RESOURCES

Benefits Of Green Buildings

Buildings – along with the people who live and work in them – have impacts on the environment throughout their lifecycle, from the construction phase to operation and demolition. They consume natural resources, use energy and water, and generate waste.

On the other hand, green buildings offer solutions to reduce — or even eliminate — these negative impacts while creating positive effects on both the environment and society.

These structures enhance the community’s quality of life and participate in the preservation of priceless natural resources.

Living green does not mean sacrificing a modern lifestyle or comfort. On the contrary, the benefits that green buildings bring far exceed purely financial or environmental considerations—they contribute to raising the quality of life for society as a whole.

All of this contributes to a more sustainable and efficient economy. Going green is not just a passing trend – it is a responsible choice for both the present and the future.

Let’s explore the benefits of green buildings together with Edeec.

1. Cost-effectiveness and Economic Advantages of Green Building

Cost-effectiveness is always a priority and must be optimized from the earliest stages of the project, from investment planning to design, construction, and installation. Every investment expense must be carefully calculated to ensure maximum value.

The application of integrated design, detailed technical analysis and the use of building performance simulation tools have become an inevitable trend in the project development process. By proficiently applying these tools,

Edeec has successfully implemented numerous green building projects with optimized investment costs, specifically as follows:

Projects’ Name	Description
Hanoi Complex Office and Service Building	GFA: 28.000m2 Reduce 29% of Operating costs Investment costs optimized by 16.1 billion VND compared to the initial investment cost
Net-Zero-Energy-achieved office building (Quang Ninh)	GFA: 5919 m2 Investment costs reduced by 3 billion VND for PAUs and AC systems Operating costs reduced by 90% ~ 2.3 billion/year
Hanoi Complex Office and Commercial Building	GFA: 115.000m2 Reduced 170 billion VND in investment in the Heat & Energy System, reduced 21 billion VND/year in operating costs.

2. Environmental Benefits of Green Building

Green buildings have positive impacts on the global climate and ecosystem. By reducing water consumption and limiting the use of polluting energy sources such as coal, as well as cutting CO₂ emissions, green buildings help ease the burden on the environment.

Green buildings not only reduce waste but also support water reserves recovery, conserve natural resources, maintain biodiversity and improve air and water quality. Furthermore, by minimizing the amount of waste and toxic gases released into the environment, green buildings contribute to reducing CO2 emissions – a key factor in the battle against climate change.

Some examples of environmental benefits in our projects:

Projects’ Name	Description
Hanoi Complex Office and Service Building	Carbon Emissions reduced to 783.094 tCO2/ MWh
Quang Ninh Office Building	Carbon Emissions reduced to 262.868 tCO2/ MWh
Hanoi Complex Office and Commercial Building	Carbon Emissions reduced to 4044.91 tCO2/ MWh

A TOE (Tonne of Oil Equivalent) is a unit of energy used to standardize and compare the energy content of different energy sources

3. Energy Savings and Energy Efficiency

Making the shift to sustainable and energy-efficient buildings is one of the urgent challenges we need to face in the near future.

So how can we achieve this goal?

One of the practical solutions is to improve the thermal insulation system. High-performance insulation materials help reduce energy loss, thereby increasing energy efficiency and the overall sustainability of a building.
In addition, buildings designed with passive methods also help optimize energy: from utilizing natural light, ventilation and using efficient HVAC systems, to incorporating green roofs and façades that regulate the building’s microclimate. Through these methods, we can move closer to creating energy-saving and environmentally friendly living and working environments

We continuously take examples of projects where Edeec consulted:

Projects’ Name	Description
Hanoi Complex Office and Service Building	Savings of about 1,187.9 MWh per year (Savings of 39% compared to the current status of the project).
Net-Zero-Energy-achieved office building (Quang Ninh)	Savings of about 398.74 MWh per year (Savings of more than 51% compared to the current status of the project).
Hanoi Complex Office and Commercial Building	Savings of about 398.74 MWh per year (Savings of more than 51% compared to the current status of the project).

4. Residential Health Benefits

Living green means eliminating detrimental factors and enjoying a clean, healthy indoor environment. Great indoor environmental quality not only protects occupants’ health—helping prevent respiratory illnesses and harmful chemical exposures—but also elevates daily life quality.

In terms of the workplace, green and clean workspaces contribute to increasing concentration, improving morale and work performance of employees. In addition to its health benefits, it is essential for creating a productive and long-lasting workforce.

LEED v4/v4.1 Certification sets out many detailed requirements to ensure Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ), aiming to protect the health, enhance comfort and productivity of building users.

Detailed requirements to ensure Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)	Description
Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance (Required)	Ventilation: According to ASHRAE 62.1-2010/2016 (or national equivalent). Example: Office areas require a minimum ventilation of 8.5 L/s/person. Positive pressure: Maintain positive pressure in clean areas to prevent contamination from entering.
Methods to improve indoor air quality	Reduce on-site sources of contamination: Provide separate rooms for printers, copiers, chemicals, with separate ventilation systems. Use CO₂ sensors: In high-occupancy spaces (≥ 25 people), calibrated to alert when exceeding 1,000 ppm. Air filtration: Requires MERV 13 or higher filters for incoming air (if using HVAC systems) Airtight materials in walls, floors, ceilings between areas at risk of contamination.
Thermal Comfort	Design to meet ASHRAE 55-2010 standards: Appropriate temperature, humidity, and air velocity (e.g., temperature of 21-25°C, humidity of 30–60%). Occupant thermal comfort surveys may be used to reassess actual conditions.
Indoor lighting	Provide individual lighting control for ≥ 90% of regularly occupied spaces.
Daylighting	Provide natural light for ≥ 55%, 75%, or 90% of regularly occupied spaces.
Views	≥ 75% of regularly occupied spaces have a view of outdoor space.
Acoustic performance (applicable to schools and some offices)	Meets ANSI S12.60 or equivalent: Background noise ≤ 40 dBA for classrooms. Control echo and soundproofing between rooms.

5. Other Environmental Benefits

Optimizing energy consumption while ensuring human comfort and minimizing environmental impact is essential to achieving clean air cities, sustainable neighborhoods and truly green buildings. In the current context, air pollution remains one of the most serious global challenges.

The only solution to this challenge is to raise public awareness and promote multidisciplinary collaboration between scientists, experts, national and international organizations. Only by taking a holistic approach and proposing sustainable solutions can we protect the planet, improve human health and create a greener, healthier future.