Green One UN House in Viet Nam awarded by the World Green Building Council

Receiving the award on behalf of the United Nations, Mr. Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam said, “The sustainability of our societies around the world has always been and remains the central mission of the United Nations. This has been very clear from our founding over 70 years ago. It is stated in the UN charter and most recently in the Agenda 2030 which embodies the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. By presenting the UN in Viet Nam with this award today, you recognize the unique role that the United Nations can and must also play in championing the leadership in Green Building design around the world.”

One of the Jurors of this Award, Joelle Chen, Regional Head of WorldGBC’s Asia Pacific Network said, “Our Green Building Councils in the Asia Pacific Regional Network work with some of the most pioneering companies and innovators on green building. The Green One UN House serves as a model for sustainable construction in Viet Nam and demonstrates how innovative design and sustainable management practices for existing buildings can lay the foundations for meeting many of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

The GOUNH was inaugurated in May 2015 by the then UN Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-moon and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, H.E. Pham Binh Minh. Most resident UN agencies had decided to move into one building then as part of the UN’s Delivering as One Initiative. The UN in Viet Nam was amongst the very first pioneers globally to realize a One UN House. The new building was designed based on its goal to combat environmental challenges Viet Nam is faced with and reduce the UN’s carbon footprint as the implementer of the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, UN staff have been applying green behaviour by reducing printing, replacing plastic products and using public transportation.

The building achieved almost a third of its energy reduction through measures including solar water heating and smart environmental controls and is returning small percentage of site-generated and collected water to the city at a quality which exceeds the required standard. The building is also powered by solar energy collected through solar panels.

It took only two years for GOUNH to be recognized as a leader of green buildings nationwide when it received the Platinum LOTUS Certification in May 2017 which is the highest level of acknowledgement for non-residential green buildings in the Viet Nam by Viet Nam Green Building Council. With recognition from WorldGBC Asia Pacific, GOUNH is leading the way as a climate neutral building across the Asia-Pacific region./.