Consultation workshop “Development of energy efficiency certification for existing buildings in Vietnam: process and results

The Project Management Unit "Improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings and high-rise apartment buildings in Vietnam" (EECB project) held a consultation workshop “Development of energy efficiency certification for existing buildings in Vietnam: process and results” on December 15^th. Deputy Director of Department of Science, Technology and Environment (Ministry of Construction), Deputy Director of EECB project - Mr. Nguyen Cong Thinh chaired the workshop with presence of representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the German International Cooperation Organization (GIZ) and many domestic and international experts working in the field of energy saving and environment.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Thinh - Deputy Director of Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Ministry of Construction chaired the consultation workshop

Since 2016, the Ministry of Construction has cooperated with UNDP to implement Project EECB with funding from the Global Environment Fund (GEF) in improving energy efficiency of commercial buildings and high-rise apartment buildings in Vietnam. The project consists of 3 components: improving and implementing construction standards using energy efficiency; implementing initiatives to support building market development; applying and replicating energy saving technology for buildings.

The first component objective of the EECB Project is to assist the Ministry of Construction and UNDP in building the specific energy consumption line (SEC) of the construction works; determining the energy level; development of measurement and evaluation plans, and energy efficiency labeling systems for commercial and high-rise apartment buildings in the North, Central and Southern of Vietnam.

At the seminar, representatives of the EECB Project Management Board briefly presented updated, adjusted and supplemented contents after the first consultation workshop (held in 2019), and summarized the results of EECB Project: SEC development and energy norms (after updating); contents related to certification of energy efficiency in buildings in the world; certification system for energy efficiency in commercial buildings proposed for Vietnam with pilot results; disclosing information on energy use in commercial buildings in Vietnam; SEC database system and online energy norms.

According to Ms. Hoang Thi Kim Cuc, EECB Project Manager, SEC value is used as an energy efficiency comparator to evaluate or measure the performance of energy efficiency over a specified period of time, in a climate defined and often expressed as a ratio of the electricity consumed per year and the total floor area of the building.

 Expert Nicolas Jallade presented EECB project’s result.

To establish the SEC value and the first energy norm for Vietnam, expert Nicolas Jallade said: the project has conducted energy surveys in 165 buildings in 5 different categories in the North, Central and South of Vietnam to determine the specific energy consumption and related energy norms, including state agencies, private offices, commercial centers, 2 - 3 star hotels and 4 – 5 star hotels. From the specific survey results, through synthesis, analysis, evaluation, the consultant team found that: most buildings in Vietnam in Vietnam have not had annual energy saving plans and actions to improve energy efficiency in buildings over the years. Only large buildings such as shopping malls are cautious in using energy efficiency by directly affecting the interests of the building owners.

For the task of researching energy efficiency label certification scheme/ system for buildings, the expert team relied on the experience of many countries to study the feasibility of energy efficiency certification for construction works in Vietnam, establishing key elements for building and implementing an energy efficiency certification system. Phase 1 of the mission has completed the development of an implementation plan to establish the energy efficiency certification system for new and existing buildings in Vietnam.

The whole workshop.

Delegates acknowledged and appreciated the professionalism and effort of the consultant group as well as the achieved EECB project results. Ms. Vu Thi Kim Thoa - senior expert of the PEEB-GIZ Program commented that the results of the project have significantly contributed to improving energy efficiency of commercial buildings and high-rise apartment buildings in Vietnam. In particular, with the inclusion of energy efficiency certification content in ISO standards, Vietnam has made great strides in the development of energy-saving and efficient buildings.

Ms Vu Thi Kim Thoa hoped that the results of the EECB project would soon be replicated for the MoC, international organizations, localities, and enterprises in the Vietnamese construction industry to strengthen cooperation and implementation of programs and projects to improve energy efficiency not only for commercial buildings and high-rise apartment buildings but also towards construction works in general.