The number of the certified green buildings has now exceeded the target set in the national energy efficiency programme for the 2019-2030 period. Under the programme, Vietnam aimed for 80 green buildings by 2025 and 150 by 2030.

Currently, the number of green buildings in Vietnam is at a fairly average level in the ASEAN region.

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van said that green buildings have been developed in the world since the 1990s and have gradually become a movement and a trend in investment, construction and operation of construction works in over 100 countries and territories.

First green buildings in Vietnam appeared around 2005-2010.

In 2023, Vietnam ranked 28th in the world in the number of green buildings certified under the LEED system by the US Green Building Council.

Van said that with Government’s support policies and voluntary applications, the development of green buildings in Vietnam has achieved positive results.

According to Decree No. 15/2021/ND-CP of the Government, green building means a construction work designed, built and operated in conformity with criteria or standards on efficient utilisation of energy and resource saving; ensuring comfort and quality of the living environment inside and protecting the environment outside buildings

There are several popular green building assessment and certification systems in Vietnam, including Lotus of the Vietnam Green Building Council (VGBC); Edge of the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group (IFC-WB), and LEED of the US Green Building Council and Greenmark of Singapore.

Currently, the criteria, standards and tools for evaluating and certifying green buildings popular in Vietnam are quite complete, specific, and transparent.

The criteria are easy to evaluate and able to certify diverse types of buildings. However, the deputy minister said there is still a need for experts and technical resources to periodically update, review, supplement, and edit the criteria to make them match reality.

As people and organisations are encouraged to develop green buildings, it is necessary to have solutions to allocate resources to support and promote related stakeholders to develop sustainable and effective green buildings, the Ministry of Construction.

To promote the development of green buildings and efficient energy use, and reduce environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions, the ministry is reviewing green building regulations, developing new policies and standards, as well as a roadmap to make green building criteria mandatory./.VNA