Vietnam promotes shift to green production lines

Snyder stated, "The VGBC is supporting domestic and foreign businesses in accessing and implementing green standards within construction projects. The council in also stepping up in-depth training for a wide range of professional personnel in the country."

"Investing in a green factory is one of the first steps on the road to greening production lines. The move will create conditions for investors and large businesses to envision achieving the net-zero goal by 2050 in the industrial sector," he said.

Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Singapore have focused on the development of green industrial projects since 2007. However, this trend only began to capture more attention around 2010-2011, according to the VGBC.

Over the past decade, 234 projects have been granted green certificates in Vietnam, out of a total of 484 projects applying for them, according to updated data from the Green Building Information Gateway. This figure remains relatively modest compared to other regional peers.

According to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, many businesses are not aware of their environmental responsibilities. In addition, they do not have enough personnel with a clear understanding of environmental regulations.

Specifically, up to 44 per cent of domestic firms and 38 per cent of foreign-invested enterprises have admitted that they do not fully comply with environmental regulations.

Eunseo Lee, head of FDI Industrial Projects and TM Roofing at Sika Vietnam said, "There are still many challenges to implementing a green factory due to a lack of knowledge, cost concerns, and doubts about quality when handing over the project."

To ensure the efficiency of a project, it is crucial to create a durable facade to conserve energy and limit the impacts on the surrounding environment. The roof is directly exposed to the elements, and as such, it absorbs heat from the intense sunlight and needs to mitigate the risk of leaks due to the heavy rain in Vietnam.

Sika Vietnam is a wholly Swiss-owned company under Sika AG Group. With a presence in Vietnam since 1993, it has introduced the Sarnafil roofing solution with three outstanding features, including waterproof roofing systems that have the ability to reflect UV rays (a heat source) and save up to 10 per cent of the total energy consumption for cooling.

In addition, Sika's roof support system is equipped with solar panels to take advantage of the tropical climate, saving energy costs and creating added value after only five years of operation. Meanwhile, Sika's green roofing solution boasts outstanding waterproofing ability, reducing the heat island phenomenon and creating a natural resting area for workers at the factory.

Lee noted that all three solutions have been applied to many projects with green certificates from LEED, LOTUS, and EDGE in Vietnam. Some prime examples include the reflective roof for Tetra Pak and the energy-saving roof for the supermarket chain Go!

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