VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Construction and the Hanoi Fire Prevention and Fighting Police are considering setting up requirements on rooftop helipads for buildings over 100 meters high (about 30 stories or more).  

If this occurs, apartment prices will be increasing. 

Multi-storey buildings have been increasing in Hanoi in recent years and many of them were advertised as having helipads.

However, state management agencies have not raised their voice about the licensing and the standards for the helipads. Therefore, though some buildings have helipads, they have never received helicopters.

In late 2010, the owner of Keangnam Lanmark Tower in Hanoi sent a dispatch to the Ministry of Construction asking for permission to build a helipad in the tower’s rooftop.

The ministry then answered that the building of the helipad must comply with requirements stipulated in Document No 970 dated June 3, 2008 by the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army.

Since then, there has been no further information about the helipad.

Multi-storey buildings have been increasing in Hanoi in recent years and many of them were advertised as having helipads.

Tran Chung, former director of the Department of Construction Works’ Quality Inspection, said since there was no standard on helipads for apartment buildings,  investors will have to apply foreign standards. 

Hoang Quang Nhu from the Ministry of Construction, said there is no regulation which says multi-storey buildings must have helipads. However, investors can build helipads for buildings over 100 meters, or 30 stories. The construction will be more costly.

Trinh Viet Cuong from the Institute of Construction Science & Technology said a standard plan for multi-storey buildings with helipads will be created by the end of 2016. It will set requirements related to loading, quality standards and the distance between buildings.

Agreeing with the opinion that helipads are a must for multi-storey buildings, real estate developers are not worried about the investment rate.

Tran Quoc Trung, deputy general director of Handico 5, said under the current law, multi-storey buildings must withstand earthquakes, and if so constructed, they will be able to bear helipads. 

Therefore, though investors will have to spend more money on the rooftop, the additional money will be inconsiderable.

A manager of FLC Group, which is building an apartment block at No 36 Pham Hung street in Nam Tu Liem district, said the helipad would comply with foreign standards but the apartment prices would not be higher.

Nguyen Van Son, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Fire Prevention and Fighting, agrees that multi-storey buildings need to have helipads, because a building has a life expectancy of 50-70 years.

“Hanoi, in cooperation with the Institute of Construction Science & Technology, is building a set of standards for multi-storey buildings,” Son said.

Thanh Mai