Climate change is one of the urgent issues, leading to the top concern not only of the leaders but also of people from all walks of life in the world. Taking the theme "Architecture, Building, Climate - Responsibility and Solutions", the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) International Union of Architects expects that the 2015 World Architecture Day (October 5) will raise awareness of World architects in the design of the environmentally friendly "green" house, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving the quality of life for everyone. It is also an activity towards the summit of the United Nations on Climate Change in Paris in 2015 - COP 21 in the coming December.

Deputy Minister of Construction, Ms. Phan Thi My Linh delivers a speech at the Celebration of World Architecture Day 2015 held by Vietnam Association of Architects in Danang.

Responding to the spirit of the UIA, in the afternoon of October 4, 2015, Vietnam Architects Association in collaboration with the Da Nang City Association of Architects organized the Seminar "Architecture with Climate Change" on the occasion of the anniversary of the World Architecture Day 2015. Among the attendants there were key persons; Ms. Phan Thi My Linh, Deputy Minister of Construction; Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Vice Chairman of Da Nang People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Tan Van, chairman of Vietnam Architect Association and over 150 delegates who are members of the Architect Association from central provinces and the Central Highlands.

In the Architecture Day this year, the UIA called on the Architect Association members, including Vietnam Architect Association and other partners to exert the global architect society's efforts to promote activities in raising public awareness in extensive application of the solutions to reducing CO2 emissions in the design and urban architecture in response to global climate change, one of the greatest challenges of the present era.

As a professional association, a member of Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) International Union of Architects, Vietnam Architect Association has been always aware of its role and responsibilities in raising community awareness and encourages the architects to work with creativity, design and urban architecture in a sustainable way, to adapt to the complex transformations of nature.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr Nguyen Tan Van, chairman of Vietnam Architects Association said "Vietnam is a extremely vulnerable country under the impact of climate change, the risk of rising sea levels and storms. The risk is becoming more apparent in the recent decades, when the country is experiencing rapid economic growth through industrialization and urbanization, a process that increases in greenhouse gas emissions. 

Along with the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) International Union of Architects, Vietnam Architect Association is committed to pioneer in the promotion and encouragement of creative architects, designers, so that they represent the responsibility to nature - the environment, responsibility to the community - society, by following the green architectural trends, to adapt to climate change which is getting more critical. The climate change risks are seen to arise from every small daily action. Therefore, the designer must be more aware of the professional responsibility in strengthening the research and application of solutions for architectural design, urban energy saving and reduction of carbon emissions. In consultancy, it is to convince the businesses, investors to get engaged in green growth strategy, sustainable development for the quality of life of future generation.

In 2011, the Association published the Declaration of Vietnam Green Architecture and up to now it has been working with the establishment of the Vietnam Council of Green Architecture and the study and preparation of criteria of Vietnam Green Architecture in which the effective use of energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions are also highlighted.

However, currently, the green architecture design, green building in Vietnam is still under slow development with the integration of energy saving and climate change in design. Meanwhile, the green design has been practiced in the world for so long time. The investment into the construction of green buildings actually has been very modest, with un-established green construction market. Taking 2014 into account, Singapore has nearly 1,200 buildings certified as green building, Taiwan has 500 works, Malaysia also has 125 works, while in Vietnam so far, has less than 10 new works bearing the green building certification, and most of them are designed and owned by foreign investors.

Deputy Minister of Construction Phan Thi My Linh said: "Fulfilling the objectives of the Green Growth of the Government, the Ministry of Construction promulgated an Action Plan to respond to climate change in construction for 2014 - 2020 period. The plan lays particular emphasis on strengthening the resilience of the construction industry to natural disasters, and climate change. Other focuses are economical use of energy, climate change mitigation, and development of the construction industry towards green and sustainable growth. Therefore, it is called on the participation, in response, and involvement of the social resources, especially the team of architects, planners who are considered very essential and important. However, greater challenges are foreseen with requirements towards architects, planners who must get hold of the theory and master the tools, facilities, technology and new science and technology, especially the philosophy of green growth in thinking.

Trong Tan