Vietnam Looks For Greener Growth

As Vietnam's big cities grow, clusters of new buildings sprout up around their peripheries. Rapid urbanisation is transforming cities like Hanoi, and the quiet streets of a few decades ago are today unrecognisable. The question remains – how green is Vietnam's sprawl?

Buildings account for around 36 per cent of the country's total energy consumption and 25 per cent of emissions, including a third of carbon dioxide emissions – the main cause of global climate change.

The concept of green construction was introduced for the first time in the country in 2007. Ten years later Vietnam has just 61 constructions with sustainable green certificates. This number is far too modest in a rapidly-developing country where new urban areas are booming. Neighbours like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are doing much better, and Singapore alone boasts more than 2,100 green buildings with a Green Mark certification.