Within the framework of the Vietnam Green Building and Green Transport Week 2025, the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Construction Materials in collaboration with the Institute of Construction Materials organized a workshop on "Optimizing the use of energy and construction materials to minimize emissions in green buildings".
The event took place in Ho Chi Minh City, attracting a large number of delegates from management agencies, research institutes, domestic and foreign enterprises, to discuss circular material solutions, low-emission cement technology and energy saving towards the goal of net zero emissions.
Delivering the opening speech at the workshop, Mr. Lê Văn Kế, Deputy Director General of the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and Building Materials, stated that the construction sector is currently one of the largest consumers of energy and resources. Therefore, optimizing the use of energy, water and materials will play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while also driving technological innovation, improving construction quality and enhancing the competitiveness of the economy.
Implementing the Government's orientation, the Ministry of Construction has issued many important policies such as the Strategy for development of construction materials in Vietnam to 2030, with a vision to 2050; Action plan to respond to climate change for the period 2022-2030; QCVN 09:2017/BXD on energy-efficient buildings; communication, training and capacity building programs to help expand the green building network nationwide. By the end of the third quarter of 2025, Vietnam had more than 600 green buildings with a total floor area of nearly 17 million m², demonstrating the strong efforts of agencies, businesses and the community in the green transformation process of the construction industry.
Workshop scene.
Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Lê Cao Chiến, Deputy Director of the Center for Equipment, Environment and Occupational Safety (Institute for Building Materials), stated that the application of circular materials not only helps reduce resource extraction and greenhouse gas emissions, but also creates new economic value through reuse, recycling, extending material lifecycles, and reducing construction waste. International standards such as LEED, LOTUS, and EDGE allocate 12-20% of their total assessment scores to material-related criteria, underscoring the growing importance of this field.
Key approaches presented include the use of solar-reflective materials to reduce the urban heat-island effect; thermal insulation materials and energy-efficient glazing to optimize building thermal performance; and the wider adoption of products with environmental labels, high recycled content, and transparent chemical composition. Mr. Chiến emphasized the need to promptly improve technical standards and promote mechanisms that encourage sustainable production and consumption, thereby laying the foundation for a green, circular and sustainable construction sector.
Representative of the business sector, Mr. Lê Hữu Sang, Global Operations Support Director for Saint-Gobain Vietnam’s Fiber Cement division, shared that lightweight and recycled material solutions can reduce CO₂ emissions by 79% compared with traditional materials. Saint-Gobain’s Duraflex Low Carbon products have obtained multiple international certifications such as EPD, LCA, and Green Label, contributing to reduced structural load, faster construction progress, and improved operational energy efficiency. Over the past five years, more than 30% of the company’s revenue has come from products with high levels of innovation and sustainability, affirming the strong trend of green material development in Vietnam.
Regarding energy-saving solutions, Mr. Trịnh Ngọc Mẫn, representative of Eurowindow Joint Stock Company, introduced high-performance insulated glazing systems that can reduce up to 50% of energy loss through a building’s envelope. The use of Low-E insulated glass, featuring low thermal transmittance and high solar heat-reflection capability, not only helps lower electricity consumption but also saves billions of VND in annual operating costs. Eurowindow is also toward a circular economy by using materials that are almost fully recyclable such as aluminum, glass and silicon, thereby reducing construction waste and extending building lifespan.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyễn Công Bảo, Executive Director of Fico-YTL Cement Joint Stock Company, stated that the company has developed a line of low-carbon cement products that reduce CO₂ emissions by 30-70% compared with traditional Portland cement, while achieving the highest Green Label certification of the Singapore Green Building Council. Fico-YTL is also a pioneer in co-processing industrial waste and pesticide packaging, and in utilizing fly ash and slag as alternative materials, thereby significantly reducing net emissions.
To accelerate green development and growth in Vietnam, Mr. Nguyễn Công Bảo recommended that State authorities promptly study and issue a National Green Building Standard, establish an annual emissions reporting mechanism, and allocate emission quotas for key building materials industries, thereby promoting a comprehensive green transition.
In the discussion on “Lifecycle Thinking in Construction: From Materials and Energy to Sustainable Operation”, the speakers emphasized the critical role of innovation across the entire building value chain.
To conclude the workshop, on behalf of the Organizing Committee, Mr. Nguyễn Quang Hiệp, Director of the Institute for Building Materials, emphasized that optimizing energy and materials is the key to achieving the net-zero emissions target. Close coordination among regulatory agencies, research institutes and businesses will help build an innovation ecosystem for green construction in Vietnam. The opinions, presentations and recommendations serve as valuable inputs for improving policies, technical standards and incentive mechanisms that support the development of green buildings, contributing to a sustainable, competitive and environmentally friendly construction sector in Vietnam.