Bureau Veritas assists Pearl Global factory with LEED building certification

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a third-party green building certification programme developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is an international symbol of excellence in the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.

Pearl Global is a multinational garment manufacturing company in India, renowned for its commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability in the fashion industry. The company has proved itself as a trusted partner for leading fashion brands and retailers worldwide, delivering garments that combine style and functionality, with ethical and sustainable production practices.

In Vietnam, Pear Global has established its first garment factory in Bac Giang. With a sustainable approach, Pearl Global Vietnam aimed to achieve the LEED Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Certification for this factory to align with their group’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Pursuing LEED O&M Certification also allowed Pearl Global Vietnam to improve their factory’s operational efficiency, differentiate their factory in the market and attract environmentally conscious customers and partners.

Bureau Veritas puts sustainability at the heart of its mission, helping its clients meet the challenges of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility. With its green line of services and solutions, Bureau Veritas partners with clients in their efforts to improve their performance and demonstrate transparency and trustworthiness.

In the building and infrastructure sectors, Bureau Veritas assists the clients in pursuing internationally recognised green building rating systems and standards, including LEED, EDGE, BREEAM, and WELL Building Standard.

Bureau Veritas employs a rigorous assessment process, utilising cutting-edge technology and methodologies to verify compliance with green building standards. Through on-site inspections, data analysis, and documentation review, Bureau Veritas ensures that buildings seeking certification meet the stringent requirements and performance benchmarks set forth by the chosen rating system.

Bureau Veritas is honoured to be the LEED O&M certification consultant for Pearl Global Vietnam. Since 2022, Bureau Veritas has closely worked with Pearl Global Vietnam through two consulting stages, feasibility study and main consultancy, to assist them in achieving the LEED O&M Gold Level.

In August 2022, Bureau Veritas carried out a feasibility study at Pearl Global Bac Giang Factory to assess the current conditions of the factory’s buildings and technical systems against the requirements of LEED O&M Certification. This includes evaluating the factory’s energy and water consumption, indoor air quality, existing O&M plans and policies, waste management practices, and other sustainability criteria.

The feasibility study allowed Bureau Veritas to identify potential opportunities and challenges faced by the factory for achieving LEED O&M Certification, as well as actions to be taken towards energy and water efficiency, sustainable practices and policies, and other essential aspects, especially considering the factory’s constraints of budget, time, and existing facilities.

From January 2023 to January 2024, at the main consultancy stage, Bureau Veritas assisted Pearl Global Vietnam in creating an achievable strategy and action plan to pursue a LEED O&M Certification.

Essential site audits and measurements were implemented by Bureau Veritas to obtain insights about the factory’s performance in different aspects, paying great attention to energy and water efficiency. Performance data of the factory was carefully collected and tracked to ensure the factory’s adherence to LEED requirements, as well as promptly identify issues and take corrective actions. O&M plans and policies were also improved so that the factory would operate in a more sustainable and eco-friendly manner.

In late January this year, Bureau Veritas submitted a certification application through the LEED online platform and actively assisted Pearl Global Vietnam in clarifying USGBC reviewer’s queries.

In early March, USGBC announced that Pearl Global Factory had been awarded LEED O&M Gold, making it the first garment factory in Vietnam to achieve the certification at gold level.

Green transition creating challenges for garments and textiles SMEs Vietnam has signed 16 free trade agreements (FTAs) with the international community, creating the conditions for firms to expand into new markets and boost profitability, while also posing numerous challenges with their increasingly stringent 'green growth' requirements.

Textile apparel exporters proactive in tackling issues Global economic headwinds herald a challenging year ahead for textile apparel export, forcing firms in the sector to embrace flexible remedies.

Garments and textile heads demand assistance At a conference on March 14 to resolve difficulties in manufacturing and to promote growth and macroeconomic stability, Le Tien Truong, chairman of Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), provided a stark overview of the garments and textiles industry with the prime minister and numerous business leaders from various sectors in attendance.