting green construction standards with a total floor area of around 7.2
million square meters, said Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van.
Van was speaking at the Vietnam Green Building Week 2023, held by the Ministry of Construction in HCMC
with main activities taking place on September 27-28.
The number of green buildings in the country has increased in recent years, including hotels, shopping malls,
industrial facilities, office buildings and government offices.
However, Van acknowledged that the growth of green buildings in Vietnam remains relatively slow. As Vietnam
currently lacks mandatory requirements for green construction, the development of green buildings has been
driven by authorities’ encouragement and local enterprises’ voluntary efforts, he added.
HCMC leads the nation in terms of the number of green buildings, with 67 projects, and ranks second in terms of
certified green building floor space, covering 1.3 million square meters.
Maria Joao Pateguana, a private sector investment specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), pointed out
that investors still have reservations due to the relatively high costs of green buildings and a lack of full
understanding of their benefits. Additionally, Vietnam faces a shortage of green financing providers, and
enterprises struggle to secure funding.
She said ADB will offer support and capacity-building initiatives for experts, markets, and enterprises to
improve access to green financing.
The event highlights the commitment of the Ministry of Construction and the People’s Committee of HCMC to
promote efficient use of energy and resources as well as environmental preservation.
The event is expected to provide an opportunity for experts, enterprises, consulting firms, banks, agencies,
international organizations, and construction professionals to collaborate in advancing the green transformation
of the construction sector. (Viet Nam Net – October 2)
Document VENEWS0020231002eja20001u

REAL ESTATE
Vietnamese enterprises Phuc Khang applies green building standards to reduce carbon emissions
784 words
26 September 2023
VENEWS
English
Phuc Khang Corporation (PKC) paid early attention to green construction. The projects invested and developed
by the business aim to optimise energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions, and benefit the environment.
To date, carbon emissions from building operations have reached an all-time high of around 10 gigatons of CO2.
This figure is an increase of about 5 per cent compared to 2020 and 2 per cent higher than the previous peak in
2019.
Therefore, reducing carbon emissions in construction projects plays an essential role in achieving an overall
reduction. The World Green Building Council (WGBC) has developed a vision and action framework up to
2030.
In particular, all newly built construction projects must have zero operational carbon and reduce their associated
energy by 40 per cent in terms of embodied carbon. By 2050, all buildings (both existing and new) must achieve-
zero operational carbon, with new constructions having to achieve zero carbon content. Measured over the entire
life cycle of the building, a zero-carbon construction is one with zero operating and zero embodied carbon.
To have a zero-carbon building, it is necessary to prioritize high-efficiency solutions and provide all the
building's energy needs with renewable energy.
To have a project with zero carbon content, it is necessary to minimize carbon content as much as possible by
renovating the building and replacing construction materials, as well as mitigating the remaining amount by
exchanging carbon credits. According to the WGBC, a figure of less than 10 per cent of carbon emissions is
required to be classified as net-zero.
In Vietnam, Decree No.06/2022/ND-CP dated January 2022 includes regulations on protecting the ozone layer
and minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Vietnam targets a reduction of 563.8 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) by 2030. Of which, the Ministry of
Construction's GHG emission reduction target is 74.3 million tons of CO2eq in all process from industrial
manufacturing and cement production, to construction and operations.
Decree 06 also regulates that GHG-emitting facilities must carry out a GHG inventory. This means that
businesses and commercial buildings will have their GHG emissions controlled. Therefore, firms must soon
make changes to meet new requirements. In cases where the emissions exceed the allowed quota, businesses can
choose an alternative solution through exchanging carbon credits on the market.
From the general trends and strategies above, being able to attract green capital into real estate requires green
products and projects. Thus, the carbon credit market will be a driving force for real estate development.
In this context, real estate businesses can proactively transform and pioneer in participating in the carbon credit
market by producing products aimed at net-zero carbon criteria.
In recent years, Vietnam has issued legal frameworks and policies to form carbon markets through decrees,
decisions, and circulars. In particular, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has developed a draft
project based on Decision 06 named Developing the carbon market in Vietnam.

PKC, with its orientation as a green building developer, soon after its foundation in 2009 had launched the
mission on pioneering the creation of a better lifestyle for public health and a sustainable humanistic ecological
environment according to global green standards.
PKC has mapped out different strategies to reduce carbon emissions, such as the commitment to apply green
building standards to all real estate projects developed by the company, including LEED, LOTUS, EDGE, and
Green Mark standards.
This strategy is applied according to appropriate types and segments of projects, aiming to apply green standards
to all new urban areas that PKC develops.
Raising environmental awareness, especially on forest protection, and using renewable energy are top priorities
for PKC. The company is committed to using wood that has a clear origin according to the standards of the
Forest Stewardship Council, and solar power is set to play a significant role in meeting its energy needs.
Solar power systems are being designed and constructed on the roofs of projects, employee parking lots, and
public areas of PKC's projects.
PKC has also increased investment in clean technology and smart and automated management systems. These
systems are installed at all projects to optimize the building's energy consumption. These include automatic
sensor systems that turn lights on and off, inverter air conditioning systems, automatic watering systems, and
many others.
To reduce emissions from industrial production procedures, PKC's top priority is to use local construction
materials to reduce energy consumption related to transportation. Specifically, PKC prioritizes using materials
such as unburnt bricks to reduce GHG emissions rather than the currently fired bricks. (Vietnam Investment
Review – September 25)
Document VENEWS0020230926ej9q00028

Phuc Khang applies green building standards to reduce carbon emissions
Bich Ngoc
838 words
25 September 2023
VNAMIR
English
Phuc Khang Corporation PKC paid early attention to green construction The projects invested and developed
by the business aim to optimise energy consumption reduce carbon emissions and benefit the environment
To date, carbon emissions from building operations have reached an all-time high of around 10 gigatons of CO2.
This figure is an increase of about 5 per cent compared to 2020 and 2 per cent higher than the previous peak in
2019.
Therefore, reducing carbon emissions in construction projects plays an essential role in achieving an overall
reduction. The World Green Building Council (WGBC) has developed a vision and action framework up to
2030.
In particular, all newly built construction projects must have zero operational carbon and reduce their associated
energy by 40 per cent in terms of embodied carbon. By 2050, all buildings (both existing and new) must achieve-
zero operational carbon, with new constructions having to achieve zero carbon content. Measured over the entire
life cycle of the building, a zero-carbon construction is one with zero operating and zero embodied carbon.
Diamond Lotus Riverside by PKP has been researched and applied many strategies to reduce its carbon
emissions
To have a zero-carbon building, it is necessary to prioritise high-efficiency solutions and provide all the
building's energy needs with renewable energy.
To have a project with zero carbon content, it is necessary to minimise carbon content as much as possible by
renovating the building and replacing construction materials, as well as mitigating the remaining amount by
exchanging carbon credits. According to the WGBC, a figure of less than 10 per cent of carbon emissions is
required to be classified as net-zero.
In Vietnam, Decree No.06/2022/ND-CP dated January 2022 includes regulations on protecting the ozone layer
and minimising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Vietnam targets a reduction of 563.8 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) by 2030. Of which, the Ministry of
Construction's GHG emission reduction target is 74.3 million tons of CO2eq in all process from industrial
manufacturing and cement production, to construction and operations.
Decree 06 also regulates that GHG-emitting facilities must carry out a GHG inventory. This means that
businesses and commercial buildings will have their GHG emissions controlled. Therefore, firms must soon
make changes to meet new requirements. In cases where the emissions exceed the allowed quota, businesses can
choose an alternative solution through exchanging carbon credits on the market.
From the general trends and strategies above, being able to attract green capital into real estate requires green
products and projects. Thus, the carbon credit market will be a driving force for real estate development.
In this context, real estate businesses can proactively transform and pioneer in participating in the carbon credit
market by producing products aimed at net-zero carbon criteria.
In recent years, Vietnam has issued legal frameworks and policies to form carbon markets through decrees,
decisions, and circulars. In particular, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has developed a draft
project based on Decision 06 named Developing the carbon market in Vietnam.
PKC, with its orientation as a green building developer, soon after its foundation in 2009 had launched the

mission on pioneering the creation of a better lifestyle for public health and a sustainable humanistic ecological
environment according to global green standards.
Luu Thi Thanh Mau, CEO, is dedicated to developing green buildings and applying strategies to reduce carbon
emissions in Phuc Khang Corporation's real estate products
PKC has mapped out different strategies to reduce carbon emissions, such as the commitment to apply green
building standards to all real estate projects developed by the company, including LEED, LOTUS, EDGE, and
Green Mark standards.
This strategy is applied according to appropriate types and segments of projects, aiming to apply green standards
to all new urban areas that PKC develops.
Raising environmental awareness, especially on forest protection, and using renewable energy are top priorities
for PKC. The company is committed to using wood that has a clear origin according to the standards of the
Forest Stewardship Council, and solar power is set to play a significant role in meeting its energy needs.
Solar power systems are being designed and constructed on the roofs of projects, employee parking lots, and
public areas of PKC's projects.
PKC has also increased investment in clean technology and smart and automated management systems. These
systems are installed at all projects to optimise the building's energy consumption. These include automatic
sensor systems that turn lights on and off, inverter air conditioning systems, automatic watering systems, and
many others.
To reduce emissions from industrial production procedures, PKC's top priority is to use local construction
materials to reduce energy consumption related to transportation. Specifically, PKC prioritises using materials
such as unburnt bricks to reduce GHG emissions rather than the currently fired bricks.
The park at the Diamond Lotus Riverside green project retains real greenery while adding many environmentally
friendly initiatives
Document VNAMIR0020230926ej9p00002

Others
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1610 GMT, Sept. 23
283 words
24 September 2023
00:11
Xinhua News Agency
XNEWS
English
Copyright 2023. Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved.
ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani caretaker Minister for Commerce Gohar Ejaz said that his country has been
exploiting all resources to bring the national economy back on track with sustainable growth and development.
Pakistan needed to further enhance exports of manufactured items to earn valuable foreign exchange by
diversifying exports and achieving targets of 80 billion U.S. dollars in exports within the 90-day time frame, the
minister said on Friday. (Pakistan-Economy-Exports)
----
COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka will relax restrictions imposed on imported goods except vehicles in October, a state
minister said on Saturday.
Addressing a conference, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said import restrictions are currently
maintained on 600 HS codes (Harmonized System codes). (Sri Lanka-Import Restrictions)
----
HANOI -- Vietnam's climate investment opportunities will reach up to 757 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, focusing
on renewable energy, green construction, energy efficiency and transportation, according to the latest statistics
of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Vietnam's climate finance sector is still facing significant challenges in ensuring a strong alignment between
major investment opportunities and environmental goals, Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday, citing Allen
Forlemu, IFC's regional industry director for Financial Institutions Group, Asia and Pacific. (Vietnam-Climate-
Investment)
----
PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has called for continued support from the international
community to achieve the country's mine-free goal by 2025.
Hun Manet made the appeal at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York,
the United States on Friday (New York time), according to a statement of his speech released to the media on
Saturday. (Cambodia-Land Mine)
Enditem
Document XNEWS00020230923ej9n00a15

Politics & Law
Xinhua world economic news summary at 0900 GMT, Sept. 23
391 words
23 September 2023
16:55
Xinhua News Agency
XNEWS
English
HANOI -- Vietnam's climate investment opportunities will reach up to 757 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, focusing
on renewable energy, green construction, energy efficiency and transportation, according to the latest statistics
of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Forlemu, IFC's regional industry director for Financial Institutions Group, Asia and Pacific. (Vietnam-Climate-
Investment)
----
AMMAN -- Jordan and the German Development Bank in the kingdom on Friday signed a 22.4-million-euro
(about 23.8 million U.S. dollars) grant agreement to support the Jordanian education sector.
The Jordanian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation said in a statement that the aid will fund
teachers' salaries in public schools that accommodate Syrian students for the academic year 2023/2024. (Jordan-
German Development Bank-Grant-Education Sector)
----
BERLIN -- Residential property prices in Germany fell 9.9 percent in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023, the
sharpest year-on-year decrease since 2000, when the monitoring of housing prices began, the Federal Statistical
Office (Destatis) said Friday.
The downward trend began a year ago with rising interest rates and growing inflation, putting an end to a long
period of cheap financing that previously galvanized the property sector in Germany, according to Destatis.
(Germany-residential property)
----
NAIROBI -- Kenya's foreign exchange reserves experienced a decline of 112 million U.S. dollars this week,
adding pressure on the local currency, the shilling, which reached a historic low of 147 to the dollar, the Central
Bank of Kenya said in its update on the financial markets issued on Friday.
The reserves, as per the apex bank, amounted to 6.95 billion dollars at the week's end, equivalent to 3.76 months
of import cover, marking a decrease from the previous week's figure of 7.06 billion dollars. (Kenya-Forex)
----
MADRID -- Spain's economy grew by 0.5 percent between April and June (second quarter, Q2) this year, the
Spanish Statistical Office (INE) said on Friday.
Q2 growth was higher than 0.6 percent registered in the first quarter of 2023, but 1 percentage point higher than
the preliminary estimate. (Spain-Q2-GDP)

Enditem
Document XNEWS00020230923ej9n005k1

Industry economics
Climate investment opportunities in Vietnam to reach 757 bln USD by 2030
213 words
23 September 2023
15:10
Xinhua News Agency
XNEWS
English
HANOI, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's climate investment opportunities will reach up to 757 billion U.S.
dollars by 2030, focusing on renewable energy, green construction, energy efficiency and transportation,
according to the latest statistics of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Forlemu, IFC's regional industry director for Financial Institutions Group, Asia and Pacific.
He proposed changing the way banks operate and transitioning to sustainability.
The IFC also recommended Vietnam focus on scaling green infrastructure, particularly green energy, green
transport, energy efficiency and green buildings, and the transition from "brown" and heavy industries toward
sustainable and low carbon pathways, exposing an enormous long-term funding gap.
State Bank of Vietnam Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha said the Vietnamese government is introducing a green
finance classification system to promote and guide the expansion of sustainable investments, Vietnam News
Agency reported.
Vietnam made the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, phase out coal power by 2040, and
reduce methane emissions by 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030.
Enditem
Document XNEWS00020230923ej9n004ed

News
Vietnam’s climate finance estimated at US$757 billion by 2030, says IFC
Dat Thanh
368 words
21 September 2023
The Saigon Times Daily
SGTD
English
© 2023 Saigon Times Group
HCMC — The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has estimated that Vietnam’s climate finance demands
could reach US$757 billion by 2030.
This huge investment for climate adaptation projects encompasses sectors such as renewable energy, green
construction, energy efficiency, and transportation, according to Allen Forlemu, IFC’s regional director of
Financial Institutions for the Asia-Pacific.
He spoke at a forum co-held by the IFC and the State Bank of Vietnam on September 21, focusing on the theme
“Greening the financial sector: Accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy in Vietnam.”
Banks and the financial sector are expected to play a pivotal role in scaling up climate financing, said Forlemu,
adding a shift towards sustainable operations in the banking sector is crucial for supporting the journey towards a
low-carbon economy.
Vietnam has historically had low greenhouse gas emissions but has witnessed the fastest increase in emissions
globally over the last two decades. Despite accounting for less than 0.8% of global emissions, the country
emitted 364 million tons of CO2 in 2018.
As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow, its energy usage will rise, inevitably leading to an increase in
greenhouse gas emissions.
This uptick comes at a time when the disruptive effects of climate change are already taking a toll on the
country’s economy, posing a growing risk to its future prosperity.
The situation highlights the critical need—and opportunity—for financial institutions to engage in Vietnam’s
emerging climate finance sector. The Southeast Asian country suffered US$10 billion in losses due to climate
change in 2020, equivalent to 3.2% of its GDP, according to recent data from the Country Environmental
Analysis (CEA).
Pham Thanh Ha, deputy governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, stressed the urgency for the country to meet
environmental targets and viewed this as imperative for businesses and all sectors.
The Government has rolled out various policies, strategies, and plans for sustainable environmental
development. These include the Vietnam Green Growth Strategy (VGGS) and related action plans, as well as
commitments under the country’s National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).
Document SGTD000020230922ej9l00007

IFC: Climate investment opportunities in Vietnam to amount to 757 billion USD by 2030
VNA
356 words
21 September 2023
Vietnam News Agency
VIETNA
English
© 2023 Vietnam News Agency
Hanoi (VNA), Sept. 21 -- The International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates that Vietnam's climate
investment opportunities will reach up to 757 billion USD by 2030, focusing on renewable energy, green
construction, energy efficiency and transportation, said IFC's Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific Financial
Institutions Group Allen Forlemu.
During a seminar co-hosted by the IFC and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) in Hanoi on September 21,
Forlemu said changing the way banks operate and transitioning towards sustainability is absolutely essential.
According to him, climate change response is the cornerstone of the World Bank Group's strategic approach. IFC
works with financial institutions, banks, businesses, and other development partners to provide financing for
critical investment needs in climate change adaptation and mitigation. These essential funding efforts aim to
promote a more sustainable global economy in the face of the impacts of climate change.
Delegates at the event shared global experience in supporting the transition to green banking, with a particular
focus on the importance and opportunities for Vietnam.
SBV Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha said the Vietnamese Government has issued various policies, strategies,
and plans, including the Vietnam Green Growth Strategy (VGGS), related action plans, the National Determined
Contributions (NDCs) and Vietnam's Sustainable Development Goals (VSDGs), which are paving the way for
sustainable green growth in Vietnam.
To achieve the new climate goals, he said Vietnam needs to focus on expanding green infrastructure, especially
in areas such as green energy, green transportation, energy efficiency, and green construction. It should also
shift from heavy and "brown" industries to a low-carbon and sustainable emissions pathway. However, this
transition poses a challenge due to the current shortage of long-term funding sources.
According to him, the Vietnamese Government is in the process of introducing a green finance classification
system to promote and guide the expansion of sustainable investments./.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Vietnam News Agency.
For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at
contentservices@htlive.com
Document VIETNA0020230921ej9l000b6

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam's 300 certified green buildings yet to reach net-zero
561 words
21 September 2023
VENEWS
English
As Vietnam intensifies its focus on sustainability, the nation's progress is spotlighted with a modest tally of 300
certified green buildings. To date, no building in Vietnam has been designed, constructed, or managed to meet
net-zero criteria.
During 2023 Green Building Week in Ho Chi Minh City on September 18, the Ministry of Construction (MoC)
held a dialogue on the policies to promote the development of green buildings.
According to the MoC, while cities globally occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth's surface, they account for over
70 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions.
To keep global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius or lower, urban areas must achieve net-zero
emissions, and Vietnam's government has made a robust commitment to achieving this by 2050.
As a developing nation, Vietnam's economic growth has significantly strained both its infrastructure and
environment, particularly in terms of housing demand, energy consumption, waste management, and escalating
pollution.
In response to these challenges and in pursuit of sustainable, low-carbon growth, the government has initiated
various policies to bolster green construction.
"The concept of green building began its journey globally in the 1990s and soon became a movement, setting the
trend for construction and operational management in over 100 countries and territories. In Vietnam, the
emergence of green buildings can be traced back to between 2005 and 2010," reported the MoC.
"As per the statistics up to Q2/2023, Vietnam boasts nearly 300 green buildings certified to international
standards, including Lotus, Edge, LEED, and Green Mark, covering a combined floor area of around seven
million square meters. Currently, the nation ranks 28th globally in terms of LEED-certified buildings," the report
added.
However, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van remarked, "This figure is rather modest
compared to the actual number of constructions and their operational potential, especially when considering
energy usage, resource conservation, efficiency, and environmental protection."
To date, no building in Vietnam has been designed, constructed, or managed to meet net-zero emissions criteria.
The national program for energy conservation and efficiency from 2019 to 2030, approved by Prime Minister
Pham Minh Chinh in Decision No.280/QD-TTg dated March 2019, aims to certify 80 green buildings by 2025,
with this figure rising to 150 by 2030.
Additionally, the MoC has launched a climate change action plan for the construction sector from 2022-2030,
with a view to 2050, to fulfil Vietnam's commitments from COP26. Measures to encourage energy-efficient and
green construction have been laid out in the 2020 Amendment to the Construction Law and Decree
No.15/2021/ND-CP governing investment project management.
It is evident that green construction, sustainable development, and climate change are paramount in the urban
development and construction sectors. Promoting green building ensures that urbanization benefits both present

and future generations, while also being sympathetic to the natural environment.
Nevertheless, leaders from the MoC acknowledge the challenges in advancing green construction, citing the
impacts of slowing real estate growth, declining consumer demand, and hurdles relating to access to investment
capital and the shortage of skilled project planning and management personnel.
Furthermore, there remains an absence of mandatory regulations for the labeling and certifying of green, energy-
efficient building materials. (Vietnam Investment Review – September 20)
Document VENEWS0020230921ej9l0002d

Vietnam s 300 certified green buildings yet to reach net zero
Trung Duong
560 words
20 September 2023
VNAMIR
English
As Vietnam intensifies its focus on sustainability the nation s progress is spotlighted with a modest tally of 300
certified green buildings To date no building in Vietnam has been designed constructed or managed to meet net
zero criteria
During 2023 Green Building Week in Ho Chi Minh City on September 18, the Ministry of Construction (MoC)
held a dialogue on the policies to promote the development of green buildings.
According to the MoC, while cities globally occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth's surface, they account for over
70 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions.
To keep global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius or lower, urban areas must achieve net-zero
emissions, and Vietnam's government has made a robust commitment to achieving this by 2050.
As a developing nation, Vietnam's economic growth has significantly strained both its infrastructure and
environment, particularly in terms of housing demand, energy consumption, waste management, and escalating
pollution.
In response to these challenges and in pursuit of sustainable, low-carbon growth, the government has initiated
various policies to bolster green construction.
"The concept of green building began its journey globally in the 1990s and soon became a movement, setting the
trend for construction and operational management in over 100 countries and territories. In Vietnam, the
emergence of green buildings can be traced back to between 2005 and 2010," reported the MoC.
"As per the statistics up to Q2/2023, Vietnam boasts nearly 300 green buildings certified to international
standards, including Lotus, Edge, LEED, and Green Mark, covering a combined floor area of around seven
million square metres. Currently, the nation ranks 28th globally in terms of LEED-certified buildings," the report
added.
However, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van remarked, "This figure is rather modest
compared to the actual number of constructions and their operational potential, especially when considering
energy usage, resource conservation, efficiency, and environmental protection."
To date, no building in Vietnam has been designed, constructed, or managed to meet net-zero emissions criteria.
The national programme for energy conservation and efficiency from 2019 to 2030, approved by Prime Minister
Pham Minh Chinh in Decision No.280/QD-TTg dated March 2019, aims to certify 80 green buildings by 2025,
with this figure rising to 150 by 2030.
Additionally, the MoC has launched a climate change action plan for the construction sector from 2022-2030,
with a view to 2050, to fulfil Vietnam's commitments from COP26. Measures to encourage energy-efficient and
green construction have been laid out in the 2020 Amendment to the Construction Law and Decree
No.15/2021/ND-CP governing investment project management.
It is evident that green construction, sustainable development, and climate change are paramount in the urban
development and construction sectors. Promoting green building ensures that urbanisation benefits both present
and future generations, while also being sympathetic to the natural environment.

Nevertheless, leaders from the MoC acknowledge the challenges in advancing green construction, citing the
impacts of slowing real estate growth, declining consumer demand, and hurdles relating to access to investment
capital and the shortage of skilled project planning and management personnel.
Furthermore, there remains an absence of mandatory regulations for the labelling and certifying of green,
energy-efficient building materials.
Document VNAMIR0020230921ej9k0000j

FINANCIAL SERVICES
Vietnam: Embracing Green Finance to Propel Real Estate Sustainability
741 words
19 September 2023
VENEWS
English
In line with the concept of green credit applied across various sectors, green initiatives in construction must
deliver well-defined environmental benefits that are initially assessed, quantified, and subsequently tracked and
reported by the borrowers throughout the project's execution.
The demand for independent verification of sustainable performance throughout the project's lifespan is steadily
increasing among investors.
A Safer Haven with Green Housing
At present, green credits are accessible to a wide array of borrowers, offering low capital costs and favorable
repayment terms. Businesses and enterprises can tap into green credits by segregating green improvement
expenses from their general expenditures. For instance, they can itemize investments in energy-efficient heating
or cooling systems.
Real estate companies must formulate policy frameworks encompassing specific green objectives, such as the
replacement of energy-efficient lighting fixtures, while simultaneously gaining access to a diverse range of
sustainable credits. Many real estate entities are inclined to tie loans to emission reduction targets. These
concessional loans come with variable borrowing costs contingent upon meeting pre-agreed environmental
milestones and achieving Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
For housing products, banks can establish retail segments offering mortgage packages tailored for individuals
seeking to purchase green homes. With substantial housing demand projected for the future and lower associated
risks, this type of green credit product could bolster banks' competitive edge while expanding the market.
Notably, homeowners stand to reap the most significant benefits from green solutions, leading to reduced
electricity and water expenses and an enhanced living environment. This enhances the appeal and safety of green
housing credit products.
The Vietnamese market is on the cusp of embracing green finance opportunities. Green financial products also
empower banks to access preferential funding sources. For instance, the Market Accelerator for Green
Construction (MAGC) Program, collaboration between the UK government and the International Finance
Corporation (IFC), aims to offer favorable financing through intermediary banks to foster green construction
endeavors across various nations, including Vietnam.
Unlocking Green Bonds for Real Estate Enterprises
Additionally, the concept of green bonds (alongside social and sustainable bonds) emerged from the issuance of
bonds by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in 2007, followed by the World Bank's issuance in 2008. Over
time, well-defined standards have been established to delineate the characteristics of green bonds. These bonds
have evolved into an established asset class for institutional investors, boasting significant potential and growth,
evident from the substantial issuance scale in 2020, surpassing the preceding year's issuance despite a brief
recessionary period owing to the pandemic.
Green bonds come with a clear framework governing capital operations, upheld by independent standards-setting
bodies like the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA). While self-certification of the framework and
data pertaining to individual bonds is feasible, independent third-party certification, alongside annual reports
detailing the capital's impact, is considered optimal. The issuance of green bonds by enterprises such as

BIMLand serves as a notable example. This certification is also a prerequisite for inclusion in the London Stock
Exchange's Sustainable Bonds Market, launched in 2019.
Green bonds offer a channel for investors aiming to achieve an environmentally positive financial impact
through their bond investments. This approach enables investors to infuse sustainable and climate-focused
strategies into their investment portfolios. A growing number of organizations that champion environmentally
beneficial outcomes are opting to issue their bonds following green, social, or sustainable bond frameworks.
Enhancing Transparency and Accountability
A September 2021 survey by PwC, one of the world's leading auditing firms, underscores that environmental,
social, and governance (ESG) criteria are now pivotal factors for global top-tier investors. This criterion compels
investors and investee firms to redefine risks inherent in conventional business models and grasp opportunities
that contribute to forging sustainable value in the future. Notably, 79% of survey respondents affirmed that
managing ESG-related risks and opportunities significantly influences their investment decisions, with 49%
expressing a willingness to divest from companies that fail to fully embrace ESG responsibilities.
The resounding message is clear: green finance offers a solution that aids the construction industry in shrinking
its carbon footprint and expediting the transition toward net-zero emissions. However, similar to all asset classes,
it is imperative that environmental ambitions are precisely quantified and transparent, with progress continually
monitored and authenticated through certification.
(*): Project management of green buildings & climate change adaptation of IFC, under WB. (Sai Gon Giai
Phong Online – September 19)
Document VENEWS0020230919ej9j0000l

Banking & Finance
Standard Chartered achieves LEED Gold certification for Hanoi headquarters
Giang Hoang
345 words
6 September 2023
VnEconomy
VNECON
English
Copyright 2023. Tap Chi Kinh Te Viet Nam
Capital Place building secures recognition for its environmentally-friendly design.
The main headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam in Hanoi received the prestigious LEED Gold
certification on September 5, 2023, for its environmentally-friendly design by the LEED Green Building rating
system of the US Green Building Council and verified by Green Business Certification. This reinforces the
bank’s commitment to sustainable development.
The certification marks the success of the bank’s headquarters at the Capital Place building in the categories of
Construction and Interior Design, serving as a prime example of sustainable practices and responsible design.
The office is designed with open spaces, providing a comfortable working environment for employees, while
also incorporating technology, sustainable lighting systems, environmentally-friendly materials and equipment,
real-time indoor air quality monitoring, and WHO-compliant safe drinking water as some of its improvements.
The LEED Gold certification contributes to the bank’s efforts in promoting the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), including improving health and well-being, ensuring clean water sources,
enhancing energy efficiency, and reducing carbon emissions.
In addition, the Capital Place office building has also received LEED and WELL certifications for green
construction, in line with the bank’s efforts to create an environmentally-friendly workspace, conserve energy,
and continually strive toward zero carbon emissions.
“The LEED Gold certification for our premises reflects our shared values and commitment to crafting spaces
that excel in functionality while minimizing our ecological footprint,” said Ms. Michele Wee, CEO of Standard
Chartered Bank Vietnam. “We are very proud of our team for their passion and dedication and working together
to deliver this achievement. Standard Chartered commits to continue to drive sustainable economic growth,
embrace responsible practices and invest in the Vietnamese community.”
The bank has also set a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in its financial activities by 2050, including
reduction targets in the highest carbon-emitting areas, as well as mobilizing $300 billion in sustainable
development financing by 2030.
Click to view image
Document VNECON0020230906ej960000d

BANKING REFORM
Standard Chartered achieves LEED Gold certification for Hanoi headquarters
334 words
6 September 2023
VENEWS
English
The main headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam in Hanoi received the prestigious LEED Gold
certification on September 5, 2023, for its environmentally-friendly design by the LEED Green Building rating
system of the US Green Building Council and verified by Green Business Certification. This reinforces the
bank’s commitment to sustainable development.
The certification marks the success of the bank’s headquarters at the Capital Place building in the categories of
Construction and Interior Design, serving as a prime example of sustainable practices and responsible design.
The office is designed with open spaces, providing a comfortable working environment for employees, while
also incorporating technology, sustainable lighting systems, environmentally-friendly materials and equipment,
real-time indoor air quality monitoring, and WHO-compliant safe drinking water as some of its improvements.
The LEED Gold certification contributes to the bank’s efforts in promoting the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), including improving health and well-being, ensuring clean water sources,
enhancing energy efficiency, and reducing carbon emissions.
In addition, the Capital Place office building has also received LEED and WELL certifications for green
construction, in line with the bank’s efforts to create an environmentally-friendly workspace, conserve energy,
and continually strive toward zero carbon emissions.
“The LEED Gold certification for our premises reflects our shared values and commitment to crafting spaces
that excel in functionality while minimizing our ecological footprint,” said Ms. Michele Wee, CEO of Standard
Chartered Bank Vietnam. “We are very proud of our team for their passion and dedication and working together
to deliver this achievement. Standard Chartered commits to continue to drive sustainable economic growth,
embrace responsible practices and invest in the Vietnamese community.”
The bank has also set a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in its financial activities by 2050, including
reduction targets in the highest carbon-emitting areas, as well as mobilizing $300 billion in sustainable
development financing by 2030. (En.vneconomy.vn – September 6)
Document VENEWS0020230906ej960000i

Other News
HCMC to host green construction conference
Do An
232 words
29 August 2023
SGTD
English
HCMC – The Nordic Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (NordCham), in collaboration with other foreign
chambers of commerce, will organize a green construction conference in HCMC on September 7.
This event will serve as a platform for fostering discussions among senior industry leaders, experts, and
decision-makers from both local and international construction giants.
During the conference, representatives of European investors and keynote speakers will engage in conversations
and exchange ideas, with a primary focus on the critical aspects of green construction in Vietnam.
Key subjects will encompass the green building concept and its environmental, social, and corporate governance
(ESG) advantages; the drive toward net-zero emissions and the influence of climate risks; as well as green design
and technologies, among others.
According to NordCham, Vietnam’s construction sector has been grappling with urgent environmental
challenges in recent years, necessitating immediate attention. Rapid urbanization coupled with outdated practices
has led to escalated resource consumption, pollution, and habitat degradation.
The conference is considered a stepping stone on the path to green building practices. This event not only
amplifies the voice of businesses in the industry but also stands as a testament to NordCham’s commitment to
stimulate dialogue, spark innovation, and cultivate collaboration towards sustainable development in Vietnam,
according to a statement of the chamber.
The agenda of the conference – PHOTO: COURTESY OF NORDCHAM
Document SGTD000020230830ej8t0000a

Environment; Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture Researchers Publish New Studies and
Findings in the Area of Environment (Green industrial buildings in Vietnam from experts' point of view)
361 words
11 August 2023
Ecology, Environment & Conservation
ECECON
336
English
© Copyright 2023 Ecology, Environment & Conservation via VerticalNews.com
2023 AUG 18 (VerticalNews) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Ecology, Environment &
Conservation -- Investigators discuss new findings in environment. According to news reporting out of Ho Chi
Minh City University of Architecture by VerticalNews editors, research stated, "In recent years, there has been a
remarkable rise in the number of certified green building projects in Vietnam, with industrial buildings
accounting for the largest portion."
The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture: "The
purpose of this research is to evaluate the ability to achieve points of industrial buildings in some green building
systems under specific conditions of Vietnam. Another aim of the study is to point out the distinct features of
industrial buildings that influence their design, including heavy industry, light industry, and industrial buildings
with cleanrooms. Accordingly, this will contribute to increasing the number of industrial buildings that achieve
green certification in the future. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, including expert interviews, field
surveys, and meta-analysis."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "The research results will serve as a reference document
for sustainable development-oriented design consultants and for organizations establishing green construction
criteria systems to be able to upgrade to newer versions with higher adaptability for industrial works."
For more information on this research see: Green industrial buildings in Vietnam from experts' point of view.
E3S Web of Conferences, 2023,403():01019. (E3S Web of Conferences - http://www.e3s-conferences.org/). The
publisher for E3S Web of Conferences is EDP Sciences.
A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202340301019.
Our news journalists report that more information may be obtained by contacting Dang Hoang Quyen, Ho Chi
Minh City University of Architecture.
Keywords for this news article include: Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, Asia, Vietnam,
Environment.
Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2023,
NewsRx LLC
Document ECECON0020230811ej8b0003y

Energy - Renewable Energy; Data from Hanoi Architectural University Provide New Insights into
Renewable Energy (Situation and solutions for the construction industry in the trend of green economic
development in Vietnam)
450 words
11 August 2023
Energy Weekly News
ENRGWK
68
English
© Copyright 2023 Energy Weekly News via VerticalNews.com
2023 AUG 18 (VerticalNews) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Energy Weekly News -- Fresh data on
renewable energy are presented in a new report. According to news reporting out of Hanoi Architectural
University by VerticalNews editors, research stated, "The trend of developing a green economy is becoming a
global trend and is supported and promoted by many countries and international organizations."
Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Hanoi Architectural University: "The green
economy focuses on sustainable development and minimizing negative impacts on the environment and natural
resources. Around the world, many countries have launched plans and policies to promote the green economy,
including the transition to renewable energy, waste treatment and reuse, enhancing energy efficiency and
resources, encouraging the use of green products and services. The construction industry plays an important role
in the economy but also contributes significantly to environmental pollution, resource use and carbon emissions
globally. Developing the construction industry in a green economy is one of the important approaches to
achieving sustainability in the construction sector. In Vietnam, the Government has launched many policies and
plans to encourage the development of a green economy. Activities include promoting the use of renewable
energy, promoting the use of electric vehicles and green products and services, improving air and water quality,
and disposing of waste in a sustainable manner."
According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "The construction industry in particular has also begun
to transition to a green building model, in which many construction works have been designed and built using
international standards and certifications on green construction. However, the development of a green economy,
including the construction industry, still faces many challenges, including high costs and lack of resources, as
well as necessary changes in the way companies and organizations operate."
For more information on this research see: Situation and solutions for the construction industry in the trend of
green economic development in Vietnam. E3S Web of Conferences, 2023,403():02019. (E3S Web of
Conferences - http://www.e3s-conferences.org/). The publisher for E3S Web of Conferences is EDP Sciences.
A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202340302019.
Our news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Vu Phuong Ngan, Urban
Management Faculty, Hanoi Architectural University.
Keywords for this news article include: Hanoi Architectural University, Asia, Vietnam, Oil & Gas, Renewable
Energy.
NewsRx LLC
Document ENRGWK0020230811ej8b0001m

Corporate
30 years of consistent and sustainable development of a pioneer in the alloy-coated steel industry
SGT
1,427 words
3 August 2023
SGTD
English
Leading the “green” trend of the construction industry, NS BlueScope Vietnam has created a “phenomenon”
thanks to a completely different sustainable development strategy over the past 30 years.
One of the industries that is assessed to face challenges in the sustainability roadmap is the steel manufacturing
industry. It is estimated that upstream, where mills turn ore into steel, each ton of steel produced emits about 2
tons of CO2. In midstream, where the majority of hot-dip pre-painted and cold-rolled steel mills are
concentrated, the production of each ton of steel will generate 100-300kg of CO2. The lowest emission falls to
downstream, where mills buy finished coils for processing, they generate 20-50kg of CO2 emissions per ton of
finished steel. It is these figures that make the steel industry one of the industries that have the most
environmental footprint.
Operating in all three fields in the international market and in Vietnam’s midstream, since the first days it set foot
in the Vietnamese market when domestic suppliers were still unfamiliar with sustainable materials, and when the
market had not yet become popularized with green building standards, NS BlueScope Vietnam did create a
“phenomenon” when positioning itself as a sustainable alloy-coated steel manufacturer – an orientation not all
dare to try. Inheriting the Group’s heritage accumulated over 100 years, the company was determined to
gradually change Vietnam’s alloy-coated steel market with higher and more sustainable standards.
Join us in a talk with Mr. Dang Thanh Hung – Vice President of NS BlueScope Vietnam – who participated in
BlueScope’s 30-year journey of sustainability in Vietnam to better understand this “strange” journey.
Mr. Dang Thanh Hung, Vice President of NS BlueScope Vietnam
Promoting the trend of “green” materials in the construction industry
In the 90s, facing a market that was not yet familiar with “green standards”, what did BlueScope do to place the
pioneering bricks in its sustainable development roadmap?
Today, we talk a lot about green building certificates such as Lotus – a certification system for the Vietnamese
construction market, Green Mark – a Singapore certification system, EDGE – a certification system focusing on
the criteria of energy, water saving and energy content of materials…, and finally LEED – a comprehensive
green building certification system developed in the U.S. to certify global projects. In particular, LEED is the
system chosen by most investors, but just over 10 years ago, LEED was a term that was almost unheard in the
domestic construction industry, especially in the industrial construction sector.
At that time, in order to introduce the trend of green construction and LEED certification to investors, we
continuously cooperated with industry experts to organize a series of seminars across major cities and provinces.
We sat down with the investors to analyze what they would gain by implementing LEED. This persuasion
process takes a lot of patience but we never thought of yielding in to any difficulties because we understand,
LEED is a trend and if we do not prepare carefully, we will be left behind when macro policy changes. Only a
few years later, LEED has become a popular certificate and the first choice when investors deploy industrial
projects.
In addition to our efforts to build “green demand”, we also pioneered in the steel industry to launch
Thermatech® Technology – among the few coating technologies at that time that could help investors earn

LEED certificate points thanks to solar reflectivity of heat radiation, helping to reduce the roof surface
temperature by 6 degrees Celsius, thereby saving energy consumption.
What happened later proved we were on the right track. Just recently, at COP27, Vietnam committed to
pioneering in energy transformation along with green and digital transformation. Earlier, at COP26, we
committed to net zero emissions by 2050.
At NS BlueScope Vietnam, we set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to
2018, in line with the Group’s global plan and the government’s carbon neutral plan.
We are also a pioneer and leading manufacturer of alloy-coated steel in Vietnam which has been granted the
“Green Label” certificate by the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC). And I would like to share that in
the second half of 2023, we expect to be certified as a responsible steel producer with ResponsibleSteel
. This is not only a special mark for our 30 years of constantly leading the alloy-coated steel industry to develop
in line with sustainable standards, but also a “certificate” for our sustainable development journey in Vietnam.
NS BlueScope Vietnam is the pioneer alloy-coated steel manufacturer to obtain green label certification for its
high-grade alloy-coated steel lines (Photo: NS BlueScope Vietnam)
Pioneer in the development of sustainable alloy-coated solutions and materials
Besides spreading the green construction trend, does BlueScope have any “secret weapon” to help businesses
easily achieve green construction and sustainable development?
This is an interesting question for an enterprise that considers R&D as a backbone of operations like NS
BlueScope Vietnam. We all know the two most common materials in the construction industry are steel and
cement, but these are actually the two biggest global CO2 emitters in 2021. The United Nations Industrial
Development Organization estimates these two materials account for 14-16% of global CO2 emissions.
Therefore, the construction industry is also always trying to develop safer and more environmentally friendly
alternative materials. In particular, alloy-coated steel can be considered a sustainable material because of its high
reusability. And one thing we have always pursued is to constantly improve the material lifespan, thereby
promoting industry sustainability.
Previously, in the 1990s, the market was only popular with one-phase (zinc steel) which was easy to corrode, rust
and have a short life span. That’s why, in 2005, we built a factory and for the first time introduced the two-phase
aluminum-zinc coated technology (gavalume steel) into Vietnam, helping to increase the life span of the project.
However, with the mindset of further breaking the galvanizing technology, aiming at works of the most
durability, solving the rust problems that still exist…, especially in areas of polluted environment, close to the
sea prone to easy corrosion, in 2019, we once again introduced the breakthrough 4-phase alloy-coated
technology, with exclusive know-how from BlueScope, contributing to the development of alloy-coated steel
industry. Many large projects such as VinFast automobile factory, Thaco, BW Haiphong, Long Son oil refinery,
Heineken brewery, or Goertek electronics factory … have applied our 4-phase alloy-coated steel.
Long Son Oil Refinery (left) located close to the sea and Goertek electronics factory (right) have selected
COLORBOND® steel with Activate Click to view image. technology (Photo: NS BlueScope Vietnam)
In addition, under the harsh tropical weather of Vietnam, which often causes rusting, and wind uplift reducing
building lifespan, we have developed and introduced to the market LYSAGHT® SMARTSEAM
as the new generation 360o seaming system that is completely screw-free, an absolute zero leaking solution to
help investors operate production and business activities with peace of mind. The product is applied with 360o
seaming technology to help the alloy-coated steel edge be locked and sealed 100% for comprehensive anti-
leakage, capable of withstanding wind uplift certified by FM APPROVALS (US), reducing the risk of roof being
uplifted. Particularly, when the temperature changes, the moveable seam belt with seam hook allows the roofing
system to expand independently of the underlying frame, helping the entire roof system to slide smoothly,

preventing deformation and leakage.
Most recently, in 2022, we launched a pioneering alloyed-coated steel product line for sandwich panel market for
use in clean room, cool room and architectural wall applications, helping to solve the requirements of unburnt
materials, quick construction and high durability. This new product line meets all stringent requirements, such as
cool rooms for seafood processing and storage areas that are often susceptible to corrosion; clean rooms that
need to be clean of bacteria for assembly, research of electronic components; or architectural walls that often
have unique requirements about profile and color…
Otsuka Techno Vietnam pharmaceutical factory uses COLORBOND® For Panel – Clean room of BlueScope for
sandwich panel application (Photo: NS BlueScope Vietnam)
It can be said that our 30-year journey of sustainabiity in Vietnam is a journey marked by innovation and
creativity. We are constantly creating new technologies for the sustainable development of the industry.
Thank you very much!
Document SGTD000020230803ej8300003

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam holds tremendous opportunities for property investors: Keppel executive
975 words
21 July 2023
VENEWS
English
Vietnam offers tremendous opportunities for real estate investors as the country continues to undergo rapid
urbanization, underpinned by economic growth and an expanding middle class, and coupled with improved
infrastructure networks, said Joseph Low, president of Keppel Land Vietnam.
How do you view investment opportunities in the Vietnamese real estate market over the coming years?
Since entering Vietnam more than three decades ago, Keppel has grown with Vietnam and is today one of the
Vietnam’s economy grew 8% in 2022, the highest increase in the last decade, backed by strong domestic retail
sales and exports. In the real estate sector, the demand for new launches remained healthy. Reflecting the strong
market demand, the first batch of units launched in September 2022 at Keppel’s Celesta Avenue in Ho Chi Minh
City was fully booked within a month.
As Vietnam continues to undergo rapid urbanization, underpinned by economic growth and an expanding middle
class, coupled with improved infrastructure networks, we believe that the country continues to offer tremendous
opportunities for investors.
As a global asset manager and operator with deep capabilities in infrastructure, real estate, and connectivity, we
can bring in global financial investors who will contribute capital to fund the development of more solutions and
assets that are also smarter and greener. We will leverage our strong track record in the development and
operation of such assets to provide critical infrastructure and services for renewables, clean energy,
decarbonization, sustainable urban renewal, and digital connectivity in Vietnam.
In addition, we are looking to implement SUR (Sustainable Urban Renewal) technologies at our projects and will
work with best-in-class local and international partners to incorporate innovative urban solutions such as smart
security, smart mobility, and environmental infrastructure solutions in our projects to make them more energy-
saving. We believe that sustainable urban renewal is a compelling solution for Vietnam as the country advances
on its journey to net zero.
Green construction is an increasing trend in Vietnam. How do you analyze opportunities from green design and
construction for new real estate projects in the country?
At Keppel, our real estate division is undertaking various measures such as phasing out the use of non-essential
diesel equipment, achieving high green building standards for all our new commercial developments, improving
the energy efficiency of existing buildings through optimization and digitalization strategies, maximizing on-site
renewable energy, and purchasing renewable energy certificates. We are also looking at increasing the use of
green-labelled and low-emission materials and products.
development. It was the first project in Vietnam to receive BCA's Green Mark Gold Award.
Some of the green initiatives at The Estella include solar roof panels, and the use of low Volatile Organic

Compound (VOC) paint and low emission formaldehyde composite wood. The development also features
thoughtfully designed elements such as natural ventilation-enabled interiors.
yield of nearly 150,000 kWh over the past three years. Celesta Avenue, the newest addition to CELESTA City,
will be developed with water-efficient drip irrigation controlled by rain sensors, and solar lighting for the streets.
With many countries and companies making net zero pledges, including Vietnam, we see immense opportunities
where Keppel can harness our strong capabilities and experience to help other companies along their
decarbonization journey. As mentioned earlier, through our SUR initiative, we look forward to actively
contributing to Vietnam's efforts to achieve net zero by retrofitting older buildings and turning them into energy-
efficient ones. Through these efforts, we can contribute to combatting climate change and building a more
sustainable future for the country.
What are your recommendations for policymakers to help Vietnam develop sustainably in a green manner?
According to the World Green Building Council, the built environment is responsible for 40% of global carbon
emissions. On Vietnam’s journey towards sustainable development and the improvement of the real estate sector,
it is imperative that we address and reduce the built environment’s carbon footprint.
To achieve this will require stronger collaboration between public and private sectors. As a leading player in the
real estate sector, Keppel is committed to contributing to the reduction of the built environment’s carbon
footprint. We aim to contribute to a greener environment by providing sustainability-related solutions to help our
customers and communities reduce their carbon footprints.
In this respect, Keppel is driving our SUR initiative. Our SUR model, which is based on retrofitting and
revitalizing existing buildings, provides a greener, less costly and faster alternative to new construction, and can
contribute to the circular economy. By incorporating smart and sustainable features into retrofitted buildings, we
can also help building owners to enhance their assets’ performance and value.
Governments also play a critical role in encouraging the adoption of sustainable solutions. In Singapore for
instance, the Building and Construction Authority provides grants to developers who meet certain green criteria
– we tapped into this for the extensive asset enhancements carried out for assets such as Keppel Bay Tower.
Perhaps a slightly different approach should be considered in Vietnam. For instance, the government could
consider providing additional development spaces or longer tenures to incentivize developers to adopt cleaner
solutions and technologies to make buildings more sustainable.
Further support from the government would help to encourage more real estate investors and developers to
incorporate green features in their assets in Vietnam. (The Investor – July 21)
Document VENEWS0020230721ej7l0002e

Vietnam ranks 28th worldwide in terms of green buildings
Nhat Ha
717 words
12 July 2023
VNAMIR
English
With over 250 LEED certified constructions over the last decade Vietnam is increasingly demonstrating the
relevance of green aspects in architectural design operations and the maintenance of existing buildings
Vietnam ranks 28th worldwide in terms of green buildings
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the most widely used green rating system in the
world, and is administered by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
The set criteria include the site selection, energy and water use efficiency, waste management, carbon footprint,
and the health and wellbeing of the occupants.
In Vietnam, the journey to create a chain of green buildings started with the LEED Silver certification in 2010
being awarded to the Colgate factory and the logistics centre of YCH Protrade Distripark in Binh Duong.
Over the past 10 years, Vietnam has seen many projects spanning various industry segments. A series of new
projects have applied for LEED certification, and to date, more than 400 projects are involved with LEED.
The data shows that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is now not only a trend in business operations
but also in building design, where it also plays an important role in enterprises' sustainable development journey.
At an event on July 5 between the USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), experts commented on
the importance of environment certification for buildings.
The event brought together a number of business leaders from various companies involved in the green
construction sector, along with this year's LEED-certified nominees.
The importance of LEED certification is now being seen in not only new projects, but also existing assets. The
Existing Building LEED certification for operations and maintenance makes it easier for organisations and
businesses to practice ESG.
In the panel discussion, Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, managing director of GBCI India, Southeast Asia, and
the Middle East, and other leaders, spoke about the importance of LEED certification in terms of business
planning, design and operations, net-zero, and the ESG pathway. The LEED certificate granted to green
buildings is a key factor that makes it easier for organisations to practice ESG.
According to Padmanabhan, Vietnam is currently one of the fastest-growing countries in the region. Many
domestic and international enterprises operating in Vietnam in the fields of commerce, residential planning,
warehouse and industrial facilities, manufacturing industries, services, and healthcare are choosing LEED to
green their assets and set their net-zero goals through LEED Zero.
"By adopting LEED, enterprises are creating a strong wave of green buildings by inspiring and motivating other
domestic and foreign businesses to follow suit," he said.
Vietnam currently holds 28th position in terms of the number of LEED-certified green buildings. Padmanabhan
believes that this is a huge step forward that will catapult Vietnam into the top 10 countries within the next
decade.
Garment and textile factories in Vietnam have started following LEED, and a further push for more adoption
could ensure that international fashion brands make Vietnam a preferred manufacturing destination – as seen in
Bangladesh, which has close to 500 factories involved with LEED.

"The strong increase in demand for LEED certification is a positive sign that Vietnam is developing rapidly and
becoming more aware of ESG and green buildings," said Padmanabhan.
Agreeing with the leader of GBCI, Do Huu Nhat Quang, co-founder of GreenViet, said that Vietnam still has a
lot of room to develop and increase the number of green buildings throughout the territory.
Quang, a green building certification specialist with many years of experience, stated that Vietnamese
organisations and enterprises face some challenges, such as the sourcing of green materials. However, the
country's net-zero 2050 commitment should hopefully see the industry working closely with key stakeholders to
come up with a holistic approach, including incentivising green investments into renewable energy and focusing
on capacity building through education.
GBCI independently recognises excellence in green business performance and practice globally. Established in
2008, it exclusively administers project certifications, professional credentials, and certificates within the
framework of the US Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.
It also administers the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Sustainable Sites
Initiative, Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, TRUE certification for zero waste, and Investor
Confidence Project for energy efficiency retrofits.
Document VNAMIR0020230713ej7c0000d

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam sees good performance on industrial property in H1
823 words
10 July 2023
VENEWS
English
Industrial property was a bright spot in the Vietnam real estate market through the first half of this year,
according to CBRE Vietnam.
Under the Hà Nội real estate market insight in the second quarter of 2023 recently released by CBRE Vietnam,
net absorption of industrial land in Tier-1 markets reached 386ha and 397ha in the North and South, respectively.
These figures are up by 60 per cent for the North and 20 per cent for the South compared to the same period of
last year.
Industrial land rental rates sustained strong growth in both regions due to limited land ready for handover.
Average rental rates for Tier-1 markets in the North and South reached US$127 per sqm and $187 per sqm,
respectively. Over the past four years, the average rental rates grew at 7 per cent per annum in the North and 13
per cent in the South.
Ready-built warehouses (RBW) and ready-built factories (RBF) witnessed strong growth in supply. In the first
six months of 2023, the total area of RBF and RBW completed in the Tier-1 market in both regions reached
900,000 sqm, 60 per cent of which was from the North.
The supply has grown at more than 20 per cent per annum in the North and 18-49 per cent per annum in the
South over the past four years. As competition increases, the rental growth of these segments was at moderate
levels staying at 2-3 per cent per annum during this period.
The Northern region continued to see strong demand from the electronics sector. During the first half of this
year, the market recorded an expansion of big manufacturers such as Foxconn and Goertek in industrial parks in
Bắc Giang and Bắc Ninh.
In addition, the strong expansion of Chinese manufacturers in various sectors also attributes to the good
absorption of industrial land and RBF segment in the North.
Meanwhile, demand for the Southern market is diverse. Tenants from the automotive, garment and packaging
industries were among the most active players looking for industrial land, RBF and RBW in the South.
The power supply in the North has been basically ensured since the end of June, but the alternating power cuts in
some northern provinces have posed significant challenges to the manufacturing and export processing zones,
according to Savills Vietnam.
This could create a wave of investment in Tier-2 provinces, experts said, as tenants and investors seek
investment opportunities and relocate production plants to other areas.
The development of renewable energy sources as well as infrastructure for renewable energy transmission have
become more necessary than ever.
"The recent power cuts have severely impacted manufacturing operations in notable provinces in northern
Vietnam. While some IPs have back-up power there is still a short-term concern of the potential frequency of
cuts," said Thomas Rooney, senior manager of industrial services at Hà Nội branch, Savills Vietnam.
"This could lead occupiers and investors into considering the new wave of attractive tier 2 provinces such as

Vĩnh Phúc, Hà Nam, Thái Bình and Nam Định for their relocation and investment strategies."
The short to mid-term solution is to enhance backup power capabilities to higher standards to ensure no
disruption of production, according to Rooney.
"Vietnam has enormous renewable energy potential and is already one of the largest solar producers in the
region. While the potential is great, grid infrastructure and administration remain an issue and are hindering the
integration of renewables," he said.
Looking forward, industrial land rents are projected to grow at lower rates of 4-8 per cent pa after a strong
growth period. Meanwhile, RBF/RBW segments might see mild rental growth of below 4 per cent over the next
12 months in both regions due to growing competition from new stock, according to CBRE Vietnam.
Regarding future trends, Nguyễn Hoài An, senior director, Hà Nội branch, CBRE Vietnam, shared “There have
been more and more RBF/RBW and industrial parks developed in sustainable ways with green certificates."
"Although we haven’t seen clear evidence of rental premiums for green-certified industrial projects in Vietnam,
we started to see tenants give higher priority to sustainable features and renewable energy, which will shape the
future supply towards sustainability," said An.
More and more industrial projects in Vietnam have registered and received LEED Green Construction
Certificates. As of the second quarter of 2023, a series of industrial real estate projects have registered for LEED
certification, such as Core5 in Hải Phòng, Logos in Bắc Ninh Province, RBW in Phú Tân Industrial Park in Bình
Dương Province, and RBW in Xuyên Á Industrial Park in Long An Province.
Like other commercial sectors, sustainable development will also become a mandatory trend of industrial real
estate. (Viet Nam News – July 10)
Document VENEWS0020230710ej7a00027

Engineering; Researchers from Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Report Recent Findings in
Engineering (An experimental evaluation of the performance of concrete reinforced with recycled fibers
made from waste plastic bottles)
441 words
26 June 2023
Journal of Engineering
JOENG
2348
English
© Copyright 2023 Journal of Engineering via VerticalNews.com
2023 JUN 26 (VerticalNews) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Journal of Engineering -- Investigators
publish new report on engineering. According to news reporting originating from Can Tho University of
Medicine and Pharmacy by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "This study addressed the issue of
recycling waste plastic bottles as recycled plastic fiber (RPF) into sustainable waste plastic fiber-reinforced
concrete (WPFRC)."
The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy:
"Thus, the effects of different RPF lengths (30, 50, and 70 mm), widths (2, 4, and 6 mm), and contents (0.3, 0.45,
and 0.6 vol%) on the performance of WPFRC were systematically evaluated through the laboratory test series of
workability, fresh unit weight, compressive and flexural strengths, drying shrinkage, water absorption, and
ultrasonic pulse velocity. Results indicated that the addition of RPF had a negligible effect on the fresh properties
of the WPFRC mixtures, while significantly enhancing the load-bearing capacity and reducing drying shrinkage
in the WPFRC specimens, particularly at early ages. Additionally, all WPFRC specimens exhibited low water
absorption rates and high ultrasonic pulse velocities, indicating good quality and durability. Overall, the study
found that an RPF content of 0.45% by volume, an RPF length of 70 mm, and an RPF width of 2 mm yielded the
best performance for WPFRC."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "As a result, incorporating RPF into concrete fosters the
development of strong, durable, and sustainable materials for green construction."
For more information on this research see: An experimental evaluation of the performance of concrete reinforced
with recycled fibers made from waste plastic bottles. Results in Engineering, 2023,18():101205. (Results in
Engineering - https://www.journals.elsevier.com/results-in-engineering). The publisher for Results in
Engineering is Elsevier.
A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2023.101205.
Our news journalists report that more information may be obtained by contacting Trong-Phuoc Huynh, Faculty
of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Campus II, 3,
Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City, 94000, Viet Nam. Additional authors for this research include Tri Ho
Minh Le, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan.
Keywords for this news article include: Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Engineering.
NewsRx LLC
Document JOENG00020230626ej6q002r2

Flamingo Holdings green architecture unveils sustainable lifestyle of the future
Thanh Van
1,070 words
17 May 2023
VNAMIR
English
With the dream of building the first perfect green buildings Flamingo Group has constantly developed to create a
sustainable lifestyle The company has reaffirmed its dedication after nearly 28 years of operations by launching a
series of green services and technologies focussed on human health and the environment
Flamingo resorts are a combination of natural greenery and sophisticated design, with many projects being
designed to promote a green lifestyle. Destinations such as Flamingo Dai Lai Resort, Flamingo Cat Ba, Flamingo
Tan Trao, and Flamingo Ibiza 1 allow people to become part of the vast nature.
Besides the natural elements, Flamingo Group's green values reflect the sustainability of their designs, focussing
on eco-friendly materials, respect for nature, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. This contributes to the
preservation of the planet for now and in the future. Flamingo Holdings has defined a green philosophy as a way
of thinking that upholds nature in all its work.
Flamingo's efforts to define green value do not stop at protecting the environment and restoring nature. The
group is also a pioneer in terms of energy-saving and climate change response programmes. The group has been
awarded dozens of prestigious awards for its green buildings and architecture, including 10 EDGE certificates
from the International Financial Corporation, of which six were for its architectural masterpiece Forest in the
Sky at Flamingo Dai Lai.
Forest in the Sky
Forest in the Sky is a vertical forest tower with 70,000 trees in the middle of the Flamingo Dai Lai Resort.
Flamingo Holdings has combined modern construction methods with eco-friendly materials, technology, and
advanced energy-saving solutions to create a green architectural model for Vietnam.
At Flamingo Cat Ba, the project is capable of saving up to 29 per cent on its energy consumption and 45 per cent
on its water thanks to the application of modern green technologies such as VRV central air conditioning
systems, efficient heat pumps, LED lights that automatically switch on and off based on environmental sounds,
advanced wastewater processes, and automatic watering technology.
For the Flamingo Tan Trao project in Tuyen Quang, Flamingo Holdings highlighted the typical historical and
cultural values of the province. Meanwhile, the group still maintains its unique green philosophy and stilt
architecture at the Soi Chi Do hotel.
The project has made the most of the natural light, which is subtly expressed through the selection of glass
materials combined with ventilation bricks in the facade decoration. Common, clean, and cool materials such as
wood, bamboo, and tile are employed and subtly transformed into floor, ceiling, and wall treatments.
A perspective view of Flamingo Tan Trao
Known as a party paradise, Flamingo Ibiza 1 boasts all the architecture and environmental protection technology
that represents the green philosophy of Flamingo Group. The investor has breathed the soul of a vast ocean into
this project, creating high-altitude forests on the coast of Hai Tien. The shophouses and mini hotels are
surrounded by trees, and the investor has carefully worked to prevent pests all year round and improve the health
and wellbeing of its customers.
Flamingo Ibiza 1
Each of Flamingo Holdings' projects has a different design style, but all use the world's most advanced green
construction technologies. In particular, an automatic sensor system allows for fresh-air ventilation from the

mountains into corridors, stairways, and public spaces. The entire building is supplied with centralised hot water
from a solar energy system that meets half of the building's demands. In addition, the large structures in the
project chain also use an energy-saving and eco-friendly heat pump system that is very safe and saves 75 per
cent on the electricity consumption.
Living green means living healthily and safely
To promote natural values without losing any modern convenience, Flamingo Group's projects maintain
connections between people and nature and people with people. Flamingo said the group pays special attention
to researching and building health and renewable energy complexes.
Flamingo's flagship projects promote health and beauty, allowing visitors to experience spa services, beauty
treatments, hot and cold saunas, and Japanese Onsen hot springs with water that contains nutrients that promote
good health. The green solutions in each project are not new. However, there are few projects that have a similar
combination of green and healthcare solutions.
The Onsen hot mineral bath area at Flamingo Cat Ba
Flamingo Holdings said that the group has researched and learned best practices from all over the world to
develop its amenity systems. This, combined with the unique green architecture, forms the picture of living
happily in the middle of nature.
Most swimming pool systems in luxury buildings still use bleaching chemicals or salt electrolysis to treat the
water. However, Flamingo Cat Ba adopts a natural mineral-water swimming pool system, which is considered a
step forward in taking care of the health of residents and tourists alike.
Research published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that consuming
bicarbonate-rich mineral water helped control blood sugar levels. The minerals play an important role in the
body by regulating the cardiovascular system, blood circulation, and digestion. Therefore, when the body
absorbs this mineral source, it will activate the blood and regulate health after stressful days working.
The SEVA Spa and Beauty facility offers a view of Lan Ha Bay at Flamingo Cat Ba
To build international-standard health spas, Flamingo Group has cooperated with Japanese healthcare experts to
add this highlight to its projects.
The SEVA Spa is deemed a private resort oasis, offering a relaxing space separate from the outside world. It
meets the standards set by international organisations to bring relaxation and health recovery to customers,
especially those with diabetes. A sauna system helps detoxify the body, while a mineral mud room improves
blood circulation. There is also an ion and colour room to promote antioxidants. Himalayan salt and volcanic
rock rooms help restore the body and provide many other health benefits.
Through products and activities that protect health and the environment, Flamingo Group wishes to spread a
sustainable green lifestyle to the community. Flamingo Holdings' ambition is to not only create a new living
space, but also to convey the value of love, art, architecture, and lifestyle to residents. As a result, experiencing
each product from Flamingo Group will leave a mark in the heart of every customer.
Document VNAMIR0020230518ej5h0000c

Property
Diamond Lotus Riverside eco-apartment project for better health and life quality
SGT
1,105 words
29 March 2023
SGTD
English
As a green apartment project located close to the heart of HCMC, Diamond Lotus Riverside features modern and
eco-friendly utilities that meet all the requirements for better health and quality of life for its residents.
Diamond Lotus Riverside residents happily pose for a photo with the Cat mascots to welcome Lunar New Year
2023
Diamond Lotus Riverside is located at 49C Le Quang Kim Street in HCMC’s District 8, only seven minutes
from Ben Thanh Market and Bach Dang Port, with easy access to six downtown districts. The project is known
as the first high-rise apartment building in Vietnam of the Phuc Khang Mitsubishi Corporation Holding (PKMC),
a joint venture between Phuc Khang Group and the leading Japanese company Mitsubishi.
From the very beginning, Diamond Lotus Riverside was designed and constructed under LEED standards of the
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and LOTUS standards of the Vietnam Green Building Council (VGBC).
Six of the strict evaluation criteria for the green building standards that need to be fulfilled comprise (1)
Sustainable site; (2) Water efficiency; (3) Energy and Atmosphere; (4) Materials and Resources; (5) Indoor
Environmental Quality; (6) Innovation in Design and Regional Priority.
Visitors to Diamond Lotus Riverside frequently include foreign experts, partners, lecturers, and university
students who come to experience the site firsthand
Diamond Lotus Riverside boasts a highly coveted position close to the heart of the city. With its 300-meter
facade facing the river and proximity to the intersection of Doi-Te-Ben Nghe canals, the property provides a
unique and refreshing living space that harmoniously blends in with nature. As a result, it has become an
attractive destination for those seeking to settle in a “green community”. Diamond Lotus Riverside prides itself
on its impressive occupancy rate of 84%, the highest among new projects since 2016.
A small corner of a Hungarian-style cafe in Diamond Lotus Riverside that offers a cozy atmosphere for
residents, families, and friends to gather and spend time together
The project covers a total area of over 1.6 hectares with three 22-story residential towers, requiring an estimated
investment of VND1,286 billion. The construction density is only 19%, making it one of the lowest-density
apartment projects in HCMC. The developer places special emphasis on material and equipment selection to
ensure the efficient use of electricity and water resources. According to calculations and measurements, the
project can help save about 40% of monthly water and electricity usage compared to the standard model. This
not only helps conserve energy and water resources but also helps residents save a large amount of money in the
long run.
The GS25 convenience store situated within the Diamond Lotus Riverside project serves the residents
All apartments at Diamond Lotus Riverside are well-designed and optimized to create convenience for
homeowners. The interior decoration style boasts a great harmony between modern and traditional traits. All
rooms are arranged to receive wind and sunlight. Each apartment has a spacious layout with a 180-degree view
as if it were truly the most luxurious hotel in HCMC.
The modern kindergarten and the refreshing swimming pool help improve the living standards for the residents

of Diamond Lotus Riverside
The project is also widely known for its green facilities, which prioritize health and quality of life. Up to 15.4%
of the rooftop area is dedicated to green trees, while only 19% of the total area is used for construction. All living
space receives natural lighting, and all direct sun-exposed areas are equipped with Low-E glass, double-layered
glass, and a balanced ventilation system to reduce noise, glare, and heat transfer into the homes. The project has
over 8,000 square meters of green space, including riverbank parks, parks between buildings, rooftop parks, and
greenery on apartment balconies.
The “Sustainable Park”, stretching 300 meters along the Doi Canal, was inaugurated in 2020. During the
construction of the Sustainable Park, the investor made an effort to preserve all the riverside greenery and
develop a diverse biological ecosystem for a better living space for many future generations. At the end of 2021,
the green area of over 2,000 square meters along the riverbank was successfully developed with a diverse
biological ecosystem.
Many facilities and activities are prioritized to improve the health and living standards of residents at Diamond
Lotus Riverside
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Diamond Lotus Riverside’s investors strived to ensure the health and quality
of life of the residents. They organized various programs to support the residents, such as gifting clean
vegetables, facilitating vaccinations, and providing medicine, and health handbooks. Additionally, they made
further efforts to bring life back to normal after the pandemic, especially during important traditional festivals
such as Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas, and Lunar New Year. The investors have also organized cultural events
with unique art forms such as Don Ca Tai Tu, Cai Luong (traditional music in the southern region), and water
puppetry. These efforts aim to preserve and promote the nation’s cultural values, as well as connect and enrich
the spiritual and physical lives of the residents and the surrounding community.
The “Mid-Autumn Festival” program at Diamond Lotus Riverside was organized as a gift for residents and
young children on the occasion of the 2022 Mid-Autumn Festival
A heartfelt effort can be seen in those practical actions taken to improve the living standards for the community
of Diamond Lotus Riverside. Currently, the residents of this eco-apartment project in District 8 can enjoy
outstanding facilities such as a swimming pool, children’s playground, outdoor public exercise area, gym, yoga
studio, GS25 convenience store, kindergarten, luxurious cafe, restaurant, and completed Winmart supermarket.
The investor will continue to work with reputable partners to open more healthy dining restaurants and organic
food stores, ensuring the good health and quality of life of residents and their families as a priority.
The Diamond Lotus Riverside eco-apartment project has won the title of “Top 10 Best Luxury Apartment
Projects of 2022”
Diamond Lotus Riverside has continuously received numerous prestigious awards: Top 10 Best Luxury
Apartment Projects of 2022, Top 5 Best Smart Green Construction Projects of 2021, the title of “Most Liveable
Apartment Project in 2021”, and the Lotus Provisional Certification by the Vietnam Green Building Council
(VGBC), which is the first step to the Lotus Certification. The reputable awards of Diamond Lotus Riverside are
clear evidence of the practical contributions of the project in creating a green, safe, healthy, and community-
friendly living environment in today’s society.
Document SGTD000020230329ej3t00030

Gelex in collaboration with Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-end industrial zones
Vietnam News/ANN
248 words
1 March 2023
ANN Asia News Network
ANNT
English
Copyright 2023. ANN
Gelex recently collaborated with Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-quality industrial zones in north Việt
Nam with a total investment of US$250 million (VNĐ6 trillion).
The goal of bilateral corporation is to develop high-quality industrial zones, meeting the green construction
standards in accordance with the extended needs of customers regarding the type of products, including Ready
Built Factory (RBF), Ready Built Warehouse (RBW), and Built to Suit (BTS).
The cooperation marks an important milestone, creating opportunities for other plans of both companies in the
future, especially the development of high-quality industrial zones. The upcoming projects aim at improving
labour productivity, healthcare for workers and improving Việt Nam’s position around the world.
“The collaboration with Frasers Property Vietnam obviously expresses our investment orientation in the real
estate, industrial zones and logistics field, to provide stable and long-term cash flow for the businesses,” a Gelex
representative said.
Frasers Property Vietnam is an experienced international company specialising in ownership, orientation, and
development of diverse products and services in the real estate field. The company is listed on Singapore Stock
Exchange and has total assets of S$40.2 billion as of September 30, 2022.
Gelex Group, founded in 1990, is well-known for two main business fields: industrial production and facility. It
is also the owner of prestigious Vietnamese brands such as Viglacera, Cadivi, and Emic. — VNS
Document ANNT000020230301ej3100004

REAL ESTATE
Gelex, Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-end industrial zones
245 words
1 March 2023
VENEWS
English
Gelex recently collaborated with Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-quality industrial zones in north
Vietnam with a total investment of 250 million USD (6 trillion VND).
labor productivity, healthcare for workers and improving Vietnam’s position around the world.
“The collaboration with Frasers Property Vietnam obviously expresses our investment orientation in the real
estate, industrial zones and logistics field, to provide stable and long-term cash flow for the businesses,” a Gelex
Frasers Property Vietnam is an experienced international company specializing in ownership, orientation, and
Exchange and has total assets of 40.2 billion SGD as of September 30, 2022.
is also the owner of prestigious Vietnamese brands such as Viglacera, Cadivi, and Emic./ (Viet Nam Plus –
February 28)
Document VENEWS0020230301ej310002i

Gelex, Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-end industrial zones
VNA
275 words
28 February 2023
Vietnam News Agency
VIETNA
English
Hanoi, Feb. 28 -- Gelex recently collaborated with Frasers Property Vietnam to develop high-quality industrial
zones in north Vietnam with a total investment of 250 million USD (6 trillion VND).
labour productivity, healthcare for workers and improving Vietnam's position around the world.
"The collaboration with Frasers Property Vietnam obviously expresses our investment orientation in the real
estate, industrial zones and logistics field, to provide stable and long-term cash flow for the businesses," a Gelex
Frasers Property Vietnam is an experienced international company specialising in ownership, orientation, and
Exchange and has total assets of 40.2 billion SGD as of September 30, 2022.
is also the owner of prestigious Vietnamese brands such as Viglacera, Cadivi, and Emic./.
Document VIETNA0020230228ej2s000e4

TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE
Outlining Vietnam's urban identity
1,583 words
17 February 2023
VENEWS
English
The process of urbanization and urban development is posing numerous challenges in balancing development
goals and preserving urban identity, as well as ensuring quality of life. Dr. Ngo Viet Nam Son, chairman of
NgoViet Architects & Planners, talked with Trong Tin about the thorny issues.
According to a recent report by the Ministry of Construction, strong urbanisation in Vietnam has taken place in
the past two decades. How do you assess the pace of urbanisation and urban development in Vietnam in recent
years?
Vietnam has witnessed a fast pace of urbanization and this is also an inevitable trend around the world as current
economic development focuses mainly on urban areas. The pace of urbanization is therefore usually proportional
to economic development.
However, it is important to ensure swift and sustainable growth, meaning that to bring about socioeconomic
development, urban planners must control environmental impacts at an acceptable level as would take a long
time to tackle them, causing great waste to the economy and hindering development.
Have cities in Vietnam been developing sustainably?
It is difficult to judge whether Vietnamese cities are sustainable because this is a goal, rather than a state.
Every development has an impact on the environment, and there should be a balance in the process.
Sustainability is not being greedy – that is, you must leave room and retain existing values, especially
environmental ones.
In this regard, the sustainability factor in Vietnam is often disproportional to development, and the more cities in
Vietnam, the more consequences begin to appear. In particular, Ho Chi Minh City is considered being the most
developed in Vietnam, but it is also a place with many consequences such as traffic jams, flooding, lack of
technical infrastructure, lack of social infrastructure, lack of schools, and more.
Why is that? As we grow up, the population density increases, the work density increases, and the need for
technical and social infrastructure also increases proportionally. Sometimes people think only of their own
interests while neglecting balance with other interests.
Thus, it should be said that urban development in Vietnam is increasingly unbalanced – the more developed
areas are, the more unsustainable they become.
How do you rate a sustainable city?
To develop a sustainable city, we must meet many factors. First is to preserve existing values. These things relate
to the environment, such as keeping or increasing the proportion of trees, rivers, and lakes, which must be kept
clean and less polluted.
In addition, heritage values must be preserved such as architectural planning, historical heritage, or the works left
to us by our ancestors. In order to keep the identity of an ancient city, it is necessary to clearly define its
characteristics to give an appropriate development direction.

I once questioned whether there was a need for another Ho Chi Minh City-like destination in the Central
Highlands, when I wrote an article about the development direction of Dalat. If you look at aerial photos, the
centre of Dalat currently has the Governor’s Palace as the only green area, and the rest has been almost
concreted.
Developing and increasing the living value in an area does not only embrace increasing construction density,
modernising infrastructure, or looking at non-agricultural rate mechanically, but is also the need to increase
green space, enhancing conservation, and promoting existing heritage values.
It is necessary to have a broader view so that some urban areas with specific characteristics of nature, cultural
heritage and architecture still have appropriate mechanisms for urban development and receive preferential
policies from the state.
Secondly, the sustainable value of a city is also related to planning and management. When developing, we will
have available technical and social infrastructure in proportion to the housing size. There must be good planning
and management.
Furthermore, development must also be geographically and regionally balanced, as well as not too concentrated
in one place.
International studies indicate that liveable cities often have a low population, limited to fewer than three million
people. If the city is too big, it will be complicated and the community lacks cohesion and identity.
Therefore, organising a central urban area connected to large and small cities would be much better than
organising a considerable urban area.
For example, Paris is huge yet only accommodates two million inhabitants and few tall buildings, which
facilitates cultural preservation. To enlarge a modern urban space, Paris proposed a neighbouring province of
Hauts-de-Seine as a new downtown area. They formed an inner ring city consisting of Paris and three
neighbouring cities to form a large metropolis.
This model can be applied in Ho Chi Minh City. Unlike the southern urban area that was proposed by overseas
consultants, the Eastern City project is the first initiated by the municipal management authority.
This resembles a satellite town located in the inner-ring multi-centre city. The outer belt will be an urban cluster
connecting the region with neighbouring provinces such as Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Tien Giang, with a system of
radial roads and ring roads.
The satellite urban model is not a new creation. One should refer to districts 1 and 3 of Ho Chi Minh City, which
feature European-style infrastructure attuned to the principle of ensuring all necessary technical and social
infrastructures are provided within a walking distance.
Urban development has become an important driving force for socioeconomic development, but is subject to
many risks due to global climate change. What is the root of the problem?
First off, planning is a science. When we develop an urban area, the housing rate should be commensurate with
the traffic rate; social infrastructure, hospitals, and schools should all have relative proportions to ensure that all
people can enjoy the facilities. If the planning was not scientific, it would leave great impacts, so that when
approving the planning, this science must be ensured.
Once you have a plan, you must follow the plan. There are many cases where a project promises countless
benefits when being approved. Later, upon implementation without having a good management, some investors
can only do what they can sell, while ignoring the responsibility for building social infrastructure, leaving the
burden on the state.
If we couldn’t manage it well, there might only have some living quarters where rooms are available, associated
social infrastructure such as power lines, roads, schools, and stations are lacking.
The next aspect is coping with environmental impacts. For instance, important urban projects must complete
environmental impact assessment reports, and the investors must be held socially accountable for their

environmental impacts.
For example, an urban area is stable, with full infrastructure. If the investor proposes to build an apartment
complex for 10,000 people, yet neglecting to upgrade the infrastructure, then when these people move in, they
would cause serious overcrowding for that area.
Therefore, before licensing a project, it is necessary to assess the environmental impact carefully; if not, there are
only two options: stop the project or ask the investor to upgrade associated social technical infrastructure.
Legal background is also crucial. Many urban areas have been developing in the wrong direction, but we can’t
do anything due to the lack of good legislation, as seen with the phenomenon of greenhouse building in Dalat.
On Dalat’s agricultural land, many areas are now covered with greenhouses. Many are unknown that
greenhouses cause the same effect as concrete houses, causing water to drain too quickly to the lowlands, leaving
Dalat to fall into temporary flooding state this late year period.
From a scientific perspective, you have to treat the greenhouse like a concrete building. Currently, urban
residential land is often built at the rate of 30-40 per cent, the rest is for roads, infrastructure, and green
construction.
Thereby, there need to be apparent regulations on building greenhouses on agricultural land which should not
exceed 30 per cent of total land area and must be accompanied by a drainage system connecting to the common
system; the design must be beautiful, and harmonising with the general landscape.
How do you envision Vietnam’s urban future in the next decade?
For future development, we would need both long-term and short-term development planning.
In the long term, we now have planning schemes for the next 30 years, but in my opinion, the planning must
embrace a vision for the next 50-100 years, or even beyond.
For example, Vietnam is being severely affected by climate change with rising sea levels. Future development
trends must then give priority to development in the highlands.
Development should be limited in lowland areas, and a lot of land should be reserved for green space and water
surface. This would help save on money as it takes a long time to overcome flooding, greatly affecting the
economy.
Along with the embellishment of existing urban areas and development in all directions, development in
highland regions should still be given top priority.
In the short term, weak points in existing legal framework for sustainable urban development need to be soon
adjusted by relevant authorities.
It is necessary to have in place practical policies to promote green urban development, such as annual tax
reduction for investors using green and renewable energy, or developing technical and social infrastructure for
the community.
There must also be heavy fines imposed on investors and managers not compliant with the planning, causing
traffic jams and flooding, exacerbating the burden on the state budget in dealing with such consequences.
(Vietnam Investment Review – February 16)
Document VENEWS0020230221ej2h0001j

Outlining Vietnam s urban identity
Trong Tin
1,602 words
16 February 2023
VNAMIR
English
The process of urbanisation and urban development is posing numerous challenges in balancing development
goals and preserving urban identity as well as ensuring quality of life Dr Ngo Viet Nam Son chairman of
NgoViet Architects Planners talked with Trong Tin about the thorny issues
Dr. Ngo Viet Nam Son, chairman of NgoViet Architects & Planners
According to a recent report by the Ministry of Construction, strong urbanisation in Vietnam has taken place in
the past two decades. How do you assess the pace of urbanisation and urban development in Vietnam in recent
years?
Vietnam has witnessed a fast pace of urbanisation and this is also an inevitable trend around the world as current
economic development focuses mainly on urban areas. The pace of urbanisation is therefore usually proportional
to economic development.
However, it is important to ensure swift and sustainable growth, meaning that to bring about socioeconomic
development, urban planners must control environmental impacts at an acceptable level as would take a long
time to tackle them, causing great waste to the economy and hindering development.
Have cities in Vietnam been developing sustainably?
It is difficult to judge whether Vietnamese cities are sustainable because this is a goal, rather than a state.
Every development has an impact on the environment, and there should be a balance in the process.
Sustainability is not being greedy – that is, you must leave room and retain existing values, especially
environmental ones.
In this regard, the sustainability factor in Vietnam is often disproportional to development, and the more cities in
Vietnam, the more consequences begin to appear. In particular, Ho Chi Minh City is considered being the most
developed in Vietnam, but it is also a place with many consequences such as traffic jams, flooding, lack of
technical infrastructure, lack of social infrastructure, lack of schools, and more.
Why is that? As we grow up, the population density increases, the work density increases, and the need for
technical and social infrastructure also increases proportionally. Sometimes people think only of their own
interests while neglecting balance with other interests.
Thus, it should be said that urban development in Vietnam is increasingly unbalanced – the more developed
areas are, the more unsustainable they become.
How do you rate a sustainable city?
To develop a sustainable city, we must meet many factors. First is to preserve existing values. These things relate
to the environment, such as keeping or increasing the proportion of trees, rivers, and lakes, which must be kept
clean and less polluted.
In addition, heritage values must be preserved such as architectural planning, historical heritage, or the works left
to us by our ancestors. In order to keep the identity of an ancient city, it is necessary to clearly define its
characteristics to give an appropriate development direction.
I once questioned whether there was a need for another Ho Chi Minh City-like destination in the Central
Highlands, when I wrote an article about the development direction of Dalat. If you look at aerial photos, the

centre of Dalat currently has the Governor’s Palace as the only green area, and the rest has been almost
concreted.
Developing and increasing the living value in an area does not only embrace increasing construction density,
modernising infrastructure, or looking at non-agricultural rate mechanically, but is also the need to increase
green space, enhancing conservation, and promoting existing heritage values.
It is necessary to have a broader view so that some urban areas with specific characteristics of nature, cultural
heritage and architecture still have appropriate mechanisms for urban development and receive preferential
policies from the state.
Secondly, the sustainable value of a city is also related to planning and management. When developing, we will
have available technical and social infrastructure in proportion to the housing size. There must be good planning
and management.
Furthermore, development must also be geographically and regionally balanced, as well as not too concentrated
in one place.
International studies indicate that liveable cities often have a low population, limited to fewer than three million
people. If the city is too big, it will be complicated and the community lacks cohesion and identity.
Therefore, organising a central urban area connected to large and small cities would be much better than
organising a considerable urban area.
For example, Paris is huge yet only accommodates two million inhabitants and few tall buildings, which
facilitates cultural preservation. To enlarge a modern urban space, Paris proposed a neighbouring province of
Hauts-de-Seine as a new downtown area. They formed an inner ring city consisting of Paris and three
neighbouring cities to form a large metropolis.
This model can be applied in Ho Chi Minh City. Unlike the southern urban area that was proposed by overseas
consultants, the Eastern City project is the first initiated by the municipal management authority.
This resembles a satellite town located in the inner-ring multi-centre city. The outer belt will be an urban cluster
connecting the region with neighbouring provinces such as Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Tien Giang, with a system of
radial roads and ring roads.
The satellite urban model is not a new creation. One should refer to districts 1 and 3 of Ho Chi Minh City, which
feature European-style infrastructure attuned to the principle of ensuring all necessary technical and social
infrastructures are provided within a walking distance.
A sustainable city must maintain and grow the ratio of trees and water surface
Urban development has become an important driving force for socioeconomic development, but is subject to
many risks due to global climate change. What is the root of the problem?
First off, planning is a science. When we develop an urban area, the housing rate should be commensurate with
the traffic rate; social infrastructure, hospitals, and schools should all have relative proportions to ensure that all
people can enjoy the facilities. If the planning was not scientific, it would leave great impacts, so that when
approving the planning, this science must be ensured.
Once you have a plan, you must follow the plan. There are many cases where a project promises countless
benefits when being approved. Later, upon implementation without having a good management, some investors
can only do what they can sell, while ignoring the responsibility for building social infrastructure, leaving the
burden on the state.
If we couldn’t manage it well, there might only have some living quarters where rooms are available, associated
social infrastructure such as power lines, roads, schools, and stations are lacking.
The next aspect is coping with environmental impacts. For instance, important urban projects must complete
environmental impact assessment reports, and the investors must be held socially accountable for their

environmental impacts.
For example, an urban area is stable, with full infrastructure. If the investor proposes to build an apartment
complex for 10,000 people, yet neglecting to upgrade the infrastructure, then when these people move in, they
would cause serious overcrowding for that area.
Therefore, before licensing a project, it is necessary to assess the environmental impact carefully; if not, there are
only two options: stop the project or ask the investor to upgrade associated social technical infrastructure.
Legal background is also crucial. Many urban areas have been developing in the wrong direction, but we can’t
do anything due to the lack of good legislation, as seen with the phenomenon of greenhouse building in Dalat.
On Dalat’s agricultural land, many areas are now covered with greenhouses. Many are unknown that
greenhouses cause the same effect as concrete houses, causing water to drain too quickly to the lowlands, leaving
Dalat to fall into temporary flooding state this late year period.
From a scientific perspective, you have to treat the greenhouse like a concrete building. Currently, urban
residential land is often built at the rate of 30-40 per cent, the rest is for roads, infrastructure, and green
construction.
Thereby, there need to be apparent regulations on building greenhouses on agricultural land which should not
exceed 30 per cent of total land area and must be accompanied by a drainage system connecting to the common
system; the design must be beautiful, and harmonising with the general landscape.
How do you envision Vietnam’s urban future in the next decade?
For future development, we would need both long-term and short-term development planning.
In the long term, we now have planning schemes for the next 30 years, but in my opinion, the planning must
embrace a vision for the next 50-100 years, or even beyond.
For example, Vietnam is being severely affected by climate change with rising sea levels. Future development
trends must then give priority to development in the highlands.
Development should be limited in lowland areas, and a lot of land should be reserved for green space and water
surface. This would help save on money as it takes a long time to overcome flooding, greatly affecting the
economy.
Along with the embellishment of existing urban areas and development in all directions, development in
highland regions should still be given top priority.
In the short term, weak points in existing legal framework for sustainable urban development need to be soon
adjusted by relevant authorities.
It is necessary to have in place practical policies to promote green urban development, such as annual tax
reduction for investors using green and renewable energy, or developing technical and social infrastructure for
the community.
There must also be heavy fines imposed on investors and managers not compliant with the planning, causing
traffic jams and flooding, exacerbating the burden on the state budget in dealing with such consequences.
Document VNAMIR0020230216ej2g00001

Banking: Lack of Regulations Blockage for Green Capital Mobilization in Vietnam
274 words
1 December 2022
VIETNB
English
The lack of regulations has become a major barrier for Vietnam to mobilize green capital, heard a seminar on
green finance, under the Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE) 2022 on November 28-30.
Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Tung, deputy director of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s Department of Credit for
Economic Sectors, stressed that there is no rule on national standards and portfolio for green projects for each
sector to determine green credit room in the coming time.
Credit officials find it hard to assess and evaluate project efficiency, and debt repayment capacity of customers
due to the high technical requirement on environment of such projects, she added.
Besides, investments in green sectors, especially renewable energy and green construction, require high capital
for a long term. Meanwhile, commercial banks’ capital sources come from short-term deposits.
Lastly, many investors violate environmental protection rules, leading to punishments and affecting project
progress and debt repayment capacity.
Executive Vice President & Head of the FDI Banking Department at BIDV (HOSE: BID) Vuong Thanh Long
said local commercial banks are awaiting specific guidance from competent agencies to complete regulations
and procedures for lending green projects. The bank has committed about $2.6 billion for green projects and has
disbursed over $2 billion so far.
By the end of October, the total outstanding loan for green projects had reached VND477.5 trillion, accounting
for over 4.4% of the economy’s outstanding loans and up 7.78% compared to 2021. The renewable energy sector
made up 47% of the loans, followed by green agriculture with over 32%.
Document VIETNB0020221130eibu0005l

Vietnamese Phuc Khang Corporation’s CEO: Raising social responsibility for green and sustainable
lifestyle
735 words
31 October 2022
VENEWS
English
Phuc Khang Corporation has collaborated with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) in
HCMC, under the Vietnam National University HCMC, to raise social responsibility for green and sustainable
development.
The event gathered four members of the Party Central Committee, including HCMC Chairman Phan Van Mai,
Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh
Hoan, and VNU-HCMC Director Vu Hai Quan, in addition to many other delegates.
Luu Thi Thanh Mau, standing vice chair of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, and general director
of Phuc Khang Investment & Construction Joint Stock Company, aka Phuc Khang Corporation, participated in
meaningful activities at the convocation ceremony at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH)
in HCMC, under the Vietnam National University HCMC, including planting trees, and visiting Phuc Khang –
USSH Innovation Hub and the native plant garden donated by Phan Van Mai, chairman of the HCMC
government.
Creating “Green products – Green individuals”
In the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect, Phuc Khang Corporation and the USSH signed a memorandum
of understanding (MOU) which stipulated four mission-oriented targets, including creating the Phuc Khang –
USSH Innovation Hub, conducting research and development activities to serve the community, promoting
brand development, offering trainings that are aligned with reality to meet the society’s demands.
Accordingly, Phuc Khang Corporation and the USSH will tap their potential to ramp up specific activities and
events in the future.
As a leading green construction company with a 13-year history, Phuc Khang Corporation considers its
collaboration with USSH a milestone by developing a green project, Phuc Khang – USSH Innovation Hub.
Based on the iLab model from Harvard University, the project will be constructed with a range of selected ideas,
and key study topics, which will provide students and teachers with a variety of resources for their studies, as
well as a vehicle for connecting students, teachers, and enterprises so that new ideas can be protected and
developed.
“Phuc Khang – USSH Innovation Hub” will be located on the Thu Duc Campus of the USSH. A project fund
will be provided by Phuc Khang Corporation to convert the existing building into a creative space with hi-tech
advances in accordance with the LOTUS SI standard for green construction, which is certified by the Vietnam
Green Building Council (for interior spaces that have an area smaller than 1,000 square meters).
According to Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan, rector of the USSH, the construction has a
tremendous significance not only to the students and educators of the USSH, but also to the students of the
National University System due to the interdisciplinary nature of the social creative ideas that can be used to
solve complex social issues.
Phuc Khang Corporation has been determined to lead in strengthening the creation of a better lifestyle for public
health and a sustainable humanistic environment in accordance with the global environment standard, as stated

by businesswoman Luu Thi Thanh Mau.
The creation of “green humans” along with green products under strict standards is therefore essential.
In line with LOTUS SI green construction, Phuc Khang Corporation has fostered a long-term partnership with
HCMC USSH to create an innovative environment.
Social responsibility for intellectual enhancement
Additionally, Phuc Khang Corporation will collaborate with USSH to conduct academic activities for science
studies, as well as national and international conferences on green cities, smart cities, culture, and the
environment towards sustainable development.
A new program called “humanity people start-up” will be held to beef up the start-ups associated with the
balance of social responsibility and culture.
On one hand, Phuc Khang Corporation experts will provide training on urban management and development,
environment, sustainable development, human resource management, and traditional culture. On the other hand,
USSH will help organize events to spread the spirit of business startup, innovation, and social responsibility.
In August 2022, Phuc Khang Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation with
HCMC University of Law. Phuc Khang Corporation’s CEO confirmed that sustainable development originates
from development with responsibility, with a particular emphasis on corporate social responsibility.
As per this orientation, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Phuc Khang Corporation launched a campaign called
“Voluntary green heart” to assist the authorities and residents in fighting the disease. (Viet Nam Plus – October
29)
Document VENEWS0020221031eiav0000v

Competition to promote green buildings in Binh Dinh province
Linh Dan
609 words
19 October 2022
VNAMIR
English
font style vertical align inherit font style vertical align inherit On October 18 the launch ceremony of the
competition Selecting potential green buildings in Binh Dinh province took place in Quy Nhon city font font
The event was organised by Binh Dinh Department of Construction, in collaboration with the International
Finance Corporation (IFC).
Vietnam Green Building Week 2022 took place on October 13 and 14 in Ho Chi Minh City, and was considered
a successful forum in promoting dialogue and multi-dimensional cooperation between policymakers and other
participants in the construction field.
The event saw the participation of more than 12,000 industry insiders, from project developers, investors,
consultants, architects and design experts, and suppliers of building materials, equipment, and technology.
The launch ceremony of the competition "Selecting potential green buildings in Binh Dinh province"
In parallel with the event, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh Province, Binh Dinh's Department of
Construction, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation, launched Vietnam's first competition
on green building design. In response to green building activities worldwide, the event aims to create a driving
force for the development of green buildings in the country while raising awareness of the immense benefits of
sustainable construction.
Le Anh Son, deputy director of Binh Dinh Department of Construction, speaking at the event
Speaking at the event, Le Anh Son, deputy director of Binh Dinh Department of Construction, noted that an
economical and efficient construction industry, in terms of resources and energy, would be the decisive solution
for the country's energy demand challenge.
“The construction industry typically accounts for about 40 per cent of total energy consumption and 25 per cent
of total annual water consumption, in which 80 per cent of energy consumption is in the operation stage of the
building,” Son said. “The concept of 'green building,' which has been researched expansively in the past few
years, should be the product of a construction process that considers its impact on the environment and the
building's efficiency throughout its life cycle.”
Son added that the department has collaborated with the IFC to promote the efficient use of energy in
construction in the province through staff training and implementation of various technical solutions following
international standards.
Nguyen Cong Thinh, deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology & Environment under the
Ministry of Construction, speaking at the event
Nguyen Cong Thinh, deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology & Environment under Ministry
of Construction, assessed that compared to the overall efforts in the country, Binh Dinh province had taken
pioneering steps in greenifying its construction.
“Vietnam is still behind in green construction compared to countries in the region. However, the past few years
have seen positive progress from both authoritative agencies and developers in this effort,” Thinh said.
In alignment with the government's commitment to reduce emissions, the construction industry is implementing
various solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the production of building materials and reducing
energy consumption in the construction industry.”

To date, Binh Dinh province has two projects that have received the EDGE certificate for green building
standards, namely Ecolife Riverside and Simona Heights, both in Quy Nhon city. Over the past 10 years, the
number of certified green buildings in Vietnam is currently 233, with a total area of about six million square
metres.
The contest will result in three awarded works that meet environmental standards in line with the sustainable
development trend. For more information about the contest, contact Binh Dinh Department of Construction at 32
Ly Thuong Kiet, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh province.
Document VNAMIR0020221111eiaj0003m

REAL ESTATE
Competition to promote green buildings in Binh Dinh province
552 words
19 October 2022
VENEWS
English
On October 18, the launch ceremony of the competition "Selecting potential green buildings in Binh Dinh
province" took place in Quy Nhon city.
The event was organized by Binh Dinh Department of Construction, in collaboration with the International
Finance Corporation (IFC).
Vietnam Green Building Week 2022 took place on October 13 and 14 in Ho Chi Minh City, and was considered
a successful forum in promoting dialogue and multi-dimensional cooperation between policymakers and other
participants in the construction field.
The event saw the participation of more than 12,000 industry insiders, from project developers, investors,
consultants, architects and design experts, and suppliers of building materials, equipment, and technology.
In parallel with the event, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh Province, Binh Dinh's Department of
Construction, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation, launched Vietnam's first competition
on green building design. In response to green building activities worldwide, the event aims to create a driving
force for the development of green buildings in the country while raising awareness of the immense benefits of
sustainable construction.
Speaking at the event, Le Anh Son, deputy director of Binh Dinh Department of Construction, noted that an
economical and efficient construction industry, in terms of resources and energy, would be the decisive solution
for the country's energy demand challenge.
“The construction industry typically accounts for about 40 per cent of total energy consumption and 25 per cent
of total annual water consumption, in which 80 per cent of energy consumption is in the operation stage of the
building,” Son said. “The concept of 'green building,' which has been researched expansively in the past few
years, should be the product of a construction process that considers its impact on the environment and the
building's efficiency throughout its life cycle.”
Son added that the department has collaborated with the IFC to promote the efficient use of energy in
construction in the province through staff training and implementation of various technical solutions following
international standards.
Nguyen Cong Thinh, deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology & Environment under Ministry
of Construction, assessed that compared to the overall efforts in the country, Binh Dinh province had taken
pioneering steps in greenifying its construction.
“Vietnam is still behind in green construction compared to countries in the region. However, the past few years
have seen positive progress from both authoritative agencies and developers in this effort,” Thinh said.
In alignment with the government's commitment to reduce emissions, the construction industry is implementing
various solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the production of building materials and reducing
energy consumption in the construction industry.”
To date, Binh Dinh province has two projects that have received the EDGE certificate for green building
standards, namely Ecolife Riverside and Simona Heights, both in Quy Nhon city. Over the past 10 years, the

number of certified green buildings in Vietnam is currently 233, with a total area of about six million square
meters.
The contest will result in three awarded works that meet environmental standards in line with the sustainable
development trend. For more information about the contest, contact Binh Dinh Department of Construction at 32
Ly Thuong Kiet, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh province. (Vietnam Investment Review – October 19)
Document VENEWS0020221019eiaj00014

Tourism
Greater Mekong Subregion countries head toward sustainable tourism
Do An
303 words
13 October 2022
SGTD
English
DANANG – The post-pandemic regional tourism development strategy should focus on sustainability, high-
quality infrastructure and environmental friendliness.
Sustainable tourism tied to local community development will be beneficial, according to Suvimol Thanasarakij,
executive director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, at the Mekong Tourism Forum held on October
12.
The event discussed solutions to develop post-pandemic tourism in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) under
the theme titled “Rebuild tourism, rebound with resilience”.
The GMS includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and two southern Chinese provinces of
Yunnan and Guangxi. It covers an area of 2.3 million square kilometers, with a population of some 350 million.
According to Thanasarakij, strengthening the resilience of travel activities helps regional economies avoid facing
obstacles caused by rapid tourism growth, heavy dependence on a few markets and negative environmental
impacts.
The approach requires a favorable mechanism to promote cooperation between governments, the media,
businesses and the locals, Thanasarakij added.
It is important to demonstrate that sustainability in tourism helps to reduce costs, limit risks and promote green
construction and energy efficiency, according to Wouter Schalken, a senior expert of the Asian Development
Bank.
Nguyen Trung Khanh, chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, suggested increasing
support for small-sized enterprises and promoting equal employment opportunities in the tourism sector.
Khanh emphasized the need for training initiatives to enhance professionals’ competence, particularly in green
development and sustainable growth.
In 2019, the GMS countries welcomed nearly 74 million international tourists, up 7% year-on-year, accounting
for 15% of the total number of visitors in the Asia-Pacific region.
In the first half of this year, the region saw more than 3.2 million foreign visitors when many countries gradually
re-opened and lifted travel restrictions.
Document SGTD000020221014eiad00007

Banking: Vietnam Lacks National Criteria for Green Projects: Official
374 words
7 October 2022
VIETNB
English
Vietnam has not developed a national set of criteria for green projects, preventing them from accessing green
credit, said Ms. Dao Thuy Hang, vice director of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s Monetary Policy
Department.
Ms. Hang made the statement at a conference on the role of financial institutions in supporting sustainable
development, which was hosted by the SBV and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on October 6.
Green credit requires technical environment assessments, which cause difficulties for banking officials to assess
the projects’ efficiency and debt repayment ability of clients. Besides, risk monitoring and management remain
an issue due to the lack of regulations and criteria for environmental impact assessment.
In addition, green investments, especially renewable energy and green construction, require large capital and
long payment period. Meanwhile, credit institutions usually have short-term capital for lending.
Therefore, Vietnam needs guidance on green portfolios and criteria to identify green projects. Besides, the
country needs to build mechanism and policy to develop the capital market and green bond market to provide
alternative capital sources for green projects’ investors.
Echoing the idea, SBV Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha said that the government will focus on exploiting
commercial loans and private capital, such as green credit and green bonds, to fulfill the green growth targets in
2021-2030. Therefore, regulations and standards are needed for green bond issuers to boost capital mobilization
through bonds.
The deputy governor affirmed that the SBV will review and finalize the banking system in line with the green
growth targets, build a green bank development model, and issue preferential credit policies for green projects.
At the event, Country Director of the ADB in Vietnam Andrew Jeffries said the bank has been supporting
Vietnam in building an efficient financial system for green finance and issuing green bonds. ADB will continue
its assistance for Vietnam’s sustainable development goal, he added.
By June 30, credit for green projects in Vietnam totaled VND474 trillion ($20.43 billion), making up 4.1% of the
total outstanding loan of the economy and up 7.08% compared to the end of 2021. Most of the capital came to
renewable energy projects (47%) and green agricultural projects (32%).
Document VIETNB0020221007eia700001

ENERGY
Meeting for cooperation measures and private finance mobilization for energy transition
1,062 words
30 September 2022
VENEWS
English
In the evening of September 21, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha held a virtual
meeting with the COP26 President and leaders of international financial and credit organizations to discuss and
propose measures for cooperation and private finance mobilization for energy transition in Vietnam.
From Vietnam, representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of
Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance and Government Office joined the session together with Minister
Tran Hong Ha.
Attendees from New York included the COP26 President Alok Shama, Mr. Mark Carney, Co-Chair of the
Glasgow Financial Alliance on Net Zero (GRANZ); Mr. Dang Hoang Giang, Ambassador, Head of the
Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the UN and leaders of international financial and credit institutions.
Addressing the meeting, Mr. Mark Carney, GFANZ Co-Chair informed that the organization currently had a
resource up to hundreds of billions of USD to support the efforts of implementing the sustainable development
commitments to achieve net zero emissions, however, GFANZ believed that it was necessary to have policies
and regulations adjustment in order to have a smooth and consistent energy transition.
Private finance currently accounts for 40% of the world's total assets, this is a great resource to join the common
net zero target. GFANZ highly appreciates Vietnam's commitments at COP26 and with its potentials for energy
transition, Mr. Mark Carney looked forward to hearing the needs and demands of Vietnam so that private finance
could join the Vietnamese Government's efforts and the country would become a model in mobilizing private
financial investment for infrastructure development, energy transition, reduction in dependence on fossil fuel
energy, and renewable energy development…
In his speech, Minister Tran Hong Ha said that the viewpoints raised at COP26 was both a goal and a
demonstration of Vietnam's responsibility in its determination to achieve net zero emissions target by 2050. This
was also an opportunity for the country to transform its economic development towards a sustainable model.
According to the Minister, the Vietnamese Government considers climate change response and fossils to clean
energy transition an inevitable trend and will benefit the country, people and businesses. Currently, Vietnam has
been carefully implementing the fossil to renewable energy transition (coal energy has decreased from 43%
before COP26 to the current ratio of only 24%), developing alternative energy sources, reducing greenhouse gas
emissions while considering technology solutions to capture, landfill and sequester carbon, this has been
reviewed and evaluated by Japanese scientists to have a scientific basis.
Minister Tran Hong Ha said that Vietnam currently had the largest offshore wind potentials in Southeast Asia
thanks to its geographical condition with the coastline of more than 3.000 km. This is the basis for Vietnam to
promote energy transition from coal to renewable energy in the coming time. However, the country is facing
difficulties in converting these potentials into concrete projects and cooperation activities, including in early
planning of renewable energy centers such as wind and solar power (potential assessment, development of power
transmission infrastructure); in connection of private enterprises to form the industry and supporting production
for renewable energy; helping private enterprises invest in technological innovation, costs reduction, etc,...
With the net zero emissions target by 2050 and the energy structure without using fossil fuels, the Minister
wished to get cooperation ideas from financial and credit institutions and international corporations and that they
would join hand with Vietnam to accelerate the implementation progress of these commitments.

Minister Tran Hong Ha added that besides the potentials for energy transition, Vietnam also had great potential
for developing other economic sectors such as green transport, green agriculture, green
construction....Vietnam's policies would be consistent in the direction of sustainable development, and hence, it
needed the cooperation of investors with experience, advanced technology and certain successes so that the two
sides could both achieve the set goals, and at the same time, create great and pervasive values.
At the meeting, leaders of international financial and credit institutions highly appreciated Vietnam's policies
towards energy transition and sustainable development. To decarbonize the economy, large financial resources
are needed, so according to international financial institutions, they could support to provide capital, experiences,
and science as leverage to attract and develop other resources to participate in the development of a decarbonized
economy.
However, according to financial institutions, in order to have successful cooperation, the Vietnamese
Government needed to consider standardizing regulations on mobilizing and using finance from banks into a
general regulation which could be replicated and applied to various industries and specific fields other than to
each specific project on energy transition.
Addressing the meeting, the COP26 President Alok Sharma shared that the first Just Energy Transition
Partnership (JETP) agreement was adopted by the leaders of South Africa, the European Union (EU) and the G7
members. With that agreement, developed countries would help South Africa reduce carbon emissions in the
long term, focusing on a just energy transition and creating new economic opportunities. The COP26 President
expected that the next one would be with Vietnam.
In his appreciation to the comments at the meeting, Minister Tran Hong Ha wished the two sides would soon
establish a mechanism to exchange, clarify and identify goals of mutual interest. For JETP, the Minister shared
the idea of the COP26 President that it should be a framework to identify large groups of issues in terms of legal
policy and investment environment; technology transfer, public-private financial mechanism with the ultimate
goal of energy transition. "Vietnam is always willing to listen and create a favorable investment environment,
offer appropriate mechanisms and policies for investors to invest with peace of mind and trust" emphasized
Minister Tran Hong Ha.
"The energy transition in Vietnam will need to mobilize large financial resources from the society along with
effective coordination in implementation between state management agencies and the enterprise communities.
Financial institutions and banks play a very important role as leverage and catalyst to develop climate and energy
programs and projects. Strong actions of financial and banking sectors will assist businesses in accessing bank
capital, attracting investment capital flows for climate change response, transitioning to a low-carbon economic
model, and at the same time bringing benefits to the country, people, and businesses" affirmed Minister Tran
Hong Ha. (Monre – September 21)
Document VENEWS0020220930ei9u0001n

Industry: Vietnam Seeks Private Capital for Energy Transition
288 words
23 September 2022
VIETNB
English
Vietnamese Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha held a meeting on September 21 with
leaders of global financial organizations and credit institutions to find solutions to attract private capital for the
country’s energy transition.
At the meeting, Chairman of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) Mark Carney said its
organization has hundreds of billions of USDs to support countries fulfilling their net-zero commitments.
However, policy and regulation adjustment is needed to carry out energy transition consistently, he noted.
The GFANZ spoke highly about Vietnam’s commitment at COP26 and hoped to hear more about Vietnam’s
needs for the private sector to join the Vietnamese government in infrastructure development, energy transition,
and renewable energy development.
For his part, Minister Ha affirmed that Vietnam considered climate change response and energy transition
inevitable trends that benefit the country, its citizens, and companies. Vietnam boasts potential in wind energy
thanks to its 3,000-kilometer coastline, and it will be the foundation for the country to shift from coal to
renewable energy in the coming time, he noted.
However, Vietnam is having difficulties planning for renewable energy centers, connecting private firms to form
a supporting industry for renewable energy, and helping private companies invest in technology innovation and
cutting costs.
The ministry hoped to receive cooperation ideas from international financial institutions and enterprises to join
Vietnam in speeding up works to fulfill its net-zero commitment. Besides, he noted Vietnam’s potential in green
transport, green agriculture, and green construction, among others.
At the meeting, executives from global financial organizations committed to providing capital, experience, and
expertise as leverage to encourage investments in decarbonizing the economy.
Document VIETNB0020220923ei9n0000l

ENVIRONMENT
Determined to fulfill Vietnamese commitment on climate change
660 words
2 August 2022
VENEWS
English
The Government of Vietnam sets out specific tasks and solutions to implement the results of the 26th Conference
of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Greenhouse gas emissions reduction in key industries
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has just signed Decision No. 888/QD-TTg dated July 25, 2022 approving
the Scheme on tasks and solutions to implement the results of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
With solutions for actively participating in the global trend of low-carbon development, mobilizing resources,
and innovating technology to transform the growth model and restructure the economy, Vietnam shows its
responsibility contributing to efforts to respond to global climate change.
One of the specific objectives of the Project is that activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the fields of
energy, transportation, production of building materials, agriculture, and waste treatment are promoted.
By 2030, encourage the use of electricity and green energy in transportation, using 100% E5 gasoline; reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by 32.6% in energy, 43% in agriculture, 70% in forestry and land use while increasing
carbon sequestration by 20% and 60.7% in waste treatment waste, 38.3% in industrial processes (compared to
the development-as-usual scenario). Solutions to capture and store carbon from major emission sources are
widely studied and applied.
Detailed determination of offshore wind and wave energy potential in Vietnam's seas; identify marine areas that
attract investors, put a number of offshore wind power projects into operation in potential areas. By 2030, the
proportion of renewable energy sources including hydroelectricity, wind power, solar power, biomass power will
account for at least 33% of total electricity generation; reduce the proportion of fossil fuel sources; join
international energy organizations.
Actively adapt and promote climate diplomacy
The scheme sets out 8 tasks and solutions to implement the results of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Specifically, synchronously perfecting mechanisms, policies and laws, promoting reform of administrative
procedures, and improving the business investment environment. Focus on developing new renewable, zero-
emission energy sources; energy storage technology and carbon capture, storage and use technology. Promote
emission reduction in transportation and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in the field of building materials
production; urban development and green construction. Development of ecological, circular, low-carbon
agriculture; forest protection, conservation, use and sustainable development. Protect and restore natural
resources and develop natural ecosystems. Actively adapt to climate change. Scientific research, innovation,
capacity building, communication. Promote climate diplomacy.
As for the development of renewable energy projects, Vietnam focuses on developing: solar power, offshore
wind power, hydroelectricity, tidal energy, biomass energy...); research, development and use of green ammonia
and green hydrogen fuel; energy storage and development of carbon capture, storage and utilization
technologies. Evaluation of potentials and reserves of minerals for battery production, energy storage, and

applications in assembling zero-emission devices and vehicles.
Besides, increasing electrification and efficient use of energy in civil, industrial and transportation; develop
smart grid, operate new energy sources, flexible power sources; implementing power demand management and
load adjustment programs; developing electric cars in Vietnam.
At the same time, research on establishing the National Center for Renewable Energy in order to develop human
resources, transfer technology, and share experiences and national governance in this field. Consider joining the
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to promote energy
transition activities, mobilizing funds for climate change response and energy transition.
In addition, we also promote the transformation of operations according to green criteria, low carbon emissions
for ports, wharves and stations. Developing infrastructure to provide green energy for means of transport;
develop green, low-carbon transport infrastructure; implementing activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
in the field of building materials production; green, smart, ecological urban development and green, low-carbon
constructions. (Monre – July 26)
Document VENEWS0020220802ei820002r

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Determined to
fulfill the commitment on climate change
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam published this content on
26 Jul 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by PUBT, unedited and
unaltered, on 01 Aug 2022 04:28:07 UTC.
800 words
26 July 2022
Global Government News and Documents via PUBT
GGND
English
Copyright 2022. As included in the Information
* Click here to view this document in its original format
Determined to fulfill the commitment on climate change
Determined to fulfill the commitment on climate change
(11:25:09 AM, 26/07/2022)
The Government of Viet Nam sets out specific tasks and solutions to implement the results of the 26th
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Greenhouse gas emissions reduction in key industries
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has just signed Decision No. 888/QD-TTg dated July 25, 2022 approving
the Scheme on tasks and solutions to implement the results of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
With solutions for actively participating in the global trend of low-carbon development, mobilizing resources,
and innovating technology to transform the growth model and restructure the economy, Viet Nam shows its
responsibility contributing to efforts to respond to global climate change.
One of the specific objectives of the Project is that activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the fields of
energy, transportation, production of building materials, agriculture, and waste treatment are promoted.
By 2030, encourage the use of electricity and green energy in transportation, using 100% E5 gasoline; reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by 32.6% in energy, 43% in agriculture, 70% in forestry and land use while increasing
carbon sequestration by 20% and 60.7% in waste treatment waste, 38.3% in industrial processes (compared to
the development-as-usual scenario). Solutions to capture and store carbon from major emission sources are
widely studied and applied.
Detailed determination of offshore wind and wave energy potential in Viet Nam's seas; identify marine areas that
attract investors, put a number of offshore wind power projects into operation in potential areas. By 2030, the
proportion of renewable energy sources including hydroelectricity, wind power, solar power, biomass power will
account for at least 33% of total electricity generation; reduce the proportion of fossil fuel sources; join
international energy organizations.
Actively adapt and promote climate diplomacy
The scheme sets out 8 tasks and solutions to implement the results of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Specifically, synchronously perfecting mechanisms, policies and laws, promoting reform of administrative
procedures, and improving the business investment environment. Focus on developing new renewable, zero-

emission energy sources; energy storage technology and carbon capture, storage and use technology. Promote
emission reduction in transportation and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in the field of building materials
production; urban development and green construction. Development of ecological, circular, low-carbon
agriculture; forest protection, conservation, use and sustainable development. Protect and restore natural
resources and develop natural ecosystems. Actively adapt to climate change. Scientific research, innovation,
capacity building, communication. Promote climate diplomacy.
As for the development of renewable energy projects, Viet Nam focuses on developing: solar power, offshore
wind power, hydroelectricity, tidal energy, biomass energy...); research, development and use of green ammonia
and green hydrogen fuel; energy storage and development of carbon capture, storage and utilization
technologies. Evaluation of potentials and reserves of minerals for battery production, energy storage, and
applications in assembling zero-emission devices and vehicles.
Besides, increasing electrification and efficient use of energy in civil, industrial and transportation; develop
smart grid, operate new energy sources, flexible power sources; implementing power demand management and
load adjustment programs; developing electric cars in Viet Nam.
At the same time, research on establishing the National Center for Renewable Energy in order to develop human
resources, transfer technology, and share experiences and national governance in this field. Consider joining the
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to promote energy
transition activities, mobilizing funds for climate change response and energy transition.
In addition, we also promote the transformation of operations according to green criteria, low carbon emissions
for ports, wharves and stations. Developing infrastructure to provide green energy for means of transport;
develop green, low-carbon transport infrastructure; implementing activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
in the field of building materials production; green, smart, ecological urban development and green, low-carbon
constructions.
K.Linh
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Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam published this content on
26 July 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and
unaltered, on 01 August 2022 04:30:20 UTC.
Document GGND000020220801ei7q0025t

ENVIRONMENT
Green credit: The inevitable trend
673 words
10 May 2022
VENEWS
English
According to experts, although it cannot develop strongly in a short time, green growth and green credit in
Vietnam have also become an inevitable trend.
Green credit connected with green growth strategy
In the world, the trend of green credit growth has been developed for a long time through energy saving,
renewable energy and clean technology projects aimed at the goal of economic growth associated with
environmental protection.
In Vietnam, from March 2015, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) issued Directive No. 03/CT-NHNN on
promoting green credit growth and managing environmental and social risks in credit granting activities. The
State Bank also promulgated the Action Plan of the Banking sector to implement the National Strategy on Green
Growth to 2020. Accordingly, green credits are funded projects that meet specific criteria for the fields of: Green
agriculture, sustainable forestry, green industry, renewable energy, clean energy, renewable energy management,
use of resources, waste treatment and pollution prevention, protection of the natural environment, green
construction, sustainable transportation, etc.
After more than 6 years, the growth rate of green credit in Vietnam has shown positive signs year by year..
According to the assessment, although the proportion of green credit balance is still quite small in the total credit
balance, it tends to increase faster and faster and promote remarkable efficiency, contributing to sustainable
growth and environmental protection. The target audience of green credit packages is increasingly diverse, many
banks have launched preferential credit programs for corporate customers and individual customers to borrow
money to deploy projects with "green" elements.
Investment trend in green growth projects
In 2021, although the Covid-19 epidemic has had many negative effects on all aspects of the economy, the
growth rate of foreign investment FDI tends to be slow, but capital from this source flows into green growth
projects of Vietnam still recorded quite positive.
Especially, in November 2021, at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change 2021 (COP26), Vietnam
made a commitment to develop and implement stronger measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions further to
achieve "zero" net emissions by 2050. With this commitment, in the coming time, investment in green fields
flowing into Vietnam is expected to continue to increase with the support of international financial institutions;
At the same time, banks and businesses themselves are also confident to promote lending and investment in
green growth projects.
The World Bank (WB) said that it is possible to provide budget support to the Government's priority investment
programs to implement the green growth strategy and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for each period.
Besides, the WB can also support the Government to find ways to mobilize more resources from the private
sector.
Along with that, French Development Finance Organization Proparco granted a loan of USD 50 million to
HDBank to serve green projects to promote sustainable development; Affinity International Investment Fund has
agreed to support 300 million USD for this bank to finance businesses and projects that meet Vietnam's

Environmental-Social-Government (ESG) criteria and sustainable development... On the side of domestic
commercial banks, many banks said that they would promote financing activities for businesses and sustainable
growth projects and accompany the Government in realizing the goal of bringing net emissions to “zero” by
2050. In which, HSBC Bank Vietnam Ltd. has announced its commitment to arrange capital up to 12 billion
USD to directly and indirectly finance sustainable projects and Vietnamese businesses by 2030...
With the orientations and directions from the State Bank and the efforts of credit institutions, green credit is
seeing positive changes, receiving more and more attention and increasing investment limits. In which, the
survey results of the State Bank of credit institutions in the field of green growth and green credit also show that
the understanding of credit institutions has improved significantly.
Many credit institutions have developed environmental and social risk management strategies; integrating
environmental and social risk management content in the green credit appraisal process; building credit products,
banking services for green fields...(Monre – April 23)
Document VENEWS0020220510ei5a0002l

News
Schuylkill County Vietnam War casualties remembered
Republican Herald files

4,994 words
5 May 2022
Republican Herald
PTSVLR
English
Copyright 2022 Republican Herald. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by NewsBank, inc.
Tech. Sgt. Donald J. Seaman
Tech. Sgt. Donald J. Seaman, 34, a Locust Valley native, was the first of 38 Schuylkill County soldiers killed in
Vietnam.
Multiple shrapnel wounds were the official cause of death when a 500-pound bomb, just loaded aboard a B-57,
exploded, setting off a chain reaction during routine mission preparations at Bien Hoa Air Base on May 17,
1965. In all, 30 American soldiers were killed and 100 more wounded.
Military investigators quickly ruled that sabotage had played no part in the massive explosion. Regardless, it
"caused more death, injury and destruction to U.S. Forces than any single Communist attack of the war" up to
that point, The Associated Press reported.
Lance Cpl. David C. Ney
After almost nine months of battling the Viet Cong in the jungles of Vietnam, two weeks of rest and relaxation in
Hong Kong must have seemed like heaven to Lance Cpl. David C. Ney, 20, of Schuylkill Haven.
The two weeks up, on Aug. 24, 1967, Ney and 71 other Marines boarded a routine flight, on a C-130 Hercules
bound for Da Nang, a center of action. The plane never left the Hong Kong harbor.
U.S. officials determined it was engine failure that caused the plane to veer to the left and plunge into 40 feet of
water just off the coast, killing Ney and 57 other servicemen.
Spc. 4 Stephen C. Brisuda
Stephen C. Brisuda, 23, of Frackville, was serving as a specialist fourth class with the Army when he was killed
by sniper fire Friday, Oct, 1, 1965.
He was on a search-and-destroy mission in an area referred to as the Iron Triangle, a Viet Cong stronghold near
Saigon.
His parents, the late Stephen J. and Bertha Wertz Brisuda, shortly before his death had received a letter from
their son, who told of how a "buddy" of his from Sheppton, Spc. 4 John LaBuda Jr., had been injured.
Spc. 4 Kenneth C. Bolich
Kenneth C. Bolich, of Auburn, was drafted and entered the Army in January 1964. After basic training at Fort
Jackson, S.C., he joined the 1st Air Cavalry, 2nd Battalion, and was sent to fight in the jungles of Vietnam.
The 24-year-old, who earned the rank of specialist fourth class, was declared missing by the U.S. Defense
Department on Nov. 17, 1965.
A year later, his remains were identified and the Defense Department officially declared him dead.
Circumstances surrounding his death were unknown.
His father attempted to learn what happened to him, but even other men who served in Bolich's unit couldn't
provide any details.

Sgt. 1st Class Gust Callivas
Gust Callivas didn't have to go to Vietnam, but he felt it was his duty.
That sense of duty took the Girardville man to World War II, in which he was wounded at Anzio, and to the
Korean Conflict, in which he was injured at Pork Chop Hill.
In June 1965, he volunteered to go to Vietnam. It would be the last battle he fought. A sergeant first class, he was
killed at age 40 on Nov. 22, 1965.
Callivas, whom the younger soldiers called "Pop," was in Vietnam five months when he died in an attack by the
Viet Cong at an airbase at Soc Trang. Gust was injured when heavy mortar blew up around him and shrapnel hit
him in the head and neck.
Pfc. Dale E. Umbenhauer
In a May 14, 1966, letter to his parents, Army Pfc. Dale E. Umbenhauer of Pine Grove wrote of his involvement
in an operation in which 57 enemy troops were killed.
He was certain, Umbenhauer wrote, that he personally killed at least three of them.
Three days after writing the letter, on May 17, 1968, Umbenhauer was killed when a UH1-C helicopter gunship
flying out of the Mekong Delta collided in midair with another helicopter.
Prior to his death at age 19, Dale was given the option of coming home for Christmas, but chose instead to stay
in Vietnam with hopes of being discharged early.
Lance Cpl. Michael C. Reed
Michael C. Reed, after only one year at Penn State University, joined the Marine Corps with three friends.
The Saint Clair man made it through his first tour of duty in Vietnam unscathed. But he began a second tour in
January 1966, and this time he was not so lucky.
Michael, a lance corporal, had been serving with Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 12th Marines in the
Quang Tri province of Vietnam when he drove a jeep over a land mine on Sept. 17, 1966. He had been driving
the jeep alone to help a helicopter hospital transport at the scene where a booby trap had wounded three people,
and was maneuvering the jeep into a position to help the medevac's crew when it hit the mine.
The 1962 Nativity BVM graduate was 22 years old.
Pfc. David L. Verbilla
David L. Verbilla was a daredevil and valued actions over words. And when he died In Vietnam on May 3, 1967,
it was as a hero.
The Tamaqua man was 19 and a private first class with Company A of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Division
Landing Team, at the time of his death.
His Second Platoon was pinned down by enemy fire during Operation "Beaver Cage" in Quang Nam Province.
Under heavy machine gun fire, Verbilla volunteered to flank the enemy. He immediately sprinted 100 yards
across an open rice paddy, firing as he ran and freeing his comrades to advance. But before they could catch up
to him, a Vietnamese bullet to the head killed him instantly.
Cpl. Howard A. Donald
Cpl. Howard A, Donald was 19 years old when a land mine along the road from Quang Tri to Chu Lai blew up
and severely wounded him June 6, 1987. The Tamaqua teenager died two days later.
A member of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, he was riding in a truck convoy when the mine

exploded. The open cab offered no protection from flying shrapnel. Several other soldiers were badly hurt or
killed.
Donald was due to come home six days before the attack, but his relief was late in arriving.
His family family would send him socks, which would constantly rot in the jungle wetness, and packages of
Kool-Aid, which made the drinking water more bearable, and he wrote back that he couldn't wait to "come home
and relish all those luxuries I took for granted before."
Sgt. Frederick W. Schaeffer
Sgt. Frederick W. Schaeffer's company had been in the field for 65 days. No relief appeared to be in sight and the
Viet Cong seemed to be everywhere.
With only 100 days left until his discharge, the Pottsville soldier awoke on June 28, 1967, with the task of
conducting a search-and-destroy mission near the village of Thuan Duo. Taking his squad into the muggy jungle,
Frederick quickly found he was surrounded by a hidden Viet Cong stronghold.
According to military reports, he came under withering enemy machine gun fire that critically wounded two of
his men. Disregarding his own safety, Frederick plunged forward to aid his wounded comrades while firing at the
enemy position. By the time he reached the first man, he was felled and mortally wounded.
With their leader down, Frederick's men fought back and rallied to defeat the enemy. But the victory came too
late for Frederick who, at age 23, became Pottsville's first casualty in Vietnam.
Pfc. Dennis E. Hoffman
Pfc. Dennis E. Hoffman, a 1965 graduate of Porter-Tower High School, died June 2, 1967 — the day before he
would have turned 20 — from small arms fire during a combat operation.
He was the first man from Orwin or Porter Township to die in the Vietnam War.
Described as a well-liked student who served one year as his high school class president, Hoffman joined the
Army Sept. 27, 1966. He received basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and Fort Gordon, Ga., but was at Fort
Dix, N.J., when he was called to serve to Vietnam.
He arrived to Vietnam on March 11, 1967, and was there less than three months when he was killed.
Pfc. John J. McMonegal Jr.
John J. McMonegal Jr. could always be found talking with active and veteran Marines. So it was no surprise
when U.S. troops began heading to Vietnam that the 17-year-old asked his parents to allow him to enlist. They
declined. After all, their son was still a high school junior in the North Schuylkill School District.
In February 1966, the Girardville teen did enlist, one month after his 18th birthday. He went to Vietnam in July
of that year.
After serving 13 months in the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Division, he planned to return home, but those plans
changed at about 1 p.m. Aug. 29, 1967, in the Mekong Delta in the vicinity of Quang Tri. John, 19, died of
multiple injuries that day when the jeep in which he was transporting a chaplain and an American Red Cross
volunteer crossed over an enemy land mine and exploded. The Red Cross volunteer, retired Air Force Sgt. Vem
Lyons, also died while the chaplain, Clark B. McPhail, survived.
Cpl. Reese A. Jones
Reese A. Jones of Quakake was killed Oct. 11, 1967, in combat in the province of Quang Tri, Vietnam, one
month short of his 19th birthday.
He had enlisted in 1966 when he was 17, needing his father's permission at that age. In May 1967, he was
assigned to Vietnam as part of the 3rd Amphibious Marine Division.

Reese's death occurred during a mission to rescue a Marine unit that was overrun by Vietnamese in Quang Tri.
He was serving in infantry as a grenadier and operated M-79 grenade launchers. His squad planned to attack the
enemy from behind to relieve the troops under fire.
However, there was another wave of North Vietnamese waiting just behind Reese's unit and it overran them.
Reese was shot in the chest with a 50-caliber machine gun. There were only two or three survivors from Reese's
14-member squad.
Maj. Leonard R. Demko
Marine Maj. Leonard R. Demko graduated in June 1958 from a two-year course at Pennsylvania State University
at Schuylkill Haven, where he became an ROTC candidate and went on to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Leonard, a trained airplane and helicopter pilot, was awarded for his bravery in a 1961 rescue mission in North
Carolina, in which he flew low in an heroic attempt to put out the flames after a military transport plane crashed
near Wilmington.
Eight months into his first tour of duty in Vietnam in March 1963, he was injured during a rescue mission for a
downed aircraft when his helicopter crashed and exploded. He suffered second-degree burns and severe
lacerations.
But on Feb. 5, 1968, at age 28, Leonard would make his last flight. The Pottsville man was killed when his
helicopter was downed in a medical evacuation mission near Thua Thlen.
Pfc. Merlin C. Hollenbach
After arriving in Vietnam in November 1967, Merlin C. Hollenbach wrote to his sister about his flight there.
"Sister, I had this terrible, terrible feeling that I was never coming home," he wrote.
His prediction came true a month later.
On Dec. 22, 1967, Hollenbach was shot and killed in an area south of Dau Tieng. A medic, he had been tending
to a wounded soldier when he was hit about 9:35 am. that day.
Hollenbach had just turned 21 on Nov. 19 of that year.
Spc. 5 William D. Eltringham
William D. Eltringham was due home from Vietnam in two weeks.
His Branchdale family was already preparing for his return, excited that he might be home by Feb. 24, 1968 —
his 24th birthday.
But Army Spc. 5 Eltringham was killed on Feb. 6, 1968, when he was spending the night at a camp in Da Nang
that came under intense mortar attack.
He wasn't supposed to be there. He was a guard on a UH-1H helicopter that was forced to stop at the Da Nang
camp because of stormy weather.
Before Vietnam, Eltringham and two partners opened the Ravine-area Panther Head Coal Co. It was close to
taking off when he knew he was going to be drafted for the war, so he volunteered. After his death, the family
sold the mine.
Capt. Thomas J. Margle
After just two months in the jungle, Thomas J. Margle, of New Philadelphia, was killed while piloting one of the
"flying gas stations in the sky."

KC-97 and KC-135 planes were used to refuel aircraft that were providing air support for Army troops pinned
down by enemy ground fire.
Margle died during one of those missions at age 32 over Tan Som Nhut on Feb. 15, 1968, according to college
records at The Citadel, Charleston, S.C., where he attended.
A career Air Force pilot, Thomas' first domestic post was at Arlington Air Force Base, Texas, and he then went
on to serve in Kansas, Ohio and Georgia before being sent to Vietnam in December 1967. Thomas and his wife,
Marie T. Ganis, had four children, including twin girls.
Spc. 4 George J. Schultz
George J. Schultz, 20, of Mechanicsville, was an Army specialist 4 with the 8th Field Hospital when he was
wounded Feb. 2 while serving with the 101st Airborne Division. He lingered 20 days before dying.
After a short stint in college, he had enlisted in the Army in May 1966.
His brother, Frederick, had preceded him into the armed forces, joining the Marine Corps in October 1965. He
also served 12 months in Vietnam as a machine gunner, but was back home when he learned his brother had died
in the war.
Sgt. John A. Oscelus
On April 11, 1968, Sgt. John A. Oscelus was killed by sniper fire while patrolling the perimeter of an outpost in
Ben Tre in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Jackie, as he was known to friends and relatives, was 20 years old.
John was due to be discharged from the Army in August 1968. With one exception, he wrote the number of days
left in his tour of duty under his signature in every letter.
The exception was the last letter he wrote, which arrived three days after word reached Cumbola that Jackie was
dead.
The space where he would normally write the number of days left in Vietnam was blank.
Sgt. Michael J. Kaplafka
Army Sgt. Michael J. Kaplafka, 20, of Mahanoy City, was riding as a passenger in a military vehicle that
encountered hostile fire on June 12, 1968.
According to a telegram his parents received, that was the last time he was seen alive. For an entire week,
Michael was declared missing in action.
Anxious to learn more about Michael's whereabouts, his parents went to Fort Indiantown Gap Military
Reservation, Annville, where a liaison officer informed them of their son's death.
Michael served with the SVC Battery Second Battalion, 32nd Artillery. While in Vietnam, he was promoted to
sergeant.
Spc. 4 Harold J. Kissinger
Harold J. Kissinger was the type of guy who would help out wherever he was needed. It was no surprise then
that Jimmy, as he was called, died while trying to help someone else.
The Pottsville man was killed Sept. 17, 1968, at age 21 in Vietnam. The Army told his mother that Jimmy had
heard a group of comrades radio for help and went to assist them. On his way there, a sniper shot and killed him.
Kissinger was drafted into the Army on Oct. 18, 1967, and was sent to Fort Dix, N.J., for basic training. His
family was notified of his death on Sept. 20, 1968.
Pfc. Dennis E. Witkowski

Dennis E. Witkowski had worn a few hats before his life was cut short at age 22 when a land mine went off in
the jungles of Vietnam on Sept. 18, 1968.
Born in Shenandoah, July 31, 1946, he attended the former Annunciation High School, Shenandoah, and played
football, baseball and pool and was a swimmer. After high school, he worked at a factory that manufactured
mobile homes.
Around June 1968, Dennis was drafted. He was placed in the Army and sent to South Carolina for basic training.
A few months later, he was sent to Vietnam.
Details were lacking, but the family believes he was on patrol when a land mine that exploded and sent shrapnel
flying resulted in his death.
Lance Cpl. Edward L. Daubert
Edward L. Daubert, 20, a member of the 1st Marine Infantry Division, died in the early morning hours of Sept.
21, 1968. While on patrol in Quang Nom Province, he stepped on an explosive device that killed him almost
instantly.
A 1966 graduate of the Pottsville Area High School, Edward was a knitting apprentice at Argo Mills, Schuylkill
Haven, before enlisting with the Marines in May 1967.
In October of that year, the Pottsville man stopped at Marine bases in Hawaii and Okinawa on his way to a 13-
month stint in Vietnam. He was stationed with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment.
In February 1968, Edward was promoted to private first class, and, on April 1, he became a lance corporal.
Lance Cpl. William D. Frantz
William D. Frantz, who was turning 13 when his family moved in 1961 from Schuylkill Haven to Tampa, Fla.,
volunteered for the Marines, unbeknownst to his parents, when he was visiting Schuylkill County relatives in
1965.
On Oct. 17, 1968, the 20-year-old lance corporal was part of a medical evacuation mission when he was killed. A
helicopter he and more than 20 other men were in was fired on as it was landing. It crashed into a mountainside,
killing all on board.
The tragedy occurred in the Quang Tri province near Da Nang. Williams was with the Marine Medium
Helicopter Squadron 161, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 1st Marine Air Wing.
His high school class' valedictorian, Frantz had been named for a cousin who was killed in Guam during World
War II.
Pfc. Francis P. Baldino
Francis P. Baldino joined the Marine for a tour of duty in Vietnam after graduating from Ashland Area High
School In 1967.
Just three months abroad, Francis was dead, mauled by a tiger deep in the Asian woods.
Francis, 19, of Big Mine Run, was a private first class radio operator in the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, attached
to the 3rd Marine Division when he died. The tiger attacked as he was staking out an ambush position in a valley
in the Quang Tri Province on Nov. 14, 1968. A safari of his Marine comrades later hunted the animal but never
caught it.
Cpl. David F. Heiser
Cpl. David F. Heiser, of Orwigsburg, wanted to help people. He died doing so in Vietnam.

On Feb. 2, 1969, Heiser, a medic with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade, and other members of his unit were
trying to help a buddy who had been shot.
Instead, they met a barrage of Viet Cong fire. According to the Army, Heiser was shot and killed instantly. He
was 21.
A 1965 graduate of Blue Mountain, Heiser attended classes at Reading Business Institute and worked at the
Pennsylvania Steel Foundry & Machine Co., Hamburg, after high school. That ended in March 1968, when he
was drafted into the Army. He went to Vietnam after basic training.
Cpl. Paul J. Mitchell
Marine Cpl. Paul J. Mitchell played French horn in the 1st Marine Division Band and spent little time on the
front fighting. But a month before his third tour was to end, on Feb. 23, 1969, the war found him.
The Mahanoy City man was helping evacuate wounded people from a camp 1½ miles west of Da Nang when a
grenade blast killed him. He was 21 years old.
Mitchell had enlisted in the Marines a few months after graduating from Mahanoy Area in 1965.
Seaman 3rd Class Ronald P. Yuhas
Ronald P. Yuhas of Shenandoah enlisted in the Navy on Sept. 22, 1966, just a few months after his high school
graduation. He became a seaman 3rd class and served two tours of duty in Vietnam.
On the second tour, Yuhas was aboard a small boat called an LCU 1500 that moved ammunition into Vietnam's
Yang Harbor on Feb. 27, 1969.
An enemy rocket or artillery shell made a direct hit on the boat, killing an estimated 28 sailors on board,
including Yuhas. He was 20 years old.
At the time of his death, Yuhas had anticipated a leave in April, a discharge from the Navy in October and a
future marriage.
Pfc. Richard D. Roberts
During the last week of June 1969, Joan Roberts and her family were eagerly awaiting a telephone call from
Hong Kong.
Her oldest son, Pfc. Richard D. Roberts, 19, was scheduled to have his first vacation from the Army after
spending six months in the jungles of Vietnam.
On June 24, 1969, only days before his two-week leave, Richard and his platoon from Company B, 1st Battalion,
22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, were on a mission to secure ammunition for their unit. The ammunition,
which had been dropped by a resupply aircraft only moments earlier, exploded in the field, killing Richard and
seven others.
The Pottsville man had enlisted in the Army on June 28, 1968.
Pvt. William R. McNelly
On July 3, 1967, William followed in the footsteps of his adoptive father, Port Carbon native Harry Robert
McNelly, an Army lieutenant colonel who served in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, and grandfather,
Lt. Col. Roland D. Graves, volunteering to enter the Army.
He joined the Green Berets and was sent to Vietnam in September 1968, just after his 21st birthday.
On July 4, 1969, he stepped on a land mine north of Chu Chi as he tried to help a fallen comrade. He was killed
instantly.

After his brief stay in Port Carbon as a young child, William McNelly moved to New York, graduating from
Draper High School, Schenectady, N.Y., in 1966. He attended Cameron Junior College in Lawton, Okla., for a
semester and later moved to San Francisco, Calif., working for a stock brokerage firm.
Cpl. Joseph M. Hashin Jr.
Marine Cpl. Joseph M. Hashin Jr.'s fierce sense of loyalty was perhaps most evident in the final moments of his
life, which ended during a sniper ambush while his unit was in pursuit of enemy soldiers southwest of the town
of Plei Mrong on Aug. 6, 1969.
Although Hashin, of Minersville, was "mortally wounded in the initial exchange of fire," he exposed himself to
more fire to cover for his comrades so they could withdraw, a military account says.
A 1967 graduate of Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville, he died at age 19.
He had joined the Army in 1968 and began his tour of duty in Vietnam in March 1969, serving in Company E,
1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Division.
Sgt. Paul F. Kostick
Paul F. Kostick, of Gilberton, was drafted into the Army in March 1968 and was sent to Fort Jackson, N.C., for
basic training.
He was shipped to Vietnam in mid-December of that year, assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Division, Company A.
Eight months later, on Aug. 25, 1969, Paul, 21, was killed when his company came under hostile mortar attack as
he was unloading supplies from a helicopter in Tay Ninh.
His last leave home had been in early December 1968, just before he went to Vietnam.
Pfc. Thomas P. McKerns
When Thomas P. McKerns was killed by a hail of machine-gun fire on Aug. 28, 1969, it was as a hero. He was
sprinting through an open field to help some of his wounded platoon mates who had been pinned down by a
North Vietnamese army force.
McKerns, 21, of Mahanoy City, was a private first class serving with the Army in Company B, 4th Battalion,
31st Infantry.
When he enlisted in the Army, he left behind a promising career with Green Construction, building roads near
Hazleton. But military tradition also ran strong in his family.
His uncle had been killed when his B-17 flying fortress crashed into another Army Air Corps plane over
Germany in World War II.
Capt. Norman L. Nesterak
A 1967 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Lt. Norman L. Nesterak had been on his Vietnam
tour with the Army's 8th Engineering Battalion only 10 days when he was killed on Sept. 3, 1969.
An engineer, he was in a helicopter helping locate an airstrip site when the plane was shot down near Phuocinh.
Nesterak, 24, of Coaldale, was buried at West Point where, only a few weeks earlier, he had told his wife he
wanted to be. Posthumously, he was made captain.
Sgt. James G. Anderson
James G. Anderson, 23, of Schuylkill Haven, stepped on a booby trap while an Army specialist first class with
the 16th Artillery. He had spent exactly four months in Vietnam before his death on May 4, 1970.

It was a cataclysmic day for the United States as well as the Anderson family: at Kent State University in Ohio,
four students were shot and killed by National Guardsmen during an anti-war demonstration on the campus.
The Army was a natural step for James, who joined Sept. 24, 1967, and had spent 14 months in South Korea and
nine in Germany before going to Vietnam.
Spc. 4 Lawrence E. Scheib Jr.
Spec. Lawrence E. Scheib Jr., of Tower City, wanted to be more than a foot soldier.
So after serving for a time In Company E, 1st Battalion of the 327th Infantry, Lawrence went back for extra
training to become an Army Ranger. The Rangers are an elite force whose history dates back to Colonial times.
In Vietnam, Ranger volunteer units conducted reconnaissance and intelligence operations in enemy territory. He
was in the midst of a mission with seven other soldiers on Aug. 29, 1970, when the helicopter he was in crashed.
Four of the soldiers on board, including Scheib, died. He would have turned 21 on Oct. 5.
Spc. 4 John J. Farnsworth Jr.
John J. Farnsworth Jr. of Frackville joined the Army in January 1970 and went to Vietnam on June 17 of that
year, serving with the 101st Airborne Infantry, American Division, as a door gunner in the back of a helicopter.
Childhood friend Walter W. Hummel served with the 4th Infantry Division and saw Farnsworth in Da Nang.
Hummel saw him from a distance and yelled to him. They talked a few minutes before going their separate ways.
It was about three weeks later that Farnsworth died. On Friday, Nov. 13, 1970, he was killed in an ambush while
on patrol near the Laotian border at age 19.
Spc. 4 Gary G. Geiger
Shortly after graduation from Tamaqua Area High School in 1969, Gary G. Geiger received his draft notice
calling him into service.
But his hopes for a military career appeared to be dashed when he failed the entry physical exam.
Undaunted, the New Ringgold man enlisted in the Army, becoming a medic for the 3-5 Calvary, 9th Infantry
Division.
On March 25, 1971, above a battlefield in Vietnam, Spc. 4 Geiger and his fellow crew mates were shot down and
killed during a routine medic helicopter rescue mission that went awry.
Geiger, who was 21, became New Ringgold's only casualty of the Vietnam War and Schuylkill County's 38th and
last man to die in it.
Col. Henry A. Tipping
The hardest thing for the family of Air Force Col. Henry A. Tipping is not knowing.
No pieces of ripped clothing. No dog tags. No identifying bones or remains were ever found.
No records of any kind exist about Henry after he disappeared on July 2, 1968, while flying the lead fighter
plane in a search-and-rescue mission for another downed pilot. He was 42.
The Mill Creek native was flying low when the planes behind him saw his aircraft hit a clump of trees, flip over
and begin smoking. He was behind active enemy lines, and the pilots couldn't risk a rescue.
Tipping is Schuylkill County's only Vietnam soldier still listed as missing in action.
Brian E. Martin

Cpl. Brian E. Martin was born Oct. 19, 1944, in England, and grew up in Minersville. He was killed in a plane
crash at El Toro, Santa Ana, California, on June 25, 1965, at age 20.
John T. Chatcho
Marine Pvt. John T. Chatcho, 20, of Pottsville, enlisted in the service in March 1966 and had been assigned a
tour of duty in Vietnam. On March 9, 1967, he board a plane at the airport at Harrisburg, en route to a staging
battalion in California, but the plane crashed near Urbana, Ohio.
William J. Hughes
Marine Corps Capt. William Joseph Hughes was born and raised in Pottsville, but moved to Ohio when he was a
teenager and enlisted in the Army. He was killed in Mai King Delta on May 2, 1968, at age 30.
Chuck Hawkins
Chuck Hawkins graduated from Saint Clair Area High School on June 5, 1969, and entered the Air Force two
months later on Aug. 8. He competed training and entered electronics and communications school. After
completing the course, he came home on 40-day leave. He returned Sept. 28, 1970, and went to Taiwan on Oct.
1, 1970. He was on a plane that crashed on Oct. 2, 1970, killing Hawkins at age 19.
Document PTSVLR0020220506ei550000t

Vietnamese Phuc Khang Corporation oriented towards sustainable green construction
682 words
2 March 2022
VENEWS
English
Aiming to become the pioneer among Vietnamese businesses in sustainable development, Phuc Khang
Corporation has concentrated all efforts on creating global standard certified green buildings.
Founded in 2009, Phuc Khang Corporation has been developing the multifield ecology including construction,
education, commerce, consumption ... orbiting real estate. At the very beginning, all founders oriented the
development of the company towards "a greener and more traditional, civilized Vietnam."
Efforts to create green buildings
Projects the prefixes of which are Eco represent the unique orientation of Phuc Khang Corporation in the real
estate market. These include Eco Sun (Dong Nai), Eco Village (Long An), Eco Town (HCMC) and especially
Vietnam Lotus Village in Long An.
Vietnam Lotus Village, an area of 65 square hectares, was developed into a green urban area by Phuc Khang
Corporation, friendly to the environment and loyal to the reservation and development of Vietnamese cultural
quintessence. Besides 60 percent of the area for green trees and community space, the project stands out with the
Vietnamese Bamboo conference center - awarded "The largest bamboo hall in Vietnam" in 2015.
Lac Viet welcome gate was also recognized as "The biggest welcome gate with patterns of bronze drums in
Vietnam" in 2019. On Dec. 12, 2021, Vietnam Lotus Village was awarded the bronze prize of "construction
planning project" in the National Urban Planning II.
Phuc Khang Corporation made a sharp imprint on green building development by focusing on the market of
apartments, the example of which is Diamond Lotus Riverside in Ho Chi Minh City. This project was certified as
having global standards, invested and developed by a joint venture between Phuc Khang Corporation and
Mitsubishi Corporation (Japan). This is one of few projects registered for LEED Gold by U.S. Green Building
Council and Lotus by Vietnam Green Building Council.
Green buildings require more investment than normal ones. In Diamond Lotus Riverside, all equipment
comprising electricity, water, waste disposal ... are carefully selected and installed to save energy and water. All
installed equipment must meet LEED requirement of the U.S. The building density is just 19 percent. Most of
the investment of the business goes toward greening of the building.
This project has helped achieve 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations such as
building sustainable cities and communities, taking urgent action to combat climate change, save natural
resources like water, land, energy... , thus, providing residents with an ecological, pure, cost-effective living
space.
According to investors, the project has helped reduce up to 38.9 percent of energy consumption, 36.5 percent to
55 percent of water usage in comparison to base levels, increase the landscape area up to 21.5 percent in order to
reduce land surface temperature. This project was awarded Green Lotus Certification by Vietnam Green
Building Council on Nov. 23, 2021.
Phan Thu Hang, chairwoman of Vietnam Green Building Council commented that Phuc Khang Corporation has
achieved three environment, economy and society benefits while being evaluated for Lotus standard.

First, Phuc Khang Corporation has demonstrated its business commitment towards the community and the
environment through reducing the carbon footprint and environmental footprint of the project.
Second, it brings great benefits to residents because standard green buildings, especially Lotus, provide them
with comfort and convenience in terms of climate, temperature, light and sound.
Third, standard Lotus green buildings always encourage energy saving while operating to reduce carbon
emissions and monthly electricity bills, bringing economic benefits to residents.
Corporate social responsibilities
In addition to business activities, Phuc Khang Corporation is one of the businesses that pioneered corporate
social responsibilities. With the spirit of "Giving compassionately" and "Giving responsibly", Phuc Khang
Corporation has recently accompanied Ho Chi Minh City in the fight against Covid-19.
At the beginning of social distancing in HCMC, Phuc Khang Corporation provided 40 tons of clean vegetables
to people in quarantine areas, residents, and staff ...
When the pandemic peaked, Phuc Khang Corporation launched "The Green Heart of Giftivism" to accompany
the city and people in the fight against Covid-19. (En.VnExpress.net – March 2)
Document VENEWS0020220302ei320000t

ENERGY
Global climate efforts now underway
1,934 words
26 February 2022
VENEWS
English
With its strong commitment to bring greenhouse gas emissions to a net-zero level over the next three decades,
Vietnam has begun to receive assistance from the international community in order to materialize this strategy,
which can offer bigger opportunities for environmentally-friendly energy.
Last November, Vietnam impressed the international community through its strong commitment on net-zero
targets in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“Although we are a developing country that started industrialization only over three decades ago, Vietnam will
capitalize on its advantage in renewable energy and take stronger measures to reduce GHG emissions. To this
end, we will make use of our own domestic resources along with the cooperation and support of the international
community in terms of finance and technology, including through mechanisms under the Paris Agreement, in
order to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” stated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the COP26 climate
summit held in the United Kingdom.
Also at COP26, Vietnam participated in the Global Methane Pledge initiative which aims to reduce global
methane emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030; the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use;
the Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement; and the Global Climate Change Adaptation Alliance.
These strong messages would mean that Vietnam will have to gradually revise its strategy on energy
development, including the development of coal-fired power plants, projects on manufacturing steel and cement,
and many other projects that have big GHG emissions as they are using fossil fuel.
However, Vietnam’s commitments would mean more opportunities for the nation to develop renewable energy
such as solar energy, wind power, geothermal energy, biomass and hydroelectric power.
On-trend strategy
“The implementation of Vietnam’s commitments, especially the commitment on net-zero targets in reducing
GHG emissions by 2050, is inevitable and irreversible. The timely deployment of these commitments will bring
huge and long-term benefits. Vietnam needs to take advantage of this opportunity to conduct economic
restructuring with a low-carbon direction,” stated the Government Office released two weeks ago.
Vietnam earlier reiterated the threat of rising sea levels due to climate change, especially in the most vulnerable
regions in its southern region, which is home to more than 20 million people. The region also produces over half
the country’s rice harvest. A significant amount of land is periodically affected by flooding, resulting in damage
to crops and people’s livelihoods.
Ho Chi Minh City itself is regularly prone to flooding. The government’s plan is to develop the city as a financial
center and a smart city by 2025. A report by McKinsey, however, stated that the annual flooding in the city may
cost about $1.3 billion a year, mostly from damage to real estate. This trend is likely to increase as costs related
to floods may increase faster than economic activity.
Vietnam has plans to increase ecological farming and adopt new technologies. The Ministry of Planning and
Investment is also developing a master plan for the Mekong Delta region for the 2021-2030 period with a vision
for 2050.

“Political statements at COP26 have shown Vietnam’s position and responsibility in solving serious global
challenges and at the same time helping our country overcome serious challenges posed by climate change
today,” said Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha.
In a joint letter to PM Chinh in early December, 18 ambassadors, the World Bank, and the UN said they are
committed to supporting Vietnam’s new climate commitments with an improved offer of financial and technical
assistance. They also stand ready to assist Vietnam in mobilizing international resources, including increased
public and private investment, official development assistance (ODA), and concessional loans to reduce the cost
for Vietnam – besides sharing expertise, knowledge and technology, and supporting the country in improving
regulations to woo high-quality investment.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it is ready to assist Vietnam in its journey. It has signed an MoU with
Vietnam’s oil and gas group PetroVietnam on establishing a strategic partnership in the 2021–2024 period to
promote clean and renewable energy development as well as to achieve PetroVietnam’s targets in the green
energy transition.
The MoU establishes the foundation for cooperation activities between PetroVietnam and the ADB such as
strategy and roadmap for green energy transition; carbon capture, utilization and storage; hydrogen development;
and offshore wind energy development.
“With expertise and experience, particularly in carbon capture, use and storage, hydrogen energy, offshore wind
energy, and energy efficiency, the ADB will support PetroVietnam in the green energy transition towards the
target of emissions reduction that Vietnam has committed to,” said PetroVietnam’s deputy general director Pham
Tien Dung.
At a meeting held a couple of weeks ago by the National Steering Committee on implementing Vietnam’s
commitments at COP26, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered ministries and sectors to soon complete the
formulation of their own action plans on deploying Vietnam’s commitments. The Ministry of Natural Resources
and Environment (MoNRE) shall collect all the plans’ information and then build up the country’s overall action
plan on this.
In the short term, efforts must be made to deploy eight key tasks, including:
- Shifting from fossil energy to clean and green energy sources;
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in sectors;
- Decreasing emissions of methane, especially in agricultural production and waste treatment;
- Encouraging research and developing the use of electric vehicles;
- Maintaining forests in a suitable manner, while boosting the plantation of new forests in order to absorb carbon;
- Researching, producing, and sustainably using environmentally-friendly building materials in line with green
and sustainable development;
- Boosting and renewing communications activities so that society and the business community can work with
the government in implementing Vietnam’s commitment at COP26; and
- Beefing up digital transformation in service of climate change response.
The prime minister also ordered ministries to review, supplement, and improve regulations and laws, and to
formulate strategies, plans, mechanisms, and policies in order to attract financial, high technological, and human
resources as well as governance experience to effectively implement advanced solutions.
The ministries were also required to propose specific programs, projects, and demands for capital, technology
transfer, and human resources in order to deploy Vietnam’s commitments at COP26.
All of these must be sent to the MoNRE which will gather all information and then report to the national steering
committee and organize meetings with international organizations and partners.

Action plans of ministries and sectors must be used as inputs for the formulation of a program on implementing
Vietnam’s commitment at COP26 which must be submitted to the national steering committee in Q2 before
being adopted by an authorized agency.
Supporting institutions
Last November, Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam committed MoUs worth $8.5 billion in sustainable financing
for T&T Group, Geleximco Group, and Van Lang Investment and Education Management Corporation to
support their sustainability goals. Under the MoUs, Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam will arrange financing for
T&T Group’s environment, waste treatment, liquefied natural gas-fired power plants and renewable energy
projects; Geleximco’s paper, pulp and afforestation, tourism, and seaport projects; and Van Lang’s construction
of a green university campus.
Under its Country Program Document for Vietnam 2022-2026 released last month, the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) said it will support the Vietnamese government, the private sector, and financial
institutions to design and implement low-carbon development, circular economy, and environmental protection.
“In support of a more decarbonized economy, resources will be deployed to develop and implement energy-
efficient business models, expanding the use of clean and renewable energy,” read the document.
The UNDP will demonstrate scalable solutions for deforestation-free cash crops, green agriculture supply chains,
reduction of GHG emissions and de-risked low carbon investments for industrial processes. To meet the
transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement, the UNDP will support partners to strengthen systems and
build capacities and tools to measure and report on emissions, mitigation, adaptation and climate financing.
Underlining climate finance at a recent workshop sharing outcomes of COP26, Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP resident
representative in Vietnam, said that to mobilize large-scale climate finance to deliver impactful outcomes,
Vietnam would do well to introduce a climate finance strategy to enable effective coordination for a combination
and mix of public finance, private investment, ODA, and loans.
The financial strategy would aim to mobilize finance to invest in strategic areas that require large upfront
investments. This includes infrastructure that enables renewable energy, the transition of the energy sector
(phasing down coal, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies), and transport electrification.
“In setting priorities, it will be important to strike a balance between climate change mitigation and adaptation.
International finance should not fully shift to mitigation, and there must be good balance and allocation of
resources to climate adaptation,” Wiesen said.
Alok Sharma - COP26 President
Every fraction of a degree makes a difference. An average global temperature rise of 2oC, compared to 1.5oC,
would see hundreds of millions more people affected, and twice as many plants and three times as many insect
species losing vast swathes of their habitat. We know that climate change is already damaging the livelihoods of
millions in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam.
In Vietnam, the potential for renewable energy, both solar and wind, offers a realistic alternative to building new
coal-fired power, and a way to keep attracting high-tech investment.
Our second goal is to protect people and nature from the worst effects of climate change. The climate crisis is
already with us and we must act on the very real need for flood defenses, warning systems and other vital efforts
to minimize, avert and address the loss and damage caused by climate change. I know how the extreme weather
in Central Vietnam in 2020 caused devastating floods, and we must help communities to increase the resilience
of their housing and infrastructure.
Gareth Ward - British Ambassador to Vietnam
Energy accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions in Vietnam, and so should be the focus
of attention. We are working with wider stakeholders to support the acceleration of energy transition in Vietnam
through the COP26 Energy Transition Council. Since the first council meeting in March 2021, we have been

working to roll out short-term interventions. Our longer-term support covers three main workstreams – the shift
away from coal, financing the transition, and power grid improvement.
It is impressive to see the growth of Vietnam’s solar and wind sectors in recent years. With the enormous clean
energy potential, we hope to see Vietnam adopt an ambitious new Power Development Plan that fully reflects
this. We hope the plan will be in line with Vietnam’s ambition to phase out coal and more significant incentives
for renewable energy investment. The UK and other donors are ready to deliver technical support through our
Rapid Response Facility to support Vietnam in this direction.
The UK has been supporting Vietnam through official development assistance programs to tackle climate change
in the past few years. Bilateral support ranges from promoting green finance and energy efficiency (the ASEAN
Low Carbon Energy program), increasing urban resilience (the urban resilience trust fund and Global Future
cities program), accelerating green finance to support green buildings (the Market Accelerator for green
construction) and preserving biodiversity (the Biodiversity landscape fund and Blue Planet fund).
The Private Infrastructure Development Group, through Infraco Asia, has also invested in a successful solar
power project which has created over 1,300 jobs. (Vietnam Investment Review – February 25)
Document VENEWS0020220226ei2q0000o

Corporate
HSBC launches first recycled plastic cards in Vietnam
Hong Ngan
401 words
20 January 2022
SGTD
English
HCMC – HSBC Vietnam has launched Vietnam’s first card made from recycled Polyvinyl chloride (rPVC)
plastic, as part of the HSBC Group’s program to introduce sustainable cards across all its global locations.
The rollout starts in January this year with its Premier MasterCard credit card, Premier debit card and Classic
debit card. It will then extend across further card products from May 2022 tentatively. The first rPVC cards will
be issued to customers who require new or replacement cards.
To preserve their existing cards, recycled plastic cards will be issued as their old cards expire. The new cards are
made from 85% recycled plastics originating from industrial waste.
Being among the leading card issuers in Vietnam, HSBC’s move to rPVC cards will help reduce carbon dioxide
emissions by nearly half a ton and save 0.2 ton of plastic per year. Overall, HSBC Vietnam together with other
markets where the HSBC Group operates can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 161 tons per year and cut
73 tons of plastic waste per year globally.
The switch is a first step in a gradual transition to issue cards made from sustainable materials, and HSBC will
continue to evaluate other alternative materials too.
Pramoth Rajendran, head of Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC Vietnam, said, “New sustainable materials,
such as rPVC, offer the financial services industry a clear way to accelerate its efforts to build a more sustainable
future, and we’re proud to be part of a movement which is gathering momentum across the world. Replacing our
cards will be another step to help the bank and our customers make a positive impact on the environment.”
The move toward recycled cards enables HSBC and its customers to join hands together for a greener Vietnam,
supporting the country’s climate action commitment at the COP26, which is reaching its net-zero carbon
emission target by 2050, he added.
This move toward recycled cards is just one amongst many initiatives that HSBC is driving globally and in
Vietnam in particular.
Previously, to help retail customers reduce carbon emissions and contribute to shaping a zero-carbon future for
the world, HSBC has enhanced and expanded its range of green loan products in Vietnam, offering preferential
loans on green construction and rooftop solar energy, and more green lending to come in the near future.
Document SGTD000020220120ei1k00031

First recycled plastic cards launched in Vietnam
VNA
445 words
19 January 2022
Vietnam News Agency
VIETNA
English
HCM City (VNA), Jan. 19 -- HSBC Bank Vietnam has rolled out Vietnam's first card made from recycled
Polyvinyl chloride ( rPVC ) plastic as part of a programme launched by the HSBC Group to introduce
sustainable cards across all its global locations.
The move underpins the bank's strategy to reduce its carbon emissions and achieve net zero in its operations and
supply chain by 2030 or sooner. Its ambition is eliminating single-use PVC plastic by the end of 2026, in favour
of rPVC.
The rollout starts in January 2022 with its Premier MasterCard Credit, Premier Debit and Classic Debit cards. It
will then extend across further card products from May 2022 tentatively.
The first rPVC cards will be issued to customers who requires new or replacement cards. To preserve the life of
their existing cards for as long as possible, recycled plastic cards will be issued as their old cards naturally
expire.
The new cards are made from 85 percent recycled plastics originating from industrial waste. HSBC's move to
rPVC cards is expected help reduce CO2 emissions by nearly half a tonne a year, and save 0.2 tonne of plastic
per year.
Collectively, HSBC Vietnam together with other markets where the HSBC Group operates can help reduce CO2
emissions by 161 tonnes a year and reduce 73 tonnes of plastic waste per year globally.
The switch is a first step in a gradual transition to issue cards made from sustainable materials, and HSBC will
continue to evaluate other alternative materials too.
"Replacing our cards will be another step as to help the bank and our customers make a positive impact on the
environment," said Pramoth Rajendran, Head of Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC Vietnam. "There is no
doubt that environment is of prime importance to Vietnam. The country is too familiar with the threats from
climate change."
"The move towards recycled cards enables HSBC and our customers to join hands together for a greener
Vietnam, supporting the country's climate action commitment at the COP26 which is reaching its net-zero carbon
emission target by 2050," he added.
Previously, to help retail customers reduce carbon emissions and contribute to shaping a zero-carbon future for
the world, HSBC has enhanced and expanded its range of green loan products in Vietnam, offering preferential
loans on green construction and rooftop solar energy, and more green lending to come in the near future./.
Document VIETNA0020220119ei1j000e5

Industry: Vietnam PM Urges Ministries to Build Plans to Respond to Climate Change
227 words
14 January 2022
VIETNB
English
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged ministries and agencies to build plans within the first
quarter (Q1) of this year on climate change response, state media reported.
PM Chinh made the order at the first meeting of the National Steering Committee for the Delivery of Vietnam’s
Commitments at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) on January 13.
The prime minister also named eight main missions, namely (i) green energy and clean energy transition, (ii)
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, (iii) lowering methane emissions, (iv) developing electric cars, (v)
promoting forestation to absorb CO2, (vi) producing green construction materials, (vii) stepping up digital
transformation, and (viii) encouraging the involvement of businesses and people in the effort.
The government leader stressed that the national power development plan VIII must also be in line with targets
on climate change response, green transition, and sustainable development.
In Q2, the steering committee will gather proposals from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to
submit to relevant agencies the master program to implement Vietnam's commitments at COP26 and carry out
the program once approved.
PM Chinh stressed that the entire political system should engage in and mobilize all possible resources at home
and abroad for the effort to combat climate change.
Document VIETNB0020220114ei1e0000p

TechnoPark Tower awarded LEED Platinum Green Construction Certificate
665 words
11 January 2022
Media OutReach Newswire
MORNEN
English
Copyright 2022. Media OutReach Limited. All rights reserved.
HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 11 January 2022 - TechnoPark Tower in Vinhomes Ocean Park in
Hanoi has been officially awarded the V4 LEED Platinum Green Building Certificate by the US Green Building
Council. This is the world's most prestigious certification that honours green buildings for their capability to save
energy and protect the environment.
According to assessment results from the US Green Building Council, the LEED Platinum V4 version is the
most difficult LEED rating level to date.
To achieve this certificate, the TechnoPark Tower had to satisfy the 9 most rigorous criteria from design to
operation, including: integrated design, location and connectivity, sustainable location, efficient use of water,
energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor air quality, innovation initiatives and regional scores.
TechnoPark Tower achieved a maximum score in many of the criteria.
TechnoPark Tower has the ability to save up to 17.4% of total annual energy consumption compared to the
standard level, owing to energy-efficient solutions such as low-E insulating glass facades which helps to
minimize heat transfer in both directions from outside to inside and from inside to outside; ventilation systems
for the parking lot and the green roof, which helps to reduce the heat transfer coefficient; and solar panels on the
lake's surface next to TechnoPark Tower to generate a renewable energy source for the tower.
Inside the tower, nearly 3,000 Siemens motion sensors are installed to automatically turn the lights on in
unoccupied areas, and there are on and off and dim lights in the parking basement to save energy. The entire
exterior lighting system is controlled by a timer to reduce light pollution.
More than 75% of the workspace enjoys natural daylight in the range of 300 lux to 3,000 lux, allowing tenants to
reduce electricity consumption inside the building.
In terms of water efficiency, TechnoPark Tower makes full use of rainwater collected at storage tanks to water
plants, while using low-flow sanitary equipment to minimize water consumption at source.
Greenery occupies 25% of the total area of the building, with the highlight being the chill sky gardens where
native drought-tolerant plants are grown to save water.
In addition, to encourage tenants to use environmentally friendly transportation, there are multiple charging
stations for electric vehicles in the tower's parking basement; there are also 660 bicycle parking slots as well as
bathrooms for those who cycle to work.
Moreover, right next to the tower's lobby is a smart electric VinBus pick-up point, promoting green
transportation both inside and outside the complex.
On top of these outstanding advantages, TechnoPark Tower is also equipped with many innovative smart features
deployed by VinSmart.
Before the LEED Platinum award in November 2021, TechnoPark Tower was honoured as the first building in
Viet Nam to win Most Intelligent District award at the prestigious Digie Awards (USA).
Having received prestigious world-class certifications and awards, TechnoPark Tower is gradually realizing its

goal of becoming one of the Top 10 smartest buildings in the world.
These are worthy achievements for a "heartfelt construction"- Make in Vietnam - marking the great progress of
Viet Nam's stature on the global technology map.
About LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in
the world, developed by
the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Available for virtually all building
types, LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving
green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of
sustainability achievement and leadership.
Established in 1995, after several revisions and additions, LEED V4 is
now the most updated and also the most demanding version with 9 extremely
strict scoring criteria. To be awarded the LEED certificate, the building must achieve a
minimum of 40 - 49 points (equivalent to a Certified rating); in order to receive the highest
Platinum certification, the building must achieve 80 points or more.
#LEED
#Vinhomes
Contacts
Document MORNEN0020220112ei1b0005l

560 words
11 January 2022
LiveNews.co.nz
LIVNEW
English
Copyright 2022. Multimedia Investments Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Source: Media Outreach
Council. This is the world’s most prestigious certification that honours green buildings for their capability to
save energy and protect the environment.
lake’s surface next to TechnoPark Tower to generate a renewable energy source for the tower.
stations for electric vehicles in the tower’s parking basement; there are also 660 bicycle parking slots as well as
Moreover, right next to the tower’s lobby is a smart electric VinBus pick-up point, promoting green

Viet Nam’s stature on the global technology map.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. - Published and distributed with permission
of Media-Outreach.com.
Document LIVNEW0020220111ei1b000jk

670 words
11 January 2022
MORNEN
English
Click Here to View Image

Viet Nam's stature on the global technology map.
About LEED
the world, developed by
the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Established in 1995, after several revisions and additions, LEED V4 is
now the most updated and also the most demanding version with 9 extremely
strict scoring criteria. To be awarded the LEED certificate, the building must achieve a
minimum of 40 - 49 points (equivalent to a Certified rating); in order to receive the highest
Platinum certification, the building must achieve 80 points or more.
#LEED
#Vinhomes
Contacts
Document MORNEN0020220111ei1b000b5

672 words
11 January 2022
MORNEN
English
HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 11 January 2022 - TechnoPark Tower in Vinhomes Ocean Park in the
capital has been officially awarded the V4 LEED Platinum Green Building Certificate by the US Green Building
Click Here to View Image
To achieve this certificate, the TechnoPark Tower had to satisfy the nine most rigorous criteria from design to
TechnoPark Tower has the ability to save up to 17.4 per cent of total annual energy consumption compared to the
Greenery occupies 25 per cent of the total area of the building, with the highlight being the chill sky gardens
where native drought-tolerant plants are grown to save water.

These are worthy achievements for a "heartfelt construction" marking the great progress of Viet Nam's stature on
the global technology map.
About LEED
the world, developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Established in 1995, after several revisions
and additions, LEED V4 is now the most updated and also the most demanding
version with nince extremely strict scoring criteria. To be awarded the LEED
certificate, the building must achieve a minimum of 40 - 49 points (equivalent
to a Certified rating); in order to receive the highest Platinum
certification, the building must achieve 80 points or more.
#LEED
#Vinhomes
Contacts
Document MORNEN0020220111ei1b0008d

REAL ESTATE
Promotion of energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings in Vietnam
609 words
24 December 2021
VENEWS
English
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) co-organized a
conference to announce the final results of the “Energy efficiency improvement in high-rise and commercial
buildings in Vietnam” (EECB) project and discuss the future of energy-efficient and green buildings in Vietnam.
Construction is an energy-intensive industry that accounts for about 35-40 per cent 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 per cent, which will help reduce building operating costs and
CO2 emissions and bring about environmental benefits and improve the quality of life.
The development and promotion of energy-efficient buildings in Vietnam, supported by the Global
Environmental Facility (GEF) through the UNDP, address energy-saving measures leading to direct greenhouse
gas (GHG) mitigation of 73,035 tCO2.
The project provided policy review and technical inputs to the inclusion of energy-efficient and green buildings
provision into the law on amending and supplementing of many articles of the Construction Law (June 2020)
and a decree guiding the management of construction investment projects (Decree No.15/2011/ND-CP); five
technical standards on energy-efficient properties of building materials, six technical standards on the
methodology of the establishment of Specific Energy Consumption Profiles; one technical cost norm related to
energy efficiency consultancy service costs and one roadmap on development of energy-efficient buildings in
Vietnam, two databases on energy-efficient equipment and materials.
The project also provided technical support to 23 new and existing buildings with a total of 75 solutions applied,
resulting in a savings of 12,000MWh (equivalent to 10,000 tCO2e reduction), corresponding to VND35 billion
($1.52 million). This also proved the economic and technical feasibility investment in energy efficiency solutions
with averaged incremental cost of less than 3 per cent and a pay-back period of 3.5 years.
In his opening speech, Le Quang Hung, Deputy 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 Vietnam in general.”
He emphasised, “Results and lessons from 75 energy-saving solutions will be shared and further promoted.”
UNDP deputy resident representative in Vietnam, 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) the formal establishment of building-specific energy consumption
profiles, energy benchmarking, and energy-efficient building certification system in Vietnam; (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.

The EECB project aimed to reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector in
Vietnam, by improving the energy utilization performance of commercial and high-rise residential buildings in
Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. It started in 2016 and ends this year. (Intellasia – December 24)
Document VENEWS0020211224ehco0001f

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam Investment Review: Low-carbon economic growth Green building examples from the world
998 words
10 December 2021
VENEWS
English
One of the countries to be most impacted by climate change and with one of the fastest growth in greenhouse gas
emissions globally, Vietnam sits in the crosshairs of the climate crisis.
The country’s Paris commitment is to achieve a minimum 9 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions by 2030. Boosting energy efficiency is key to this reduction as power generation is a major source of
GHG emissions. Building construction and maintenance account for one-third of electricity consumption in
Vietnam, making them notable drivers behind the double-digit growth in power demand since 2000;
The Vietnamese government acknowledges the urgent need to green the building sector as part of its climate
change mitigation strategy. Rapid urbanization and rising incomes will create demand for an estimated additional
100 million square meters of floor space to be developed every year, making green construction crucial for
Vietnam to meet its climate targets and spur continued low-carbon economic growth for years to come.
This potential was first recognized by the government with the enactment of a revised National Building Energy
Efficiency Code in 2013. Ever since then, energy-efficient features in targeted buildings have helped reduce
GHG emissions by 130,000 tons of CO2 a year, equating to approximately $28 million in annual savings for
building owners. Private developers in Vietnam followed suit, furthering the effort by adopting recognized green
building certifications such as the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) EDGE – a building resource
efficiency certification system created for emerging markets.
Green-certified floor space in Vietnam is at a nascent stage, accounting for about 2 per cent of estimated new
built stock between 2014 and 2020. However, there is an encouraging upward trajectory. Certified green building
growth jumped 55 per cent a year in the same period, creating 201 new green buildings with the total floor space
of 5.3 million sq.m by September 2021, compared with just 127,500sq.m in 2013.'
What will be the key to scaling up Vietnam’s green building market?
Experience from other emerging markets underlines the need for a national master plan for a green building
sector with specific targets, consistent standards and requirements, detailed guidelines, and solutions including
incentives. Such a plan is a precondition to removing barriers and driving the large-scale adoption of green
construction.
Vietnam has great potential to transform the whole construction industry with well-planned national support and
the mobilization of private resources. Regulatory changes such as those introduced in Vietnam in 2013 can boost
momentum.
The market share for green buildings in Colombia grew from zero to 20 per cent in just four years after the
national government enacted a Green Building Code in 2015 which introduced tax incentives for solutions like
insulation and energy-efficient air conditioning. This triggered action in the private sector with two commercial
banks, Bancolombia and Davivienda, launching green construction finance programs for new housing
including loans up to 2 per cent less than market rates for green developers, and discounted loan rates for
homebuyers. There are now five commercial banks offering green mortgages in Colombia.
Likewise, provincial-level policies can provide a catalyst. Non-fiscal incentives allow a density bonus for
certified green buildings in the district authority of San Borja (a residential area in Lima). They deliver multiple
benefits: developers sell more housing units in a single development, governments increase tax revenue, and

buyers pay lower utility costs, kickstarting a green building ecosystem. Now 10 municipalities across Peru have
enacted similar ordinances.
Governments can also lead by example by applying green building standards to public buildings. US state
governments set mandatory energy savings targets for new and existing state government facilities,
benchmarking energy use through either tailored or widely available tools. Such targets could reduce energy
usage and costs, which can contribute up to 10 per cent of a government’s annual operating budget. In Vietnam,
the EDGE standard could serve this purpose.
Greening public procurement specifications has been successful in Kenya, which offers a public-private
partnership model where the Department of Housing and Urban Development provides free land to developers of
green social housing. The model demonstrates that green construction is economically viable for developers
and offers tremendous benefits to homeowners.
In other emerging markets, incentives to promote green building certification include Takoradi city’s 30 per cent
reduction in permit fees for green-certified buildings in Ghana. In Brazil, Salvador city’s points-based system
offers up to 10 per cent discounts on property taxes, and Pune city allows an additional 3-7 per cent floor area if
projects achieve a 30-50 per cent improvement in energy, water, and materials usage.
Green finance is essential to scale-up green buildings and green building policies must consider means to
mobilize green credit, which can offset the impact of the 1-3 per cent of incremental total project costs over the
period of a mortgage. Lower utility bills also help to counter slightly higher mortgages.
It is important to include green building and sustainable infrastructure in green finance taxonomies and for banks
to report against it. Green taxonomies can help banks identify climate transition risks, such as exposure to
regulatory changes and changing consumer preferences, while also encouraging them to direct their financing to
green projects and expand their green financing portfolio.
The IFC estimates that in the next decade, green construction will be one of the largest investment opportunities
in East Asia and the Pacific – forecast to hit $16 trillion – and opening up markets like these to international
sources of finance more than ever.
For Vietnam, green buildings play a pivotal role in addressing pressing infrastructure requirements and climate
change challenges while spurring low-carbon economic growth. Governments – national and local – can help
create the right conditions for growth in the green buildings market which is crucial to achieving emission
targets. (Vietnam Investment Review – December 10)
Document VENEWS0020211210ehca0001y

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam hotels win big at international awards amid the pandemic
561 words
12 November 2021
VENEWS
English
Wink Hotel Saigon Center, the first of 20 Wink Hotels to be developed by Indochina Kajima, has been
recognized as the Best Green Development at the 2021 MIPIM Asia Awards and Best Architecture Design Hotel
in Vietnam 2021 at the International Travel Awards.
Amid a pandemic that is isolating many across the globe with a dramatic impact on travel, tourism and
hospitality, Vietnamese hotels are still receiving praise and recognition for their innovative and sustainable
design, demonstrating how the hospitality industry never ceases to progress even during difficult times.
Notably, Wink Hotel Saigon Center, at 75 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm, District 1, was just recognized as the Best Green
Development at the 2021 MIPIM Asia Awards, the leading regional property awards known as the 'Oscars of the
Asian Real Estate World'.
Founded in 2007, the annual MIPIM Asia Awards honor the most outstanding and accomplished projects,
completed or yet to be built, in Asia-Pacific. To be recognized at the MIPIM Asia Awards, property visionaries
must demonstrate their ability to push boundaries and make creative possibilities the solid realities of skylines
across the globe.
Wink Hotel Saigon Center was recognized as the Best Green Development ahead of competitors from Japan,
South Korea, Singapore, Thailand among others, demonstrating Indochina Kajima’s commitment to
sustainability, green construction and responsible tourism in Vietnam.
The hotel, conceived by Indochina Kajima, a joint-venture between Indochina Capital and Kajima Corporation,
and designed by AW partners Reda Amalou & Stéphanie Ledoux, is the first Vietnamese hotel to have won at the
MIPIM Asia Awards and the first Vietnamese property to be recognized for its environmental sustainable
features at the awards. Wink Saigon Center is also the first LEED Gold V.4 certified hotel in Vietnam. Previously
it received the five-star award in the category of New Hotel Construction & Design Vietnam at the Asia-Pacific
Property Awards 2020.
“It is a great honor to start the last quarter of this unique year with global recognitions for Wink Hotel Saigon
Center. Building on the award-winning heritage that marks Indochina Capital’s success, the creation of Wink
Hotels is our next Vietnam real estate development platform and first with Kajima Corporation. Wink Hotels are
designed to be innovative, efficient and dynamic, while maintaining our unwavering commitment to architectural
excellence, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility, we plan to develop over 20 Wink Hotels
across Vietnam and Indochina. Each will go through the LEED sustainability certification processes to ensure
environmental and human health issues are taken into consideration when building and operating the hotels
without compromising design, function and comfort,” said Peter Ryder, Indochina Capital’s CEO and Wink
Hotel’s Chairman Creator.
“We believe going solidly green while ensuring convenience and comfort is crucial to inspire the next adventures
and getaways for the post-pandemic generation of travelers, who will also find a chic, fun and modern design
blended with functionality and traditional Vietnamese values, bringing them an intuitive and tantalizing
hospitality experience at all our properties. Upwardly mobile Vietnamese entrepreneurs, lovers, creatives,
explorers and the young-at-heart will find at Wink Hotel Saigon Center a neighborhood hub designed for
innovation, eco-consciousness comfort and function, catering to their fast-paced and dynamic lifestyles,”
Michael Piro, Wink Hotel’s CEO added. (Viet Nam News – November 11)

Document VENEWS0020211112ehbc0001s

ENVIRONMENT
Vietnam’s polluted cities are markets for green solution providers
955 words
30 June 2021
VENEWS
English
Many urban areas in Vietnam are suffering from pollution caused by urbanization. While the Government and
construction industry are looking for solutions to restore the balance of the living environment, sustainable
construction solution providers have found a big market in this country.
Freek Crum, the APAC President of the water management solutions supplier – Wavin said that Vietnam is a big
market for the providers of advanced solutions for the building and infrastructure industry. Wavin has over 20
projects in Vietnam ranging from residential to commercial buildings including the Head Office of Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in HCMC, the Parliamentary conference hall building in Hanoi, the National Assembly House
and the New Ba Dinh conference hall in Hanoi. There are more rooms to expand in this market since the country
is seeking to build climate-resilient cities and better building performance.
Recently, the General Planning Management unit of HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture proposed
to renovate the Saigon River corridor. The HCMC’s river and canals system plays an essential role in the process
of urban formation and development. However, the Saigon River is facing pollution, saltwater intrusion,
riverbank erosion and flooding issues. Also, the river bank is heavily concretized by illegal encroachment in the
upstream and sand mining. Therefore, the unit proposed to build an environment-friendly space to respond to
climate change and prevent flooding and landslides.
Another opportunity for sustainable construction solution providers comes from urbanization degrading the
environment. Currently, the soil is tending to be polluted due to the impact of wastes from industrial,
construction and daily life activities, waste landfills that directly dispose wastewater into the ground. According
to the Ministry of Construction, the wastewater of all kinds in urban areas is not treated but is discharged directly
into the environment, especially in large urban areas such as Hanoi and HCMC. Therefore, the need to improve
environmental protection systems and natural ecosystems is increasing.
Improving the environment also helps to attract investment and economic development. “Ho Chi Minh City has
the potential to expand upon the traditional triple helix model of an innovation district’s structure – involving
academia, government, and industry – to more directly involve communities and society at the core of its
innovation activities while ensuring long-term ecological and environmental resilience,” explained Romil Sheth,
principal and lead designer of the project The Highly Interactive Innovation District for over 22,000 hectares of
the city throughout District 2, District 9, and Thu Duc District.
Accordingly, HCMC National University, Hi-Tech Park, Thu Thiem financial center, Rach Chiec, Tam Da in
District 9 are the focused areas which need to address flooding and ecological problems. Nguyen Do Dung,
Managing Director at enCity Urban Solution Pte, Ltd. and this project said “A successful urban area needs to be
in a good location with transportation connectivity and regional linkage, an appealing living environment for the
community with adequate facilities and green space, diversified products from luxurious to affordable homes to
meet demand, adequate services, environmental protection measures and good services.”
According to Freek, the expected momentum for construction projects across Vietnam’s commercial, industrial
and residential sectors must incorporate solutions for sustainable, clean and accessible water and sewer facilities
– both are crucial, basic human requirements. Vietnam is currently facing a rapidly growing urban population
that is navigating pressing challenges surrounding sanitation, water supply, urbanization and sustainability,
exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic. The government has been proactive in ensuring sustainability remains on
the national agenda, with commitments made to double the country’s use of renewable energy and slash carbon
emissions down by 15% by 2030, and to date the country has achieved impressive progress on these goals. Yet,

despite the initiatives made, noise pollution still continues to be a persistent challenge for Vietnamese living in
urban areas.
According to the United Nations, the 6 largest cities in Vietnam will see a considerable increase in population by
2030. The forecast suggests that the HCMC will increase in population to reach 11.1 million citizens over the
next decade. The second largest city – Hanoi is also projected to increase to 6.4 million inhabitants. Therefore,
the government is making concerted efforts to meet increased demand for residential housing that is underpinned
by ongoing urbanization and a growing middle class, which is expected to generate momentum in the residential
construction sector. With the Vietnamese government also driving efforts to develop a technology and smart city
hub in HCMC, the country’s rapid urban population expansion is also expected to be accompanied by an
accelerated expansion of the construction and built-environment sectors. These factors will impact the country’s
industry and construction sector with its growth 6.3% in Q1 2021.
However, green construction materials are not really popular in Vietnam. The total number of certified green
buildings in Vietnam is only about 155 projects, lagging behind regional countries, according to UNDP. There
have been a number of advanced construction solutions entering the market, but not many new products are
commonly accepted, according to a report of the Ministry of Construction. Contractors have to invest a lot of
money, but the user can only address the benefits during the entire life of the product. In addition, there is a risk
of liability that engineers, contractors and suppliers will face if they propose a new material.
Not only the Vietnamese market, the global market also increases the demand for solutions for the greener
construction industry. According to the Constructive Dive, 71% of contractors surveyed are facing at least one
material shortage. Therefore, all institutions including public, private and cities themselves have important roles
in providing the best solutions, according to Greenbiz. (Vietnam Insider – June 29)
Document VENEWS0020210630eh6u0003i

Green works - Way to the future in Vietnam
115 words
22 February 2021
VENEWS
English
Building smart and energy-saving constructions has become a trend worldwide, with the number of smart,
environmentally-friendly and energy-saving works increasing notably in many countries, including Vietnam.
Elements such as energy, water, materials, ecology, domestic waste, health, management, and creativity, among
others, are included in green construction, with energy accounting for about 30 percent.
In recent years a number of enterprises in the sector have changed their vision and development orientation,
introducing additional green and energy-effective constructions. It’s not just a trend, it’s also become part of
people’s desire to cope with climate change. (Viet Nam Net – February 22)
Document VENEWS0020210222eh2m0001g

ENERGY
New Vietnam-Germany partnership to save 6.3 bln kWh of electricity in 10 years
382 words
7 January 2021
VENEWS
English
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) and the German Cooperation Organization (GIZ) on January 6 signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in developing the Vietnam Green Housing Program,
expected to save about 6.3 billion kWh of electricity over the next decade.
The document was inked by Ha Quang Hung, Deputy Director General of the MoC’s Housing and Real Estate
Market Administration (HREMA), and Kia Fariborz, Director of the GIZ SIPA Program.
The VGHP, implemented under the Program for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) in Vietnam, aims to
benefit the mid-income housing market through targeting the low-cost commercial housing segment. The MoU
focuses on enabling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation in the residential building sector.
Under the partnership, GIZ and HREMA will join hands to develop and implement the Vietnam Green Housing
Program. A particular focus of the program is on improving energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions in
the affordable housing segment as per Vietnam’s commitment in its Nationally Determined Contribution to the
Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Through the program, the partnership aims to motivate private housing developers to move into the market for
energy-efficient and green buildings, and stimulate local commercial banks to develop green financing products
for energy efficient housing and green construction materials.
According to calculations, within 10 years after reaching the target of the Green Housing Program, the apartment
buildings will save about 6.3 billion kWh of electricity, equivalent to 15.8 trillion VND.
This is a significant cost saving that will benefit the home buyers if they use energy efficiently in the apartment,
Hung said. In addition, in the short term, the program will create a plentiful supply of low-cost commercial
housing, thereby facilitating the people’s access to affordable housing.
Fariborz, for his part, said, as an emerging economy, Vietnam is witnessing a sharp increase in demand for space
and housing expansion as a result of the rapid growth of the middle class.
There is huge potential in reducing GHG through improving energy efficiency in the housing sector so this
partnership will contribute to the fulfillment of Vietnam’s goal of GHG reduction, he added. (Viet Nam Plus –
January 6)
Document VENEWS0020210107eh1700015

New Vietnam-Germany partnership to save 6.3 bln kWh of electricity in 10 years
374 words
6 January 2021
Vietnam News Agency Bulletin
VIETNA
English
© 2021 iInvest Pty. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
(VNA) – The Ministry of Construction (MoC) and the German Cooperation Organisation (GIZ) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in developing the Vietnam Green Housing Programme,
expected to save about 6.3 billion kWh of electricity over the next decade.
The document was inked by Ha Quang Hung, Deputy Director General of the MoC’s Housing and Real Estate
Market Administration (HREMA), and Kia Fariborz, Director of the GIZ SIPA Programme.
The VGHP, implemented under the Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) in Vietnam, aims to
benefit the mid-income housing market through targeting the low-cost commercial housing segment. The MoU
focuses on enabling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation in the residential building sector.
Under the partnership, GIZ and HREMA will join hands to develop and implement the Vietnam Green Housing
Programme. A particular focus of the programme is on improving energy efficiency and reducing GHG
emissions in the affordable housing segment as per Vietnam’s commitment in its Nationally Determined
Contribution to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Through the programme, the partnership aims to motivate private housing developers to move into the market
for energy-efficient and green buildings, and stimulate local commercial banks to develop green financing
products for energy efficient housing and green construction materials.
According to calculations, within 10 years after reaching the target of the Green Housing Programme, the
apartment buildings will save about 6.3 billion kWh of electricity, equivalent to 15.8 trillion VND.
This is a significant cost saving that will benefit the home buyers if they use energy efficiently in the apartment,
Hung said. In addition, in the short term, the programme will create a plentiful supply of low-cost commercial
housing, thereby facilitating the people’s access to affordable housing.
Fariborz, for his part, said, as an emerging economy, Vietnam is witnessing a sharp increase in demand for space
and housing expansion as a result of the rapid growth of the middle class.
There is huge potential in reducing GHG through improving energy efficiency in the housing sector so this
partnership will contribute to the fulfillment of Vietnam’s goal of GHG reduction, he added.
Document VIETNA0020210106eh16002mh

Chemical industry urged to go green
679 words
29 December 2020
ConstructionWeekOnline.com
COSWEKON
English
© 2020, ConstructionWeekOnline.com, All rights Reserved - Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.
The chemical industry in Vietnam has been facing a number of environmental and social challenges, which
require new pathways in development, production, and consumption to ensure sustainable development.
Chemical industrial manufacturers have been urged to raise awareness and initiatives for Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) related to green chemistry (GC).
It resulted from the Green Chemistry (GC) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) workshop that was
recently co-organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Vietnam Chemicals Agency
of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) together with the Northern Vietnam Paint and Printing Ink Club.
Research shows that waste prevention is better and costs less than the treatment or disposal of waste after it has
been created. The more waste companies generate the more costs they have to bear to deal with the
environmental, social, and community health consequences.
Using a GC approach in production and business also sees companies take on more social responsibility.
CSR can be shown in ensuring a safe working environment and equity for women and men on all levels as well
as promoting working opportunities with privacy and safety for employees.
It needs to provide high-quality products made from safe, non-toxic materials at a reasonable price, and conduct
research and product development to commercialise innovative and useful products.
Head of the Climate Change and Environment Unit at UNDP Vietnam Dao Xuan Lai said: Green chemistry is an
inevitable trend being promoted on a global scale, which helps us to avoid past mistakes such as the invention
and use of DDT or the production and use of chemicals containing dioxin, mercury, CFCs, and the like.
As Vietnam integrates quickly with the market, and with the regional and global economy via bilateral and
multilateral free trade agreements, corporations and enterprises need to use the GC approach so that they and
their products are better equipped when joining global supply chains.
"This benefits their long-term development and growth, and at the same time ensures sustainable development
for Vietnam and reduces the stress on our planet.
Within the framework of the GC project, funded by UNDP and MOIT, initial solutions are being implemented
with Vietnamese enterprises, including pilots with Plato Vietnam JSC (electroplating) and Nishu Paint Vietnam
to reduce 3,472kg of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and 923 cubic metres of carbon emission per year.
The workshop also aimed to collect comments on the need for training to raise awareness and the application of
green chemistry in paint and printing enterprises, as well as share some current situations, solutions, technology,
and practices on waste treatment in small and medium-sized paint enterprises.
For consumers to have access to green products, we need green materials, green manufacturing, and green
construction," said Dang Anh Tu, CEO of Nishu Paint Vietnam, one of the two enterprises performing the GC
demonstration activities.
"When, and only when, we are aware that green chemistry helps us to protect our health can we produce
sustainable green products.

Tu said that by applying green chemistry, Nishu has saved considerable costs: in particular, the highest monthly
electricity bill that this enterprise has ever paid has not exceeded 50 million VND (2,100 USD).
According to Chu Van Nguyen, vice president of the Vietnam Responsible Care Council (VRCC) of Chemical
Enterprises, the implementation of CSR activities requires many efforts and the voluntary commitment of the
leaders and employees of the company, as well as support from other enterprises in the industry. These voluntary
CSR activities bring companies not only profits, but also trust from the market and the community.
The workshop was one of the activities under the project Application of green chemistry in Vietnam to support
green growth and reduction in the use and release of POPs/harmful chemicals, supported by the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP.
The main objective of the project is to create a favourable environment for introducing GC and GC application
to the production industry in Vietnam and reduce the use and release of chemicals controlled under the
Stockholm and Minamata Conventions.
Document COSWEKON20201229egct0002u

INDUSTRY
Vietnamese chemicals industry urged ‘Go Green’
685 words
29 December 2020
VENEWS
English
The chemicals industry in Vietnam has been facing a number of environmental and social challenges, which
require new pathways in development, production, and consumption to ensure sustainable development.
Chemicals industrial manufacturers have been urged to raise awareness and initiatives for Corporate Social
It resulted from the ‘Green Chemistry (GC) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)’ workshop that was
recently co-organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Vietnam Chemicals Agency of
the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) together with the Northern Vietnam Paint and Printing Ink Club.
research and product development to commercialize innovative and useful products.
Head of the Climate Change and Environment Unit at UNDP Vietnam, Đào Xuân Lai said: “Green chemistry is
an inevitable trend being promoted on a global scale, which helps us to avoid past mistakes such as the invention
and use of DDT or the production and use of chemicals containing dioxin, mercury, CFCs, and the like.”
“As Vietnam integrates quickly with the market, and with the regional and global economy via bilateral and
for Vietnam and reduces the stress on our planet.”
to reduce 3,472kg of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and 923 cubic meters of carbon emission per year.
“For consumers to have access to green products, we need green materials, green manufacturing, and green
construction," said Đặng Anh Tú, CEO of Nishu Paint Vietnam, one of the two enterprises performing the GC

sustainable green products.”
Tú said that by applying green chemistry, Nishu has saved considerable costs: in particular, the highest monthly
electricity bill that this enterprise has ever paid has not exceeded VNĐ50 million (US$2,100).
According to Chu Văn Nguyên, vice president of the Vietnam Responsible Care Council (VRCC) of Chemical
The workshop was one of the activities under the project ‘Application of green chemistry in Vietnam to support
green growth and reduction in the use and release of POPs/harmful chemicals’, supported by the Global
The main objective of the project is to create a favorable environment for introducing GC and GC application to
the production industry in Vietnam and reduce the use and release of chemicals controlled under the Stockholm
and Minamata Conventions. (Viet Nam News – December 28)
Document VENEWS0020201229egct00017

Chemical industry urged to go green
681 words
29 December 2020
VIETNA
English
(VNS/VNA) - The chemical industry in Vietnam has been facing a number of environmental and social
challenges, which require new pathways in development, production, and consumption to ensure sustainable
development.
Chemical industrial manufacturers have been urged to raise awareness and initiatives for Corporate Social
It resulted from the ‘Green Chemistry (GC) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)’ workshop that was
recently co-organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Vietnam Chemicals Agency
of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) together with the Northern Vietnam Paint and Printing Ink Club.
research and product development to commercialise innovative and useful products.
Head of the Climate Change and Environment Unit at UNDP Vietnam Dao Xuan Lai said: “Green chemistry is
an inevitable trend being promoted on a global scale, which helps us to avoid past mistakes such as the invention
and use of DDT or the production and use of chemicals containing dioxin, mercury, CFCs, and the like.”
“As Vietnam integrates quickly with the market, and with the regional and global economy via bilateral and
for Vietnam and reduces the stress on our planet.”
to reduce 3,472kg of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and 923 cubic metres of carbon emission per year.
“For consumers to have access to green products, we need green materials, green manufacturing, and green
construction," said Dang Anh Tu, CEO of Nishu Paint Vietnam, one of the two enterprises performing the GC
sustainable green products.”
Tu said that by applying green chemistry, Nishu has saved considerable costs: in particular, the highest monthly
electricity bill that this enterprise has ever paid has not exceeded 50 million VND (2,100 USD).

According to Chu Van Nguyen, vice president of the Vietnam Responsible Care Council (VRCC) of Chemical
The workshop was one of the activities under the project ‘Application of green chemistry in Vietnam to support
green growth and reduction in the use and release of POPs/harmful chemicals’, supported by the Global
The main objective of the project is to create a favourable environment for introducing GC and GC application
to the production industry in Vietnam and reduce the use and release of chemicals controlled under the
Stockholm and Minamata Conventions.
Document VIETNA0020201229egct000gp

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam: Green building trend severely undervalued in local real estate
1,321 words
15 December 2020
VENEWS
English
With the runaway growth of urbanization and the real estate sector in recent years, renovation and construction
of green and energy-efficient buildings has become a key trend in Vietnam, even though the true concept of
going green is still vague.
Besides COVID-19, the second key word of the year is “green building” but many developers and consumers are
still hazy on the concept. A “green” building is deemed one that, in its design, construction, and operation,
reduces or eliminates negative impacts and can create positive impacts on the climate and natural environment.
Green buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve quality of life.
However, in Vietnam the concept is sometimes confused with buildings covered with green trees only, sporting
the usual image of a resort or an eco-urban area. Meanwhile, key features such as the efficient use of energy,
water, and other resources, use of renewable energy, pollution, and waste reduction measures, and good air
quality indoors are glossed over.
The 20-year-old Somerset Chancellor Court building, a complex of offices and serviced apartments in the heart
of Ho Chi Minh City, has recently undergone a renovation to improve energy efficiency, leading to it being
granted a green building certificate by the Ministry of Construction (MoC).
To gain this certification, the old building has seen extensive upgrades of its lighting and air-conditioning
systems as well as replaced old equipment with the latest technologies.
Hoang Anh, engineer of the MoC’s energy efficiency in commercial and high-rise building (EECB) project
shared, “The building has received consultancy from EECB, which identified three key solutions. So far, the
building has implemented one of these by replacing two inverter chiller systems, saving about 227 kWh per year,
equivalent to 207kg of CO2 emissions per year.”
The power meter for the chiller system has also been put into operation to monitor energy consumption. “Once
the renovation is completed, the building will be able to save around 711 kWh per year, equivalent to 649kg of
CO2 a year,” Hoang Anh added.
Preparing legal grounds
The MoC, with support from the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Development Program
(UNDP), has been promoting the 2016-2021 EECB project on improving energy efficiency in commercial and
high-rise residential buildings.
“Green buildings and energy-efficient real estate projects have received a great deal of global attention in recent
years and the latest moves from the government show that Vietnam is refusing to be left behind. People today
pay attention to not only projects featuring fair value but also comfort, health, and environmental benefits. This
motivates investors to integrate green elements and energy efficiency features into their projects,” said Vu Ngoc
Anh, director of the Science-Technology and Environment Department of the MoC.
While Somerset – like many certified green buildings – is reporting gains from its eco-minded renovation,
according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), by the end of the third quarter of 2020, certified green
buildings in Vietnam only numbered 155 – a sparse figure compared to other Southeast Asian countries.

In its recently updated Nationally Determined Contribution, the Vietnamese government has committed to
reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission by 9 per cent on its own (compared to the business as usual scenario)
by 2030, which can be improved to 27 per cent with international support.
The government has also shown strong commitment by joining the Kyoto Protocol and more recently, the Paris
Agreement. Accomplishing its targets under these schemes requires the enhancement of green and energy-
efficient buildings.
Accordingly, after the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy was issued a decade ago, the MoC issued
the National Technical Regulation on Energy Efficiency Buildings No.09:2013/BXD, to be brought in line with
modern-day realities in 2017.
These commitments were enshrined in several policies this year, including Resolution No.55-NQ/TW from
February providing orientations for Vietnam’s National Energy Development Strategy towards 2030 and outlook
to 2045; Resolution No.140/NQ-CP dated October that set the specific tasks for energy saving and efficiency in
the construction sector, and the revised Law on Construction 2020; as well as the Vietnam Energy Efficiency
Program 2019-2030 and the Construction Materials Development Strategy 2021-2030 with a vision until 2050.
These pieces of legislation are expected to set the grounds for the development of green and energy efficient
buildings.
The way ahead
“Although Vietnam is already implementing its green building goals through several programs as well as by
organizing the annual Green Building Week, it needs to enhance the promotion of green and energy-efficient
development,” said Sitara Syed, UNDP deputy resident representative in Vietnam, adding that local authorities of
all levels should pay more attention to promoting green features and materials, as well as green buildings in
general.
Co-organized by the MoC and the UNDP as well as supported by the IFC, German organization GIZ, and other
agencies and institutions, the Vietnam Green Building Week 2020 during December 9-12 provided a forum for
local and international experts, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to exchange their opinions and experiences on
key topics, including policy development, master planning, as well as the design and operation of green and
energy efficient buildings.
Deputy Minister of Construction Le Quang Hung also stressed that over past years, with cooperation and support
from international organizations such as the IFC, the United States Agency for International Development, the
UNDP, and the Global Environment Fund, the MoC has organized many training courses to enhance green
design and construction practices while conducting studies on criteria for green buildings and urban areas.
“We believe that the MoC’s policies, guidelines, and activities like the annual Vietnam Green Building Week,
will help effectively raise awareness among stakeholders and promote green and energy-efficient projects,” said
Hung.
Throughout activities like technical seminars, field trips to Viettel’s green building, policy dialogues, plenary
sessions, as well as exhibitions of buildings, materials, equipment, and technologies, the events of the Green
Building Week showcased the efforts and actions of Vietnam in the implementation of international
commitments on climate change and green and sustainable development.
Specifically, during the Policy Dialogue among the MoC, related ministries and other stakeholders – who have
been making a great efforts to transform Vietnam into a greener, more environmentally-responsible construction
market – shared specific and effective policy orientations to create momentum for the development of the green
construction market across the country.
Nguyen Thanh Trinh-Sales director, Eurowindow JSC
A high-rise building has both positive and negative impacts on the natural environment as well as its users.
Green buildings offer a comprehensive solution to optimize environmental benefits as well as improve the
comfort and the health of residents. To maximize its potential, we should understand what green buildings really
are.

Most Vietnamese consumers are not aware that the environment inside the building can be more polluted than
outside and seriously affect their health. The latest report from the World Green Building Council has shown that
the level of air pollution inside the building is 2-5 times higher than outside.
Nguyen Thanh Tu-Lecturer, National University of Civil Engineering
Homebuyers in Vietnam are often impressed by a good location or sensational amenities like a Japanese garden
or an astronomical park – rather than green spaces that actually protect the environment. Decisions are based
mainly on the images of luxury lifestyle, high-class entertainment, and consumption venues, instead of saving
electricity and water, recycling, or conserving the environment.
Many buyers are still evaluating life based on how much they pay for their apartment or villa. The majority of
homebuyers choose property by the profit they can make from buying, selling, and leasing as well as the
convenience of the location and the amenities rather than looking at whether the building is green or not.
(Vietnam Investment Review – December 15)
Document VENEWS0020201215egcf0001z

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam: Few construction works are green
440 words
5 December 2020
VENEWS
English
Only 155 construction works have been certified as green as of Q3 2020, according to IFC, a modest number
compared with other Southeast Asian countries and the rest of the world.
Realizing the high demand for green construction, especially green high-rises, many real estate developers are
advertising that their products are green to boost sales.
“Green’, ‘natural’ and ‘ecological’ are the words most seen in advertisements run by developers when opening
new products for sale. The images of green trees, green space and green life are used in sales designs. However,
the advertisements and reality are quite different.
However, it is true that construction firms have changed their development strategies, striving to launch products
with ‘green elements’ and energy efficiency.
The demonstration projects of UNDP on technical solutions to minimize energy consumption in newly built and
improved works show that the energy saving levels could be 25-67 percent per work, and the cost is higher by 0-
3 percent and maximum capital recovery 5 years.
However, according to IFC, as of the third quarter, Vietnam had only 155 construction works officially certified
as green.
The problem is that when developing a green construction building, businesses have to pay additional costs of
10-15 percent.
Some analysts say that the additional 10-15 percent cost is inconsiderable for high-end works and is acceptable
for developers. However, 10 percent is high for common houses compared with the average income of
Vietnamese.
Speaking about the green trend at an annual real estate forum, Nguyen Cong Thinh, deputy director of the
Science, Technology and the Environment Department under the Ministry of Construction (MOC), said that
despite clear economic benefits in energy consumption and environment, not many real estate developers have
certificates for green works.
Thinh attributes this to insufficient regulations related to management, support and encouragement to develop
green works. There are not regulations requiring construction work owners to make an investment and run works
in accordance with green standards.
Meanwhile, the experience of investors, consultants and contractors in green work design and construction
remains modest. Besides, banks and financial institutions are not enthusiastic about funding green works.
MOC and UNDP are organizing Vietnam Green Work Week 2020, which will gather speakers from ministries
and branches, international and domestic experts, and technological solution and material suppliers.
According to MOC, the government has committed to a 9 percent reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions
compared with normal development and increase the contribution to 27 percent if there is international support
by 2030, as updated by NDC (nationally determined contributions). (Viet Nam Net – December 5)

Document VENEWS0020201205egc50001j

IFC Course to Equip Students with Green Design Skills, Drive Green Building Adoption in Vietnam
679 words
4 December 2020
ENP Newswire
ENPNEW
English
© 2020, Electronic News Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
Release date - 03122020
A holistic course aims to equip Vietnam's future architects and engineers with key skills, helping them drive
green building adoption in the country.
Green buildings can serve as a sustainable solution to the nation's growing infrastructure needs, thereby spurring
low-carbon economic growth and creating skilled jobs.
IFC-a member of the World Bank Group-has signed license and cooperation agreements with the National
University of Civil Engineering and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology to localize a course in green
construction. Covering a wide range of topics, the 'Designing for Greater Efficiencies' program is aimed to
guide students in designing bioclimatic and resource-efficient architecture.
'The National University of Civil Engineering started introducing green features in architecture since 2017, but
the lack of comprehensive teaching materials and knowledge transfer have limited the initiative from being
effective. With IFC's support, we are now delighted to introduce this course for future architects in an
internationally recognized format that offers a global perspective and a local context,' said Pham Xuan Anh, Vice
Rector of the National University of Civil Engineering.
The course's core content was developed by ETH Zurich, a premier Swiss University, under the guidance of a
steering committee of instructors from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia, among others. The program is
likely to see at least 400 young architects with green building design skills joining the workforce every year,
thereby driving green building momentum in Vietnam.
'The unique feature of the course is the connection between knowledge and practice. Students will be introduced
to IFC's EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) application to calculate the cost of going green
and utility savings for any specific project. The platform's rich and comprehensive data will help students predict
accurate performance results. This will be a powerful tool for them to practice green design as young
professionals,' said Le Anh Tuan, Dean of Faculty of Civil Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of
Technology.
In Vietnam, buildings account for one-third of the country's total annual energy use. At the same time, its long
and low-lying coastline makes it one of the top five countries most vulnerable to climate change. In response, as
part of its Green Building Market Transformation Program, in 2019, IFC developed a green building course for
Hanoi University of Architecture and University of Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City.
'An IFC analysis estimates the demand for green housing units in Vietnam will represent a multibillion-dollar
investment opportunity by 2030. The country will need skilled professionals who can enable better, more
sustainable design decisions,' said Kyle Kelhofer, IFC Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR.
'IFC's green building training program will prepare a skilled cadre of architects in Vietnam to enhance their role
as leaders in sustainable, more climate friendly urbanization in Vietnam.'
In partnership with the governments of Switzerland and the United Kingdom, IFC has been working closely with
the private sector to introduce EDGE-a voluntary green building certification for emerging markets over the past
six years.
About IFC

IFC-a member of the World Bank Group-is the largest global development institution focused on the private
sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to
create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2020, we invested $22 billion in private
companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end
extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
Stay Connected
www.ifc.org/eastasia
www.twitter.com/IFC_EAP
www.youtube.com/IFCvideocasts
www.ifc.org/SocialMediaIndex
www.instagram.com\ifc_org
www.facebook.com/IFCeap
www.facebook.com/IFCwbg
Contacts
In Hanoi, Vietnam
Van Anh Chu, IFC
Phone: + 84 24 3937 8745
E-mail: canh1@ifc.org?
[Editorial queries for this story should be sent to newswire@enpublishing.co.uk]
Document ENPNEW0020201204egc40005w

ENERGY
Vietnam aims to utilize energy saving and environmental protection
611 words
2 November 2020
VENEWS
English
Vietnam aims to utilize energy saving and environmental protection by reducing total heat consumption by 2.86
per cent and total power consumption by 8.77 per cent by 2025, and 14 and 9.68 per cent by 2030 compared to
figures from 2015 to 2018.
According to the Department of Science, Technology and Environment under the Ministry of Construction
(MoC), new buildings should pay attention to construction materials, air conditioning, and ventilation systems,
lighting, elevators, automatic power cut-off, and hot water system to reduce their energy consumption.
MoC is establishing a legal framework to support energy savings in buildings, accomplishing green
construction and economy.
Among these is the draft circular guiding activities to certify constructions using energy-saving and efficient
natural resources and protecting the environment. This draft circular is being presented to experts and authorities
to collect opinions and suggestions.
A project called “Energy Efficiency Improvement in Commercial and High-Rise Residential Buildings in
Vietnam” (EECB) has been rolled out by the ministry since 2016 under the sponsorship of the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP).
This project aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions over the long run, will review and seek better energy-
saving methods and create a framework for the task.
According to statistics from the MoC, there are more than 1,500 high-rise buildings in five cities of Vietnam
ranging from 2,500 square meters each. These buildings are wasting a great deal of energy and releasing large
volumes of greenhouse gas emissions.
In order to save energy for high-rise buildings and construction, efforts must be started from the very first step of
the project, from design, construction, advanced technologies, and environmentally friendly equipment.
Currently, the industrial and construction sectors consume the largest volume of energy with around 54 per cent.
The largest portion of energy in large-scale constructions is consumed by air conditioning systems, accounting
for 45 per cent in office buildings, 41 per cent in retail centers, and 42 per cent in hotels.
In addition, the lighting system is also occupying 13-25 per cent of the energy consumption.
According to research and statistics by relevant ministries and projects, the total energy consumption in the civil
sector – including buildings and residential areas – accounts for about 37-40 per cent of the total national energy
consumption.
Currently, there are many new technologies and products that also introduce energy-saving requirements in the
construction investment process as well as the management and operation of civil works and housing.
Since 2005, the MoC has issued the Vietnam Construction Code No.09/2005 on energy-efficient constructions,
stipulating that works with a total floor area of over 2,500 square meters must apply energy-saving solutions. For
the smaller construction works, we have technical guidelines and standards to guide owners in the process of

construction and installation of equipment.
The revised Construction Law in 2020 was passed by the National Assembly in which Article 10 stated that the
government encourages investment activities in certifying construction works economically, using energy
resources and protecting the environment.
This is the foundation for us to implement the regulations to create legal documents for activities to promote
energy-saving and efficient works and environmental protection in practice.
We already know that these activities have taken place in Vietnam for many years. The green buildings have
been certified by international organizations in Vietnam for nearly 20 years. Vietnam currently has more than
100 projects certified by international organizations.
However, the legal corridor on green building certification has not been set up despite its enormous
socioeconomic significance. (Vietnam Investment Review – November 1)
Document VENEWS0020201102egb20000z

INDUSTRY
Green construction the way forward for Vietnam
561 words
27 July 2020
VENEWS
English
Associate Professor Bùi Thị An, Director of the Institute for Environmental Resources and Community
Development, speaks to Hanoi Mới (New Hanoi) newspaper about green construction.
What are the criteria for a construction project to be called green?
Green projects are projects that have achieved high energy efficiency in the use of energy and materials which
are friendly to the environment. A green project is not only a project with many green trees but also using safe
construction materials which cause fewer bad effects on users while limiting the negative impacts on the
environment.
Can you elaborate on the significance of the use of safe and friendly construction materials?
Recently, rapid urbanisation and the use of unsafe and environmentally unfriendly construction materials have
led to many problems in urban areas, including the temperature rising, flooding, pollution, the imbalance in the
eco-system and others. That’s why it is high time for Vietnam to use safe and green materials so that it can save
natural resources for agriculture practice and reduce CO2 emissions in the environment.
At present, to improve the livelihood for the Vietnamese people is the task of all economic sectors. To achieve
the goal of sustainable development, the environment has played a very important role as it has impacts on social
security, health and quality of life for all people. That’s why using green and friendly materials should be
prioritised in all construction projects.
Will you please explain the use the friendly construction materials in Hanoi when the city is in the course of
building a smart city?
A smart city is one of the several concepts that a green city needs.
A green city is developed based on three concepts. The city must have a good number of green trees which will
help balance the eco-system and help the city develop sustainably with complete infrastructure. Of course, all
projects in the city must use safe and friendly materials to the environment and be compatible with the current
context of climate change. Last but not least, the city must use advanced information technology in its
management, operation and civil service.
To implement the proposal on the sustainable development of the smart city from 2018-2025 and orientation
towards 2030 which was approved by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Hanoi has made efforts to become a
smart city where the people enjoy a better life. In the course of building Hanoi into a civilised and sustainable
city, a very important criterion Hanoi must follow is to use safe and friendly construction materials.
Will you please talk a bit further on the development of safe and friendly construction materials?
PM Phúc has many times said that Vietnam would not exchange the environment for its economic development.
By now, the use of baking-free construction materials has achieved certain successes. The quality of unbaked
materials has improved considerably and become a good choice for the construction sector. Yet, the price of the
products remains rather high compared to traditional materials.

The Ministry of Construction is drafting a strategy on the development of construction materials for the period
from 2021-2030 and orientation toward 2050. We hope when the strategy is approved it will become an effective
tool for Vietnam to have more green building materials. (Viet Nam News – July 24)
Document VENEWS0020200727eg7r0001k

SOCIAL PROTECTION & DEVELOPMENT
Green construction welcomes Party Congresses in Vietnam
264 words
11 June 2020
VENEWS
English
The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the Ministry of Labor, War-Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA)
has held a program to plant trees and present gifts to disadvantaged children in the Thuy An Rehabilitation
Center For People With Disabilities in Hanoi.
The program aims to celebrate Party Congresses at all levels and look towards the MOLISA’s 9th Party Congress
and the 13th National Party Congress.
In his work "New Year tree planting" published in Nhan Dan newspaper in 1959, with a strategic vision, beloved
President Ho Chi Minh analyzed the great significance and essential benefits of planting trees and afforestation
for the country, families and every people. He noted that tree planting is a little expensive work but benefits a lot
while it can be done by those from all ages.
Realizing Uncle Ho’s teachings, MOLISA’s youngsters have planted 120 fruit trees at the center, attempting to
create a clean and cool playground and sweet fruits in the future for the disabled children.
Addressing the program, Dao Xuan Quyen, Deputy Secretary of the centre Party Committee, highly spoke of the
significance of the program, and pledged to look after the garden carefully.
During the program, MOLISA’s youngsters and the National Fund for Vietnamese Children presented 50 gifts
worth VND10 million to children in special circumstances at the center.
Over the past 40 years, the center has provided rehabilitation to over 3,000 children with disabilities, helping
them integrate into society and stabilize their lives. (CPV Online – June 10)
Document VENEWS0020200611eg6b0002y

Industry: Vietnam Quy Nhon City Encourages Development of Green Construction
208 words
3 June 2020
VIETNB
English
The authorities of Vietnam’s central city of Quy Nhon, which is part of Binh Dinh province, is encouraging more
investment in green buildings to promote energy efficiency, state media reported.
The city is working with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to propagate projects relating to energy
efficiency in the province.
The local Department of Construction is planning to holds a seminar on solutions to promote green development.
It expects to help firms find suitable financial packages to follow the trend, said Mr. Dang Vu Van from the
department.
Currently, the high cost is the biggest obstacle for investors in developing green buildings. However, they will
benefit from the lower power consumption, which will contribute to higher revenue, Mr. Van said.
So far, Quy Nhon city has made some achievements in the path of developing green buildings, such as the
replacement of old public lighting system with the LED ones, which helped lower the power consumption by
35%.
The city is also home to two projects that receive the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE)
certificate from IFC. Once completed, the two buildings will use 27% less energy and produce less CO2 by 446
tons a year.
Document VIETNB0020200602eg6300064

REAL ESTATE
Vietnamese Phuc Khang hands over more Diamond Lotus Riverside apartments
477 words
7 January 2020
VENEWS
English
Local developer the Phuc Khang Corporation has announced the handover of its first apartments to home buyers
at Block C of the Diamond Lotus Riverside complex project in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 8, which has been
developed by Phuc Khang Mitsubishi Corporation Holding (PKMC), a joint venture between Phuc Khang and
the Mitsubishi Corporation.
The apartments were designed and developed to meet international green standards, with Diamond Lotus
Riverside being the first project in Vietnam to operate in line with LEED Certification from the US Green
Building Council.
The first owners at Block C, upon receiving apartments equipped with amenities and standards as committed,
thanked Phuc Khang and its staff for the development of the green project. Entering the apartment, each
customer can feel its beauty and convenience with an airy space and eco-friendly amenities.
The Diamond Lotus Riverside project is considered the green symbol project in Ho Chi Minh City, with facilities
meeting five-star standards.
It is the first joint project of the Phuc Khang Corporation and the Mitsubishi Corporation, blazing the trail for the
growth of green construction under international standards in Vietnam.
Diamond Lotus Riverside has welcomed over 90 per cent of customers who bought apartments at Block A and B,
while the finishing touches on Block C have come to an end.
Last July, a ceremony to open a cable-stayed bridge connecting Block B and C, the last part of the project,
marked the completion of the huge green wall in the city and the next stage for welcoming residents.
Endowed with a 300-meter stretch of the riverbank in the city, all apartments feature a view of the river, making
Diamond Lotus Riverside stand apart as the city’s riverside green symbol for all apartment owners.
The highlight of the project is the top floor, which links the three blocks to create a unique sky garden covering
an area of 5,000 sq m. The building is regarded as huge penthouse full of commercial and entertainment services.
Diamond Lotus Riverside is developed with the aim of establishing a perfect green ecosystem, from the design
step to construction materials. With prominent characteristics, including energy savings, carbon dioxide
reductions, and efficient water use, the project is aimed at improving the quality of the environment inside and
outside of the apartments.
The project was constructed with environmentally-friendly materials in accordance with Japanese philosophy. To
create a green ecosystem and preserve it for sustainable development to help people enjoy a comfortable life, and
with the aim of conserving HCMC residents’ style of living in riverside areas, Diamond Lotus Riverside was
developed to feature beautiful, green, and natural landscapes.
Phuc Khang earlier put Block A and B into service with up to 400 apartments. (Vietnam Economic Times –
January 7)
Document VENEWS0020200107eg170001w

US$80 billion green building investment opportunities available in Vietnam
By Trang Nguyen The Saigon Times Daily

511 words
9 December 2019
SGTD
English
(c) 2019 Saigon Times Group
HANOI – Some 65.7 million more people will live in urban areas in Vietnam by 2050, and this represents
investment opportunities worth up to US$80 billion for the nation’s green construction sector over the next 10
years, according to a new report by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group.
IFC’s new report titled “Green Buildings: A finance and policy blueprint for emerging markets” has highlighted
how investors can tap into the great potential of green buildings in the Asia-Pacific region, which will house half
the world’s urban population by 2030. IFC has estimated US$17.8 trillion worth of investment opportunities,
primarily in residential buildings, for the region.
In emerging markets alone, green buildings will offer a US$24.7 trillion investment opportunity, which will spur
economic growth and accelerate sustainable development. Further, with 80 million people projected to enter
Asia’s middle class in the next few years, the demand for housing will continue to rise.
The growing demand for green housing units in Vietnam, in particular, will result in the US$80-billion
investment opportunities in new green buildings in the country by 2030.
“The floor area of the buildings that dot our skylines is expected to double by 2060,” noted Alzbeta Klein,
director of Climate Business at IFC. “The majority of this construction boom will occur in emerging markets,
particularly in middle-income countries experiencing high population growth, rapid urbanization and income
growth. Green construction is one of the largest investment opportunities of the next decade that can spur low-
carbon economic growth and create skilled jobs for decades to come.”
The report stated that green buildings can be a strong driver of economic growth, generating over nine million
skilled jobs in both the renewables and construction sectors by 2030. Currently, green buildings account for just
8% of the construction and renovation sector, indicating a vast potential for growth.
However, though emerging markets have ambitious targets for green buildings, they struggle to put in place
effective measures to mandate and incentivize large-scale adoption of green construction practices. Hurdles
include low technical capacity, as well as challenges in developing and adopting consistent standards and
requirements for green construction across a highly local and decentralized industry.
Despite the challenges, the report pointed out that realizing the full investment potential of green buildings is
within reach, with established financing models and proven, easy-to-execute technologies that are readily
available and continue to decrease in cost with greater adoption. The report underlined the clear financial
benefits investors, banks, developers and owners, including governments, can expect when entering the green
building market.
Green buildings command substantially higher sale premiums, at up to 31% more, and sell more quickly than
traditional buildings. In addition, they maintain occupancy rates up to 23% higher than conventional buildings
and offer higher rental income. By consuming less water and electricity, operational costs are up to 37% lower
than those for traditional buildings.
Document SGTD000020191209efc90000e

Hanoi promotes linkage in sustainable production and consumption chain in construction industry
479 words
25 October 2019
VENEWS
English
Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade launched the event connecting sustainable production and consumption
chain in construction industry in Hanoi in 2019 on October 23.
The construction industry has been one of main driving forces for Vietnam’s socio-economic development.
However, statistics from the Vietnam Institute for Building Materials (VIBM) under the Ministry of
Construction, showed companies in the industry often use 17% water, 40% energy, and 25% woods for their
construction projects, resulting in 50% of the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) emissions, 33% of CO2 and 40% of
solid waste in the environment.
Therefore, it is essential to raise awareness for businesses and enterprises in the construction industry to use
renewable energy, while shifting towards developing and utilizing green construction materials, particularly in
Hanoi. These measures are considered key to mitigate negative impacts from construction activities to the
environment and ensure sustainable development.
The event, held the MoIT, is aimed to promote and form a community of building contractors, suppliers of
construction materials and equipment with the same view of using and creating environmentally-friendly
products.
The move is in line with Prime Minister’s Decision No.76 dated January 11, 2016 approving a a national action
plan for sustainable production and consumption until 2020, with vision to 2030 and plan No.206 dated October
31, 2018 from Hanoi People’s Committee on sustainable production and consumption in the capital until 2020,
promoting sustainable production and sustainable consumption for rapid and efficient development; forming a
network of sustainable production and consumption for more efficient utilization of resources, minimizing
emission level of waste and preventing environmental pollution.
Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Thanh Hai expected the event would
encourage the business community in Hanoi to form a network of suppliers - producers - distributors -
customers, helping to enhance capabilities of Vietnamese enterprises participating in global value chain; ensuring
greater linkage among enterprises in environmental protection, from production to distribution processes.
Such effort is key to establish a network of sustainable production and consumption for better utilization of
natural resources, reducing environmental pollution and contributing to Vietnam’s effort of industrialization and
modernization, aiming towards a low-carbon economy based on green-growth model.
Hai stressed the event demonstrates the efforts from Hanoi’s authority towards sustainable production and
consumption, calling for all parties concern to join the network of sustainable production and consumption as
way for Vietnam to escape the middle-income trap.
Along with the connection event, the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade also held an exhibition attracting
20 enterprises displaying various products in fields of construction and real estate. The move is expected to form
a community of building contractors and suppliers in field of construction towards the creation and utilization of
environmentally-friendly products. (Ha Noi Portal – October 24)
Document VENEWS0020191025efap0001z

Trade: Phase 3 of Vietbuild HCMC to Take Place on Sep 25-29, Featuring 2,500 Booths
177 words
20 September 2019
VIETNB
English
More than 2,500 pavilions will be set up at the Vietbuild Ho Chi Minh City (Phase 3) International Exhibition,
the largest exhibition of the construction sector in Vietnam, on September 25-29.
The event is expected to attract the participation of 298 domestic businesses, 108 joint ventures, and 522 foreign
groups and enterprises from 27 countries and territories, including the United States, China, South Korea,
Switzerland, among others, organizers said at a press conference in Ho Chi Minh City on September 19.
The exhibitors will mainly display the latest products and technology for smart homes, green construction
materials, and green urban areas, and other products for interior and exterior decoration.
Within the framework of the event, there will be specialized seminars in the fields of aluminum, flood
prevention, and fire safety-fire rescue management.
The first and second phase of Vietbuild Ho Chi Minh City took place in the city on April 11-15 and June 19-23,
respectively.
Document VIETNB0020190920ef9k0000a

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam thirsty for green real estate
470 words
19 August 2019
VENEWS
English
Only a small proportion of construction works in Vietnam can obtain certificates for green real estate, but the
demand is increasing rapidly in the context of climate change.
A real estate project in Bac Tu Liem district in Hanoi has been granted an EDGE certificate by IFC belonging to
the World Bank Group.
According to the investor, the project can save 25 percent of energy and 36 percent of water. The landscape is
also designed in a green way that helps reduce the urban heat island.
This is one of very few projects which went through the examination to be granted the green certificate.
According to the Ministry of Construction (MOC), Vietnam has 87 construction works meeting green
certificates. Of these, 13 works have m EDGE, 53 LEED and 21 LOTUS.
Meanwhile, a report of CBRE Vietnam showed that by December 2018, Vietnam had had only 104 construction
works, or several percent of total works, granted with green certificates, a modest figure compared with the
strong development of the construction market. The figure is much lower than the 37 percent in Singapore.
The low percentage of construction works in Vietnam is attributed to the high investment rate and strict
requirements. To obtain LEED, LOTOS and EDGE, investors have to prove that their projects have lower energy
and power consumption levels.
To obtain EDGE, for example, the energy consumption of the project must be at least equal to 20 percent of a
typical project according to IFC standards.
Experts believe that developing green environmentally friendly real estate will be a continuing trend in the future
in the context of climate change having a bigger impact on Vietnam. The increasingly high demand for green
real estate and the willingness to pay more for convenient and smarter living space will accelerate the
development of the market.
World Green Building Trends 2018, a report from Dodge Data & Analytics, shows optimistic predictions about
the development of green construction works in Vietnam. Such works now account for 13 percent of total
works at this moment, but the figure is expected to double to 24 percent by 2021.
According to the report, Vietnam has the highest growth rate of green apartment construction works by 2021, 61
percent, higher than the world’s average growth rate of 30 percent and Singapore’s 25 percent.
Vietnam’s interest in green buildings is 28 percent, higher than the global average level, just lower than India,
China, South Africa and the US.
Big real estate developers in Vietnam, such as Gamuda Land, Capital House, Phuc Khang, Nam Long, Flamingo
Group and Novaland, have poured money into green works. Gamuda Land, the real estate developer from
Malaysia, for example, has two large green projects Gamuda City and Celadon City. (Viet Nam Net – August 19)
Document VENEWS0020190819ef8j0001o

REAL ESTATE
Greening affordable housing in Vietnam face many challenges
596 words
6 August 2019
VENEWS
English
In Vietnam, green buildings are normally considered as expensive and only for luxury and high-end segments.
But in fact, they provide more benefits for investors in the long term than normal buildings and reduce the
economic burden for low- and middle-income households, heard from experts at workshop in Hanoi on July 26.
At the workshop "Greening affordable housing segment: Costs and benefits" organized by Vietnam Real Estate
Association (VNREA) in collaboration with International Finance Organization (IFC) and Capital House, Vu
Hong Phong, a specialist on green buildings of IFC said, referring to the term "green building", many people
think of the expensive solutions that only rich people could afford, for example, using solar power, planting trees
on roof, etc.
Phong said Vietnam could make green construction much cheaper. In developing countries with rapid
construction, the use of EDGF – a green building certification system focused on making new residential and
commercial buildings more resource-efficient – can help overcome market shortcomings while only driving
construction costs up by one or two percent.
Nguyen Viet Chien, General Secretary of VNREA said investing in affordable housing projects would bring
positive results for property developers. This market segment could ensure social security for people, especially
low income earners in big cities, and ensure the property market continues to develop in a sustainable way.
He noted: “The affordable housing market has been talked about much in the past three years as real demand for
the segment was always more than 80 percent.”
According to a survey by VNREA, housing demand for the middle- and high-end segment with selling prices of
over VND25 million per sqm only accounted for 20 to 30 percent and was mainly focused in major cities.
Demand for affordable housing priced below VND25 million per sqm made uo 70 to 80 percent. But there was
not enough affordable housing on the market to meet the demand.
VNREA expected with the rapid urbanisation rate, 40 percent of Vietnam population of 100 million people
would live in urban areas by 2020. Major cities with populations of more than 1.7 million people would struggle
to provide accommodations for everyone. In order to meet the demand, Vietnam needs to build about 700,000
apartments by the end of 2020.
High demand in the affordable housing sector would provide a good opportunity for real estate developers in the
long term and they should consider adjusting their business strategies accordingly, it added.
Chien pointed out: “This is good news for the market and for low-income earners. However, developers’
shortcomings and tightening credit policies in the market have been obstacles to the segment’s growth."
Those who live in green buildings enjoy a more convenient life, improved health and decreased power and water
costs, said Trinh Tung Bach, director of the R&D Department at Capital House Group, which received the EDFG
certification for its EcoHome 3 affordable housing project.
He said: “Our apartments were sold more quickly thanks to applying green criteria in our desig. The rapid sale
offset for the higher cost of greening our apartments and reducing marketing costs."
Customers at Capital House’s projects saved 25 percent on electricity and 36 percent on water bills, Bach added.

Bach concluded that green buildings are inevitable but green buildings for affordable housing have not attracted
strong attention of the people. The deployment of green solutions at low and medium-end housing projects is an
inevitable trend to create sustainable development communities and environmental protection. (En.reatimes.vn –
August 6)
Document VENEWS0020190806ef860002u

Green buildings benefit both investors and home buyers
615 words
27 July 2019
VIETNA
English
(VNS/VNA) - Green buildings provide more benefits for investors in the long term than normal buildings and
reduce the economic burden for low- and middle-income families, according to general secretary of Vietnam
Real Estate Association (VNREA) Nguyen Viet Chien.
Chien spoke at a workshop in Hanoi on July 26 about the costs and benefits of greening the affordable housing
sector. He said investing in affordable housing projects would bring positive results for developers. The market
segment could ensure social security for people, especially low income earners in big cities, and ensure the
property market continues to develop in a sustainable manner.
“The affordable housing market has been talked about much in the past three years as real demand for the
segment was always more than 80 percent,” he said.
A VNREA survey showed that housing demand for the middle- and high-end segment with selling prices of
more than 25 million VND per square metre only accounted for 20 to 30 percent and was mainly focused in big
cities. Meanwhile, demand for affordable housing priced below 25 million VND per square metre accounted for
70 to 80 percent. However, there was not enough affordable housing to meet demand.
The association predicted that with the rapid urbanisation rate, 40 percent of Vietnam’s population of 100 million
people would live in urban areas by next year. Big cities with populations of more than 1.7 million people would
struggle to provide accommodations for everyone. To meet demand, the country needs to build about 700,000
apartments by the end of next year.
The association said high demand in the affordable housing sector would provide a good opportunity for real
estate developers in the long term and they should consider adjusting their business strategies accordingly.
“This is good news for the market and for low-income earners," Chien said. "However, investor shortcomings
and tightening credit policies in the market have been barriers to the segment’s development."
Affordable housing projects have not given attention to applying green designs or smart and energy-saving
technologies even though this segment has the most customers and consumes the most energy. For these reasons,
applying green solutions in affordable housing could protect the environment.
To encourage the development of environmentally friendly buildings, the Government should have policies and
plans as well as a clear definition of what constitutes a green building. These would provide guidance for
investors as they develop their projects.
Vu Hong Phong, a specialist on green buildings at the International Financial Corporation, said Vietnam could
make green construction much cheaper. In developing countries with rapid construction, the use of EDGF – a
green building certification system focused on making new residential and commercial buildings more resource-
efficient – can help overcome market shortcomings while only driving construction costs up by one or two
percent.
Trinh Tung Bach, Director of the Research and Development Department at Capital House Group which
received the EDFG certification for its EcoHome 3 affordable housing project, said those who live in green
buildings enjoy a more convenient life, improved health and decreased power and water costs.
“Our apartments were sold more quickly thanks to applying green criteria in our design," Bach told Viet Nam
News. "The rapid sale offset for the higher cost of greening our apartments and reducing marketing costs."
Bach said customers at their projects saved 25 percent on electricity and 36 percent on water bills.

“In addition, the long-term value for developers of greening their projects is that their brand will carry more
value thanks to good products," he said. "International organisations and foreign partners will want to co-operate
with our company."
Document VIETNA0020190727ef7r001e1

REAL ESTATE
Vietnam: Green buildings benefit both investors and home buyers
662 words
27 July 2019
VENEWS
English
Green buildings provide more benefits for investors in the long term than normal buildings and reduce the
economic burden for low- and middle-income families, according to general secretary of Vietnam Real Estate
Association (VNREA) Nguyễn Viết Chiến.
Chiến spoke at a workshop in Hanoi on July 26 about the costs and benefits of greening the affordable housing
sector. He said investing in affordable housing projects would bring positive results for developers. The market
segment could ensure social security for people, especially low income earners in big cities, and ensure the
property market continues to develop in a sustainable manner.
“The affordable housing market has been talked about much in the past three years as real demand for the
segment was always more than 80 per cent,” he said.
A VNREA survey showed that housing demand for the middle- and high-end segment with selling prices of
more than VND25 million per square metre only accounted for 20 to 30 per cent and was mainly focused in big
cities. Meanwhile, demand for affordable housing priced below VND25 million per square metre accounted for
70 to 80 per cent. However, there was not enough affordable housing to meet demand.
The association predicted that with the rapid urbanisation rate, 40 per cent of Vietnam’s population of 100
million people would live in urban areas by next year. Big cities with populations of more than 1.7 million
people would struggle to provide accommodations for everyone. To meet demand, the country needs to build
about 700,000 apartments by the end of next year.
The association said high demand in the affordable housing sector would provide a good opportunity for real
estate developers in the long term and they should consider adjusting their business strategies accordingly.
“This is good news for the market and for low-income earners," Chiến said. "However, investor shortcomings
and tightening credit policies in the market have been barriers to the segment’s development."
Affordable housing projects have not given attention to applying green designs or smart and energy-saving
technologies even though this segment has the most customers and consumes the most energy. For these reasons,
applying green solutions in affordable housing could protect the environment.
To encourage the development of environmentally friendly buildings, the Government should have policies and
plans as well as a clear definition of what constitutes a green building. These would provide guidance for
investors as they develop their projects.
Vũ Hồng Phong, a specialist on green buildings at the International Financial Corporation, said Vietnam could
make green construction much cheaper. In developing countries with rapid construction, the use of EDGF – a
green building certification system focused on making new residential and commercial buildings more resource-
efficient – can help overcome market shortcomings while only driving construction costs up by one or two per
cent.
Trịnh Tùng Bách, Director of the Research and Development Department at Capital House Group which
received the EDFG certification for its EcoHome 3 affordable housing project, said those who live in green
buildings enjoy a more convenient life, improved health and decreased power and water costs.

“Our apartments were sold more quickly thanks to applying green criteria in our design," Bách told Vietnam
News. "The rapid sale offset for the higher cost of greening our apartments and reducing marketing costs."
Bách said customers at their projects saved 25 per cent on electricity and 36 per cent on water bills.
“In addition, the long-term value for developers of greening their projects is that their brand will carry more
value thanks to good products," he said. "International organisations and foreign partners will want to co-operate
with our company."
Green buildings are more attractive to home buyers, according to Cường. He suggested the Government have
preferential credit and land fund policies for investors who build environmentally friendly housing. (Viet Nam
News – July 27)
Document VENEWS0020190727ef7r0001e

EDUCATION
Green school – Educational model for sustainable life
813 words
14 June 2019
VENEWS
English
In the midst of green development, green school is expected to spearhead the educational aspect of a sustainable
lifestyle. Through the method of early behavioral change, this educational model helps children define the green
way of life.
Green school – teaching green awareness
Experts believe that the 3 factors forming a sustainable and environment-friendly school are green facilities,
green curriculum and green community.
“To have green people, there must be green cities,” emphasized Mr. Do Viet Chien, General Secretary of the
Vietnam National Real Estate Association, on the topic of Green School, at the Green Café Seminar on June 12,
organized by Vietnam Real Estate Online Magazine and Capital House Group.
Chien said that a green city must have many green buildings in which there are green schools. A school is not
only a place for children to go study but also an environment for community engagement. Especially when the
relationship between people is now increasingly distant as urbanization overflows, turning villages into condos
and urban areas.
“On the same floor of an apartment buildings, neighbours don’t even know each other. Consequently, traditional
cultural values are gradually eroded,” Chien continued. “The solution to restore and preserve cultural traditions
is green school, where people come to communicate and stick together.”
Vice Chairman of Capital House, an investor of Genesis School, Ms. Do Thuy Chi shared, “Currently, Vietnam
has many movements towards green living and sustainable development like scavenging and reducing plastics.”
“However, these activities only deal with the tip of the iceberg. The living habits that cause environmental
damage have existed for too long and are difficult to cut the root,” she said. “I believe that educating children on
both knowledge and responsibilty in the early stages will be the most effective and positive way to change the
society.”
With years of experience consulting, developing green buildings and green schools, International Business
Developer Mr. Johann Bourgoin said that green school design requires many factors such as smart shading in the
classrooms to prevent glare and increase thermal comfort, or sensor to automatically turn light on and off
according to natural light and room usage.
In addition, a building management system is needed to collect data, helping optimize indoor lighting usage and
save energy. Not to mention walls and floors insulation, green roofs and green sidewalks using green insulated
and sound-proof materials, etc.
“But the most important factor to have in a green project is education. The first is training for workers and
technical staff during green construction process. Then training for teachers, students and building operators to
understand and operate green buildings efficiently,” he claimed.
Mr Johann Bourgoin concluded, “A building is foremost green thanks to natural solutions before using hi-tech
solutions. A building is foremost smart thanks to human solutions before using hi-tech solutions.”

Is green school… easy?
Currently, only a few projects achieved green certificate. The root of the problem lies in technical barriers, costs
and awareness. In particular, the development of green school faces many obstacles.
Mr. Hoang Manh Nguyen, Executive Director of the Green Urban Research and Development Institute, said
“There are many difficulties in doing green buildings.”
“Firstly, green construction is very challenging: low public awareness, modest professional qualifications and
booming number of projects. Secondly, investors are more interested in immediate profits and less concerned
with long-term benefits,” he explained. “Finally, administrative agencies have not had policies to encourage and
facilitate green buildings. At the moment, green buildings are solely derived from investors’ desire, but to create
a trend, a movement, supportive legal framework is essential.”
In achieving green school target, cost is a major concern. Expenses such as design and in-depth analysis, green
consultancy, green equipment and materials, assessment and certification are additional charges that need to be
considered.
However, Nguyen asserted that these surcharges are, in fact, relatively small. They are actually lower than we
imagined if sustainable solutions are synchronously implemented right at the start.
“Heading towards a truly green school, we always have to push a little further to include more sustainable
utilities and everytime we add a new material or any standard, careful calculations have to be made,” Ms. Do
Thuy Chi said. “When Genesis School achieved Gold Certification, we had to keep working hard to create even
better things for future generations.”
“In particular, to achieve certain key points, we incorporate green educational program into the official
curriculum. A green school is not only green on the outside but also on the inside, in everything, from operating
the electrical grid, taking care of trees, to disposing waste and garbages,” she said.
“For a large group of people and new students, we have to teach children and train employees to live and do
green. For building a green school means building green people,” Chi concluded. (En.reatimes.vn – June 13)
Document VENEWS0020190614ef6e00032

REAL ESTATE
Vietnamese VNREA leaders to greet the French Development Agency delegation
651 words
4 June 2019
VENEWS
English
On June 3, at the office of the Vietnam National Real Estate Association (VNREA), President Nguyen Tran Nam
had a working session with representatives of the French Development Agency (AFD) on green buildings
development.
Joining President Nguyen Tran Nam in welcoming the delegation of the AFD were General Secretary of VNREA
Mr. Do Viet Chien and representatives of Vietnamese real estate enterprises, for instance Capital House Group,
Phuc Khang Investment and Construction JSC., and CEO Group.
For the French Development Agency delegation, the party is led by Mr. Fabrice Juquois, Energy Projects
Manager at AFD, Paris.
At the meeting, Mr. Juquois presented the PEEB, the outline of the EELE Housing Program and the financial
mechanism for green housing programs.
He noted that Vietnam has many housing development strategies, but more energy-saving programs are required
for this segment.
“We provide green credit to support the government on green construction, including affordable housing. This
loan will be lent to the common people for 15 years and investors for 3-5 years. I also hope that there will be a
national workshop later this year to discuss green building development programs and policies. At the same time,
exchanging the experiences on green building development from both Vietnamese government and private
businesses, in conjunction with addressing barriers,” said Fabrice Juquois.
Mr. Nguyen Tran Nam said that the help of the French delegation in reviewing legal corridors and constructive
ideas on green buildings are greatly appreciated. The timing of the additional capital is precise considering the
Vietnamese government is tightening credit into the real estate market.
The association has also organized a training course on green buildings for journalists. Since then, real estate
firms and the general public are better aware of the importance of green construction. Positive signs are also
seen in the buying and selling of green real estate products and architecture.
“Although Vietnamese firms are facing many difficulties, they still have a sense of responsibility for green
building development and been creating energy-saving projects. However, the problem does not entirely lie with
private businesses but also buyers’ consciousness”, Nam believed.
On the topic of assessing Vietnamese enterprises’ capability to building green, President Nam affirmed that
Vietnamese contractors are highly skilled in construction and architecture. Vietnam has built many high-rise
buildings that satisfy toughest energy-saving criteria.
However, two remaining issues are needed to be addressed. Firstly, what is green building? And secondly, how is
green building be financed?
Nam said that green construction must either meet building code Circular No.09 of the Ministry of
Construction or satisfy international standards like LEED.
“We believe that the borrowers’ rate should be higher than the lenders’. Especially in terms of selecting debtors,

the delegation should consult VNREA”, stated Nam.
Mr. Fabrice Juquois expressed that the delegation requests MoC’s building codes for all green projects. Their
goal initially is low, then aiming for higher green standards, pushing businesses and the market to perform better.
The Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) is a French-German joint-initiative, launched at COP
22 in Marrakesh and promoted by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GABC).
PEEB forms the first implementation programme of the GABC and changes the long-term pathways of the
building sector by working with governments together with other actors for transformational change.
PEEB provides technical assistance at country level, advances sustainable building design and construction and
works towards zero emission buildings. PEEB first partner countries: Mexico, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, and
Vietnam.
PEEB is a joint program between the French Development Agency (AFD), the German Corporation for
International Cooperation (GIZ) and the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME),
designed to support partner countries in achieving national goals for greenhouse gas emission reduction, while
assisting the implementation of NDC in the construction industry nationwide and worldwide. (En.reatimes.vn –
June 4)
Document VENEWS0020190604ef640002n

Banking: Total Loans for Green Growth Projects in Vietnam Hit VND242T, up 20% y/y
262 words
29 May 2019
VIETNB
English
The total outstanding loans for green and sustainable growth projects at credit institutions in Vietnam reached
more than VND242 trillion ($10.39 billion) by the end of the first quarter of 2019 (Q1), said Mr. Nguyen Quoc
Hung, head of the Credit Department under the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the country’s central bank.
Mr. Hung released the figure at the Sustainable Finance Forum which was held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 28
by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the International Finance Company (IFC), and the Vietnam Bonds
Association (VNBA).
Among the projects, loans for anti-climate change and agricultural projects took the leading position with
VND131 trillion, followed by sustainable forestry projects (VND13.6 trillion) and renewable energy projects
(VND8 trillion).
The SBV official said 19 credit institutions had built comprehensive strategies for the development of green
credits, 13 credit institutions have provided appraisal and funding procedures for sustainable projects in ten
economic sectors. By the end of Q1, nearly VND138 trillion of short-term loans and VND175.8 trillion of mid-
and long-term loans were approved, he added.
At the forum, a representative from the IFC said the total potential investment in climate-related projects in
Vietnam might hit $753 billion by 2030. Local banks have potential to boost credit flows into the sector
following the high demand for investments in renewable energy segments including solar power ($31 billion),
hydropower ($19 billion), and green construction projects ($80 billion), the representative tipped.
Document VIETNB0020190529ef5t00005

Round-up
656 words
22 April 2019
SGTD
English
Design for Can Gio Bridge project announced
The HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture on April 19 published the chosen architectural design for
the Can Gio Bridge project in HCMC, the local media reported.
The design chosen was created by Kidohu Green Construction Investment JSC. The cable-stayed bridge
connecting the city’s two outlying districts of Nha Be and Can Gio will be supported by the main pillar shaped
like a mangrove tree, a typical type of plant in Can Gio District. The bridge railing will take the shape of waves.
Can Gio Bridge will cross the Soai Rap River at the current Binh Khanh ferry terminal to Can Gio Mangrove
Biosphere Reserve.
The HCMC government confirmed that the scale and parameters of the projected Can Gio bridge will continue
to be adjusted to fall in sync with the district’s plans.
Some firms engaging in design and research activities for Can Gio Bridge said that the total spending on the
project is estimated at VND8 trillion.
Taxmen lose lawsuits due to incorrect auditing results: expert
Tax agencies in many localities have lost lawsuits filed by enterprises as auditing agencies have produced
incorrect auditing results, negatively affecting both tax agencies and enterprises, Nguyen Thi Cuc, former deputy
head of the General Department of Taxation and chairwoman of the Vietnam Tax Consultants’ Association, said
at a seminar held in HCMC on April 18.
At the seminar on tax law and policies, held by Grant Thornton LLP, Cuc said that tax agencies have lost all six
recent cases.
In addition, many enterprises have been coerced into paying tax arrears as localities had earlier offered them
incentives such as land rent exemption and low corporate income tax, which are not in line with the law.
Cuc told the Saigon Times on the sidelines of the seminar that mistakes by auditing agencies had harmed both
tax agencies’ and enterprises’ reputations. Representatives of enterprises may even face criminal charges.
Therefore, it is necessary to determine the liability of the auditing agencies and inspectorates and the penalties
they should bear if they produce incorrect results.
FPT, SBI inject US$3 million into Utop
Local tech giant FPT Corporation and Japan’s SBI Holdings have signed a memorandum of understanding to
invest US$3 million in a startup called Utop, a source from FPT said.
Applying the blockchain technology of FPT, Utop will connect enterprise networks and manage and exchange
reward points. Accordingly, Utop will help users accumulate and use reward points in a new and creative way at
connected stores and firms.
The convenience offered by Utop is expected to upgrade many firms’ operations and help these firms gain a

better foothold in the local market.
Utop was developed based on FPT’s akaChain blockchain platform, which is being deployed in many countries
and provides a range of services relevant to the finance, insurance and retail sectors.
Aside from expanding the reach of firms and small stores in the local market, Utop will support them in beefing
up the efficiency of their promotional and customer care programs.
HICT starts serving transPacific vessels to U.S., Canada
Owned by Saigon Newport Corporation, Haiphong International Container Terminal (HICT) on April 17
welcomed the container ship Nagoya Express, with a capacity of 8,600 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs),
which makes direct trips to the United States and Canada.
Nagoya Express, deployed by Germany-based container shipping line Hapag Lloyd, weighs 100,000 tons and
operates on the PN2 route, which connects Haiphong City with the U.S. West Coast and Canada.
This is one of the largest vessels to be put into service by the alliance of Hapag Lloyd, Japan-based Ocean
Network Express and Yang Ming in Taiwan on the transPacific route, with regular calls at HICT.
Nagoya Express, 335 meters long, is also one of the largest container ships to dock at a port in northern Vietnam
to date.
Document SGTD000020190421ef4m0000g

Design for Can Gio Bridge project in Ho Chi Minh City announced
217 words
20 April 2019
VENEWS
English
The HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture today, April 19, published the chosen architectural design
for the Can Gio Bridge project in HCMC, the local media reported.
The design chosen was created by Kidohu Green Construction Investment JSC. The cable-stayed bridge
connecting the city’s two outlying districts of Nha Be and Can Gio will be supported by the main pillar shaped
like a mangrove tree, a typical type of plant in Can Gio District. The bridge railing will take the shape of waves.
Can Gio Bridge will cross the Soai Rap River at the current Binh Khanh ferry terminal to Can Gio Mangrove
Biosphere Reserve.
The HCMC government confirmed that the scale and parameters of the projected Can Gio bridge will continue
to be adjusted to fall in sync with the district’s plans.
Some firms engaging in design and research activities for Can Gio Bridge said that the total spending on the
project is estimated at VND8 trillion.
When put in place, the bridge, as a replacement for the Binh Khanh ferry service, will link Can Gio District and
the city's central area, ensuring the economic development of the district, especially tourism. (The Sai Gon
Times Daily – April 19)
Document VENEWS0020190422ef4k0001n

REAL ESTATE
Green construction adds value to property, protects environment: Vietnamese conference
379 words
12 April 2019
VENEWS
English
Adopting green building standards and certifications is highly desirable, especially with rising energy costs and
pollution, experts told a conference in HCM City yesterday.
Nguyễn Thanh Xuyên of the city Department of Construction, said green construction is a rising global trend to
combat climate change and pollution, but the number of green buildings in Vietnam is low since it is not
mandatory.
His department is working with other related agencies to draft policies to encourage green construction, and
they would soon be submitted to the city for approval, he added.
Nguyễn Thu Nhàn, manager of the International Finance Corporation’s Vietnam Green Building Programme,
said there is a lack of awareness of green buildings in the country though that is changing with more and more
adopting the practice.
"Green buildings can help investors save costs in the long run and improve a property’s attractiveness," she said.
IFC’s green building certification EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) has been conferred on
around 1.42 million square metres of buildings in the country, she said.
Martin Maier, Switzerland’s consul general in HCM City, said green building certifications such as EDGE add
value to buildings and benefit societies.
Richard Colville, director of Property Management at property consultancy CBRE Vietnam, said more people
will build green buildings in the future as electricity costs, incomes and environmental awareness increase.
Investors who build properties and operate them for a long time would reap the benefits of green buildings, but
there are some that sell finished buildings immediately and so do not care for such standards, he said.
They should be persuaded “they have an interest and the community has an interest in keeping the buildings
green, even if their connection to the building is short term,” he said.
He said many big companies greatly prefer having offices in buildings certified as green.
Currently Vietnam has 104 properties with 2.5 million metric square of land have green building certification, a
small proportion considering that 58 million square metres of properties were developed in 2018 alone.
The conference was organised by the IFC, CBRE Vietnam and Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic
Affairs. (Viet Nam News – April 12)
Document VENEWS0020190412ef4c00023

Green construction adds value to property, protects environment
374 words
12 April 2019
VIETNA
English
(VNS/VNA) - Adopting green building standards and certifications is highly desirable, especially with rising
energy costs and pollution, experts told a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on April 11.
Nguyen Thanh Xuyen of the city Department of Construction said green construction is a rising global trend to
combat climate change and pollution, but the number of green buildings in Vietnam is low since it is not
mandatory.
His department is working with other related agencies to draft policies to encourage green construction, and
they would soon be submitted to the city for approval, he added.
Nguyen Thu Nhan, manager of the International Finance Corporation’s Vietnam Green Building Programme,
said there is a lack of awareness of green buildings in the country though that is changing with more and more
adopting the practice.
"Green buildings can help investors save costs in the long run and improve a property’s attractiveness," she said.
IFC’s green building certification EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) has been conferred on
around 1.42 million square metres of buildings in the country, she said.
Martin Maier, Switzerland’s consul general in HCM City, said green building certifications such as EDGE add
value to buildings and benefit societies.
Richard Colville, director of Property Management at property consultancy CBRE Vietnam, said more people
will build green buildings in the future as electricity costs, incomes and environmental awareness increase.
Investors who build properties and operate them for a long time would reap the benefits of green buildings, but
there are some that sell finished buildings immediately and so do not care for such standards, he said.
They should be persuaded “they have an interest and the community has an interest in keeping the buildings
green, even if their connection to the building is short term,” he said.
He said many big companies greatly prefer having offices in buildings certified as green.
Currently Vietnam has 104 properties with 2.5 million square metre of land have green building certification, a
small proportion considering that 58 million square metres of properties were developed in 2018 alone.
The conference was organised by the IFC, CBRE Vietnam and Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic
Affairs.
Document VIETNA0020190412ef4c000gp

Time for environmentally-friendly building materials
343 words
1 April 2019
VIETNA
English
(VNA) - The increasing amount of smart urban areas and green buildings has triggered demand for
environmentally-friendly building materials in Vietnam, experts said.
Many property developers have started using environmentally-friendly materials for their projects, requiring
manufacturers to shift focus to green construction materials.
According to Le Trung Thanh, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Building Materials, construction works were
increasingly paying attention to durability, energy saving, cost and climate adaptation.
Thanh said the building material industry should focus on developing new materials friendly to the environment.
Environmentally-friendly materials must meet two requirements: consuming less energy for producing it and
saving energy when put into use.
The production and use of green construction materials is an inevitable development trend, not only in Vietnam,
Thanh said.
The Ministry of Construction estimated that the country’s demand for building materials would grow at about
10-12 percent per year. Demand for green construction materials grew significantly in the past five years and is
set to soar in the near future as dozens of provinces and cities try to become smart cities.
Currently, Vietnam can produce some green construction materials such as insulation foam, eco-friendly
roofing sheets, light-weight concrete bricks, glazed tiles, green walled wood, recycled bricks and green cement.
The country has also encouraged the use of unbaked bricks as well as energy-saving equipment and materials in
construction works over the past decade.
According to Pham Van Bac, director of the ministry’s Department of Building Materials, besides developing
new construction materials, producers of traditional products such as cement, tiles, steel and glass also needed to
renovate production technologies to increase durability, energy saving, climate adaptation and cut production
costs.
Nguyen Thanh Hai, chairman of Hi-Pec which specialises in paint products, said that green construction was a
trend but many were still hesitant due to the high costs for eco-friendly materials.
Experts said it was necessary to have standards for environmentally-friendly building materials and policies to
encourage the use of new materials.
Document VIETNA0020190401ef41003pd
INDUSTRY
Time for environmentally-friendly building materials in Vietnam
347 words
30 March 2019
VENEWS
English

The increasing amount of smart urban areas and green buildings has triggered demand for environmentally-
friendly building materials in Vietnam, experts said.
Many property developers have started using environmentally-friendly materials for their projects, requiring
manufacturers to shift focus to green construction materials.
According to Le Trung Thanh, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Building Materials, construction works were
increasingly paying attention to durability, energy saving, cost and climate adaptation.
Thanh said the building material industry should focus on developing new materials friendly to the environment.
Environmentally-friendly materials must meet two requirements: consuming less energy for producing it and
saving energy when put into use.
“The production and use of green construction materials is an inevitable development trend, not only in
Vietnam,” Thanh said.
The ministry estimated that the country’s demand for building materials would grow at about 10-12 per cent per
year. Demand for green construction materials grew significantly in the past five years and is set to soar in the
near future as dozens of provinces and cities try to become smart cities.
Currently, Vietnam can produce some green construction materials such as insulation foam, eco-friendly
roofing sheets, light-weight concrete bricks, glazed tiles, green walled wood, recycled bricks and green cement.
The country has also encouraged the use of unbaked bricks as well as energy-saving equipments and materials in
construction works over the past decade.
According to Pham Van Bac, Director of the ministry’s Department of Building Materials, besides developing
new construction materials, producers of traditional products such as cement, tiles, steel and glass also needed to
renovate production technologies to increase durability, energy saving, climate adaptation and cut production
costs.
Nguyen Thanh Hai, Chairman of Hi-Pec which specialises in paint products, said that green construction was a
trend but many were still hesitant due to the high costs for eco-friendly materials.
Experts said it was necessary to have standards for environmentally-friendly building materials and policies to
encourage the use of new materials. (Bizhub – March 30)
Document VENEWS0020190330ef3u00016

Round-up
674 words
6 March 2019
SGTD
English
HCMC approves design for Can Gio bridge
The HCMC government has chosen the design created by Kidohu Green Construction Investment JSC for the
Can Gio bridge project connecting the city’s two outlying districts of Nha Be and Can Gio, said the chief of the
city government’s office, Vo Van Hoan.
The cable-stayed bridge would be supported by a pillar shaped like a mangrove tree, a typical type of plant in
Can Gio, besides other pillars. The bridge railing will take the shape of waves.
When vehicles cross the bridge at night, it would look like a mangrove forest.
However, the city asked for further consideration of the bridge’s technical parameters to meet Can Gio District’s
planning adjustments.
Earlier, Can Gio Urban Tourism JSC had proposed developing Can Gio bridge over Soai Rap River. The 3.4-
kilometer bridge, which would have four lanes, requires an estimated investment of more than VND5.3 trillion
(US$228.3 million), excluding site clearance and compensation costs.
GoBear Vietnam, FE
Credit partner to improve financial inclusion
FE Credit and GoBear Vietnam have signed a renewed partnership agreement to drive greater financial inclusion
in Vietnam.
In this partnership, GoBear Vietnam will white-label FE Credit’s award-winning end-to-end digital lending
solution $NAP, which offers loans to consumers who qualify for real-time loan approval within 15 minutes.
“GoBear powered by FE Credit,” the new white-labeled mobile app, will further streamline GoBear Vietnam’s
user journey and provide millions of Vietnamese people better access to unsecured loans.
The app employs new technologies, including facial recognition, AI algorithms, optical character recognition and
intelligent character recognition, voice-based virtual assistant, speech to text and eSignature, to enable the lender
to extend credit to unbanked consumers while keeping risk in check.
FE Credit is the largest lender in Vietnam’s consumer finance market, with almost 10 million customers. GoBear
is Asia’s first metasearch engine for insurance and banking products.
TCIT handles largest volume of cargo
Tan Cang-Cai Mep International Terminal JSC (TCIT) in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on March 2 received freight
of 9,947 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), carried by large container vessel NYK SWAN, setting a new
record for cargo capacity for the terminal as well as the local marine sector.
The NYK SWAN container ship, built and launched in 2017, has an intake capacity of 14,026 TEUs and weighs
some 140,000 tons. At over 360 meters long and 50 meters wide, it is operated by Singaporean shipping
company Ocean Network Express on the FE5 service route.

The route has been operated at TCIT under THE Alliance since April 2017, linking Vietnam’s terminal with
European ports in Rotterdam, Antwerp and Southampton.
With its high throughput capacity, the terminal can handle large vessels with a cargo capacity of up to 14,000
TEUs, shortening the time needed to transport goods from Vietnam to ports in Europe to some 23-31 days and
allowing importers and exporters in the southern region to save time and money.
Toyota Vietnam opens new dealership in Ha Tinh
Toyota Vietnam Motor Company (TMV) on March 4 announced the opening of a new service station in the
central province of Ha Tinh.
Toyota Phu Tai Duc-Ha Tinh, located on Tran Phu Street in Ha Tinh City, began operations under the 3S model
(sales, service and spare parts).
The launch of Toyota Phu Tai Duc increased the total number of TMV dealers/dealer branches and authorized
stations nationwide to 56.
With US$7.5 million in investment, Toyota Phu Tai Duc-Ha Tinh fully meets Toyota’s standards in terms of
human resources, factory facilities and infrastructure.
The new dealership has three main areas: a product showroom; a lounge area for customers; and service
workshops with eight general repair compartments, five quick repair compartments and 23 repair-painting
compartments. All have been built according to Toyota’s standards and use a painting and color mixing system to
ensure environmental hygiene.
Document SGTD000020190305ef3600037

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Sustainability can be a net positive for businesses

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