Eco-culture promoted in Hanoi’s Ciputra

According to Budiarsa Satrawinata, general director of Ciputra, the application of eco-culture in the project started with an understanding that buildings account for 40 per cent of total energy consumption.

“We understand that cities, on the extreme, will produce about 70 per cent of our emissions, including transport and industries. And this trend is going to increase in the future, where more people will live in cities compared to the present number,” Satrawinata said.

“Therefore we realise our role as an important stakeholder in reducing our carbon footprints, and our effort should start now,” he added.

Under this program, Ciputra will be targeting the crucial components of its resources – energy and water.

“We will need to minimise our pollution through an increased efficiency in our waste management. We also realise that much of the target can be achieved through behavioural changes – changes in lifestyles,” he said.

According to Yannick Millet, executive director of Vietnam Green Building Council, the concept of “green building” was in its initial stage in Vietnam.

The current obstacles to green building development, Millet said, include a lack of strategy, coordination and incentives from the government and other relevant local entities, lack of regulation and law enforcement, too highly subsidised energy cost, speculative market, lack of awareness and skills of every stakeholders and lack of identified “green” products.

Ciputra’s programme aims to establish a “culture” of green, a community that is informed, empowered, and embraced in a collective effort towards a greener lifestyle.

The EcoCulture has specifically been designed to reflect company’s environmental goals such as bioclimatic analysis, ecoPath, dual waste bins and street lighting using solar panel.

Another notable EcoCulture initiative is the pursuing of new green apartments.

“We are currently working with the Vietnam Green Building Council associates to explore this opportunity,” Satrawinata added.

Ciputra Hanoi consists of residential buildings, primary and secondary schools, gardens, a clubhouse and retail area, a luxury hotel and high-rise office buildings which can accommodate the population of 50,000 residents.