Viet Nam has two property projects awarded the certificates for resource efficiency from the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. — VNS Photo

HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Two property projects have become the first ever Vietnamese winners of certificates for resource efficiency from the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group.

The HCM City-based Bridge View Apartment built by Nam Long Investment Corporation and the 5.9ha FPT City ?a Na(~ng JSC's designs have won the honour by helping reduce energy and water consumption and embodying energy in building materials while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The IFC's Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) rating system is a new building resource efficiency certification system created for emerging markets like Viet Nam, where buildings account for around 36 percent of electricity consumption, contributing to greenhouse-gas emissions. Viet Nam's emissions are growing at 12 per cent annually, among the highest in the world.

Furthermore, the country's recent speedy industrialisation and urbanisation have led to an annual growth in energy demand of more than 12 per cent.

Bridge View Apartment, by adopting improved features such as a low embodied-energy facade, energy-efficient lighting and low-flow faucets, is expected to achieve reductions of 20 percent in the use of energy, 21.7 percent in water, and 26.8 percent in materials.

FPT City Da Nang JSC's property is a top-end mixed-use complex in Da Nang city that is expected to reduce energy consumption by almost 21 percent, lower water use by 31.8 percent and the energy used to produce building materials by 20.2 percent.

"The EDGE system shows a strong business case for resource efficient building, where financing and environment can come together," Wendy Werner, World Bank Group's Practice Manager for Trade & Competitiveness for East Asia and the Pacific, said in a press release.

"We hope more of Viet Nam's building developers will adopt the EDGE system once they learn of the benefits of certification."

According to recent statistics from CBRE Vie^.t Nam, with rapid urbanisation there is an increase in office buildings in Viet Nam.

Some 294 are under construction in HCM City and 250 in Ha Noi.

By 2025 HCM City will have another 494 buildings and Ha Noi, 766. — VNS