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Green buildings in Vietnam are moving from a niche concept to a mainstream requirement for homebuyers, with international certification increasingly influencing both consumer expectations and developers’ strategies. Vu Linh Quang, CEO of ARDOR Green and Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Green Enterprises Association (HGBA), said that standards such as EDGE are shaping the criteria for choosing where to live.
Recently, Solaria Rise—part of the Waterpoint integrated mega-urban area and one of the projects that adopted green development from the outset—was awarded EDGE certification for all four residential towers.
Quang said Vietnam’s real estate sector is shifting green construction from an early-stage option to a market-necessary trend. By the end of 2025, Vietnam reportedly had about 780 green-certified buildings with a total area close to 18.7 million square meters. In 2025 alone, nearly 200 new projects obtained certification.
He noted that international assessment systems are increasingly valued by developers as tools to raise project value, with EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) highlighted as a prominent certification.
EDGE is a green building certification system developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank Group member. It is designed to promote design and operational solutions that save resources and reduce carbon emissions. To receive certification, a project must demonstrate at least a 20% improvement in three key indicators compared with a local standard: Energy, Water, and Embodied Energy in Materials.
EDGE relies on an online simulation platform to calculate design performance. After that, the project is independently reviewed and verified by the certifying body before the certificate is issued.
Quang said the data-driven and cost-effective nature of EDGE is helping developers implement green buildings at scale, particularly in the housing segment.
Referencing EDGE standards applied to the Solaria Rise high-rise cluster—part of Waterpoint, certified on 11 April 2026—Quang shared results for all four residential towers. The project achieved 22% energy savings, 27% water savings, and a 33% reduction in Embodied Energy in Materials.
He emphasized that the project’s resource-saving solutions were integrated from the design stage rather than added later through complex technologies. The approach prioritizes energy efficiency through envelope design, solar radiation control, and maximizing natural ventilation, aligned with Vietnam’s tropical climate. It also includes water-saving measures and material efficiency aimed at reducing resource use across the building’s life cycle.
Quang added that the investor treats EDGE as a design and performance-management tool rather than a cosmetic feature. He said this helps align sustainable solutions with realistic cost considerations, supporting long-term benefits for residents and the environment.
According to Quang, EDGE supports reduced energy and resource demand, which can lower carbon emissions and reduce pressure on urban infrastructure such as electricity and water systems. As more projects adopt standards like EDGE, he said urban areas can optimize resource use and contribute to emission reductions and sustainable city development.
Quang concluded that increasing adoption of such certifications is helping position green buildings not as an add-on, but as a new market norm—particularly in major cities. He cited Solaria Rise in the Western-HCMC development corridor as strengthening the sustainability trajectory and investor commitment to improving resident quality of life through resource efficiency, the living environment, and long-term value.
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