As part of the VECAS’s annual events in 2026, held in Da Nang, the Vietnam Engineering Consultant Association organized a conference on “Green Buildings and Carbon Emission Reduction Solutions” on the afternoon of May 15th. Attendees included representatives from the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials (Ministry of Construction), the Department of Non-Governmental Organizations (Ministry of Interior), the President of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association – Architect Tran Ngoc Chinh, and the President of the Vietnam Architects Association – Architect Phan Dang Son. Ms. Nguyen Thi Duyen, President of the VECAS delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing that in the current period, green buildings and carbon emission reduction in construction are not only encouraged policies but are gradually becoming a requirement of the Government for the development of construction and urban investment projects.

*Ms. Nguyen Thi Duyen, President of VECAS, delivered the opening remarks.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials (Ministry of Construction), stated: The Ministry of Construction highly appreciates the VECAS for organizing the conference “Green Buildings and Solutions for Reducing Carbon Emissions,” aiming to create a forum for scientists and managers to exchange and discuss policies and technological solutions to promote green buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals for the construction industry and the country in the new context.

Mr. Tien said that promoting the development of green buildings and reducing carbon emissions is one of the issues of great concern to the Party and the State. Resolution No. 70-NQ/TW dated August 20, 2025, of the Politburo on ensuring national energy security until 2030, with a vision to 2045, prioritizes the development of the country according to a green economy and circular economy model; encourages the development of green infrastructure, green cities, green buildings, the use of green materials, recycled materials, energy-saving materials, and emission reduction.

*Mr. Nguyen Huu Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials (Ministry of Construction), delivered a speech at the workshop.

Besides the initial positive results, the transition towards green in the construction industry in general, and the construction consulting sector in particular, still has much work to be done. This is not solely the responsibility of state management agencies, nor is it solely the responsibility of construction consulting organizations and building material manufacturers. Rather, it is a process requiring close collaboration and coordination among management agencies, scientists, investors, design firms, construction contractors, professional associations, and green building certification organizations in perfecting the institutional framework, promoting the transformation of the growth model towards green and sustainable development, and fulfilling Vietnam’s commitment at COP 26 to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

*Mr. Dinh Chinh Loi – Senior Specialist, Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials – Ministry of Construction, with a presentation on “Legal framework to promote green buildings and reduce emissions in construction”.

According to the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials, the legal framework promoting green buildings and emission reduction solutions in construction is reflected in numerous Party and State documents throughout various stages of development. Green buildings are being encouraged by the government, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Green Building Certification System in the Vietnamese Market

According to Mr. Vu Hong Phong, a green building expert at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group (WBG), IFC has developed the EDGE green building certification system in 128 countries, with 11,889 projects. EDGE certification has three different levels and has been implemented in all types of buildings: residential, office, school, hotel, shopping mall, industrial building, and hospital.

Mr. Phong said that in Vietnam, as of the end of Q1/2026, 411 projects had achieved EDGE green building certification out of a total of 828 projects that had achieved green building certification. IFC has developed an EDGE green building training system for experts, with the Vietnam Engineering Association (VECAS) being a trusted partner with which IFC has agreed to organize EDGE green building training courses.

*Mr. Vu Hong Phong – EDGE Green Building Expert – Representative of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) presented at the Workshop.

Innovation and Affirming Position Through Energy-Saving Solutions

One of the topics that attracted much attention at the workshop was the role of energy-saving glass, as it directly impacts the energy consumption of buildings. For tropical cities like Vietnam, this is no longer a purely technical issue but is becoming a long-term financial challenge.

Recognizing this inevitable trend, Viglacera continuously innovates its technology and production to provide a comprehensive system of energy-saving glass solutions – considered one of the five key material groups determining the energy efficiency of buildings.

Based on modern technology transferred from Germany, Viglacera’s products have achieved EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) certification according to US standards, strictly meeting the requirements of common green building standards in Vietnam.

At the conference, Viglacera representatives demonstrated two strategic product lines: Solar Control and Low-E – solutions considered the “energy filter” of modern buildings. Viglacera’s energy-saving glass has the ability to insulate up to 79% of heat, effectively controlling radiation – blocking up to 99% of UV rays, and saving up to 51% on air conditioning energy.

*Mr. Tran Quoc Khanh – Project Director of Viglacera Corporation, presented his paper at the Workshop.

Practical Experience and Consulting on Green Building Certification Assessment.

Mr. Le Vang, Director of ISD Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., shared extremely useful experiences and knowledge about the current market practices, requirements for green building consulting firms, and knowledge and experience from the basic design phase, optimizing performance-cost-schedule in the technical design phase, energy simulation capabilities, to document management and field assessment. Accordingly, one of the common mistakes to avoid is: Late registration, weak documentation, unrealistic goals (setting inappropriate certification goals such as high requirements but only a basic budget).

Mr. Vang stated that ISD is among the top 5% of LEED and EDGE consulting firms in the world, affirming its superior professional capacity and practical experience in successfully implementing many green building certification projects.

*Mr. Le Vang, Director of ISD Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd

Green Certification for ESG Urban area

In the trend of encouraging green development for urban areas, representatives of Technology and Consulting Joint Stock Company (CIC) introduced the international BREEAM certification system for green urban areas, operated by BRE Global since 1990, which has now entered the Vietnamese market, with CIC as one of development partners.

According to Mr. Quynh, unlike the common green building criteria in Vietnam, BREEAM Communities focuses on criteria related to urban and residential planning; flood risk assessment and management; green infrastructure; water and light pollution; rainwater harvesting; and bicycle networks.

*Mr. Tran Quynh – Representative of CIC Technology and Consulting Joint Stock Company – presented his paper.

Proposed Framework for LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) Standards in Vietnam

The presentation by the representative of the Institute of Science and Technology – IBST (Ms. Tran Phuong) at the workshop conveyed the main message: Vietnamese standards + local data = lower costs, greater transparency, and a wider market. According to Mr. Phuong, IBST is researching the task of proposing a Vietnamese LCA/EPD standard framework with four structural layers to both reduce costs and maintain reliability and international compatibility. These are: Methodology, Baseline Data, Tools and Processes, and Verification and Publication. The key point is that the Vietnamese LCA/EPD standard transforms “carbon reduction” from a marketing statement into data that can be valued, traded, and audited.

* Mr. Tran Phuong – Head of the Green Building and Energy Efficiency Department – ​​Institute of Building Science and Technology (IBST) presented his paper.

The conference served as a valuable resource for the Vietnam Engineering Consultant Association and experts both within and outside the VECAS to refer to in the process of developing and perfecting policies and laws, and provided valuable lessons, scientific basis, and practical insights for construction consulting activities.

The VECAS sincerely thanks all delegates and partners for contributing to the success of the workshop.