HCMC – A study by the Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology (IBST) showed that the reduction of embodied carbon in construction materials for green buildings reaches an average of 47% after completion.
This figure significantly outperforms emissions savings from building operations, highlighting materials as the decisive frontier in Vietnam’s journey toward Net-Zero emissions by 2050.
The IBST research, which analyzed data from green building projects across Vietnam, found that while energy efficiency measures save approximately 32% in operational energy, they only contribute to a 3% reduction in total operational carbon. In contrast, strategic material selection can reduce overall lifecycle emissions by up to 22%, a contribution seven times greater than that of energy operations.
These findings suggest that current management tools, which primarily focus on operational energy efficiency, may be overlooking the most substantial potential for carbon mitigation. Industry experts identify cement as a critical bottleneck, as it accounts for nearly 90% of the carbon footprint in concrete despite making up only 13% of its volume.
To support this transition, the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee has issued Directive No. 03-CT/TW, mandating the elimination of obsolete technologies and prohibiting investments in high-emission, energy-intensive projects. The policy shifts prioritize green, energy-saving, and recycled materials while aiming to establish a comprehensive national database on building materials and minerals.
As evidence shows that actual carbon reductions often exceed initial design forecasts, integrating green building certifications into national standards could transform these voluntary mechanisms into core regulatory tools for the construction industry’s sustainable restructuring.
