So far, the country has had a cumulative total of 559 green-certified buildings with a combined floor area of 13.6 million sq.m. This figure far exceeds the original targets of 80 green buildings by 2025 and 160 by 2030, according to the report, issued by the EDGE certification system and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank.

Experts held that despite starting later than other countries in the region, Vietnam has made considerable progress, with a sharp increase of green projects over the past few years.

According to the Government’s Decree No. 15/2021/ND-CP, green buildings must meet specific criteria and standards in their design, construction, and operation to ensure energy efficiency, resource conservation, environmental protection, and quality living conditions.

Green projects are expected to contribute to Vietnam’s commitment under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by helping reduce 74.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030 in the construction sector, on the path towards net-zero emissions by 2050.

The most common green certifications in Vietnam include EDGE (issued by the IFC), LEED (by the US Green Building Council), Green Mark (by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority), and Lotus (by the Vietnam Green Building Council).

By building type, the report indicates that green-certified residential neighbourhoods have declined over the past four years due to challenges in the real estate market but are now showing signs of recovery. The total certified floor area is approaching the peak levels seen in 2019 and 2020.

Industrial green buildings have grown significantly over the past two years, particularly with the emergence of green warehouses. The shift of manufacturing to Vietnam, along with accelerated industrialisation, production expansion, and logistics growth, has driven this trend. In 2024, green-certified office projects reached their highest scale ever. Meanwhile, green retail and education projects have also seen significant growth.

Ho Chi Minh City topped localities nationwide in 2024, with a total floor area of 3.4 million sq.m. certified green. It was followed by Hanoi, Binh Duong, Bac Ninh, and Hai Phong.

Vietnam counts over 400 green buildings

Vietnam has had more than 400 green buildings with a combined certified construction area of about 10 million sq.m, according to the Ministry of Construction.