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Vietnam may now be following Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries in the region down the green path as Ho Chi Minh City plans its first environmentally sustainable office building, CentrePoint.


CenterPoint Tower - Refico Ivestment

With over 650,000 sqm of office space expected to come onto the Ho Chi Minh City office market over the next five years, pollution levels will also be on the rise. Buildings account for about 30 percent of the world’s energy consumption and a similar amount of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.

An effort to reduce this demand for energy and reduce harmful emissions is being made by Nguyen Vu Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company, a subsidiary of leading development firm REFICO. David Clarkin, Managing Director of REFICO, is the principal driving force behind CentrePoint, soon to be Vietnam’s first office building committed to achieving a sustainable-rating under the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating (ABGR) as well as the Green Star rating system. Clarkin has been involved in major projects in both Australia and Vietnam and is fully accustomed to the problems faced during the planning and construction phases of such a project.

The need to plan for the sustainable use of natural resources and sustainable development efforts has been acknowledged since the release of Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Development Strategy in 1999. Until now, eco-tourism projects have been the most prominent examples of sustainable development in the property sector in Vietnam.

CentrePoint, to be located at 106 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District, will consist of 27,000 sqm of office and 2,000 sqm of retail over 17 storeys. The ABGR scheme should assist Nguyen Vu and future tenants to reduce energy use, reduce energy costs and reduce greenhouse emissions. The building will include environmental sustainable design (ESD) including improved indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency, water management systems, waste management and recycling systems and emission controls.

REFICO has employed the expertise of PTW Architects, Indochine Engineering and international property consultants Savills to achieve the country’s first environmentally sustainable building. Clarkin commented that “Vietnam needs to start moving towards more sustainable developments in light of increasing environmental and energy shortage concerns and a greater demand from companies keen to address their corporate social responsibilities.”

To ensure that CentrePoint provides the very best possible workplace for its tenants, Refico engaged the services of OUT-2 design, a firm of architects and workplace strategists, to optimize the building configuration and design. Using key performance criteria identified through the Intelligent Buildings in South East Asia Research Study1 and adopted by many international property authorities, OUT-2 design was able to significantly increase the building’s performance for both tenants and the landlord.

“Providing staff with the best possible working conditions is becoming a key factor in attracting and retaining the best people. In this regard, CentrePoint will certainly be one of the best performing buildings in Vietnam. The building’s configuration has resulted in efficiencies that can deliver considerable cost savings for tenants. The ground floor courtyard, food court and other support facilities will combine to ensure businesses are able to perform at their best,” states Andrew Currie, Managing Director of OUT-2 design.

Understanding, anticipating and accommodating future tenant demands is the key factor in ensuring flexibility and long-term sustainability. The design of CentrePoint was tested against the demands of different size tenants from different industries during the design in order to 'future-proof' the building. Tenants can be confident that their businesses will be able to evolve over time and that the building will provide them with the flexibility they need to do this.

Savills Vietnam, Sole Leasing Agents for CentrePoint, have reported high levels of interest in the project even though it is not due for completion until Q1 2009. Managing Director for Savills Vietnam, Brett Ashton, said “companies interested in CentrePoint at this stage are MNCs who are environmentally conscious but the main incentive is bottom line savings from operating in a green and efficient building.”

Enquiries Interested office tenants and other enquirers should contact Savills Vietnam at (+84 8) 823 9205 or visit www.savills.com.vn

For further information:

Mr. Joshua Roberts Savills Senior Surveyor
Tel : (84 8) 823 9205; Ext : 125
Fax : (84 8) 823 4571
Mobile: (84) (0)904 086 543
Email: jproberts@savills.com.vn

Ms. Jennifer Ehrman Refico Marketing Manager
Tel : (84 8) 823 3031
Fax : (84 8) 823 3034
Mobile: (84) (0)936 155 244
Email : jehrman@refico.com.vn

Source: Savills

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