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For the new buildings, the issue of energy efficiency is
usually considered right from the design phase. “When we were planning the
drawing for Green Power Building (opened on August 5th 2010), we even had a scientific
project aiming at designing a house which will operate most efficiently in
terms of energy”, said Mr. Pham Quoc Bao, Deputy General Director of Ho Chi
Minh City Electricity Corporation. The building of Green Power has been
recently rated by energy efficiency experts as the most energy efficient modern
building, with capability to save up to 30% of power.
At the Landmark Building, in addition to replacing the
entire old lamps, other methods are also used, such as using a timer device to
automatically switch off the electrical equipments and record the daily use of
electricity to adjust the appropriate using time; or using an inverter for high
capacity engines such as water pumps and air ventilators to prolong their
operation time.
According to the management board of the building, although
they had to invest 350 million dong in replacement and adjustment of electrical
devices for the building, it is estimated that for the whole year of 2010,
Landmark building is capable of saving 1.1 billion dong of operating expenses
by reducing 434,664 kWh of electricity usage.
Caravelle Hotel has been in operation since 1959 but still
remains the leading energy saving building in Vietnam
and in Ho Chi Minh City.
The hotel has focused on using energy saving bulbs and enhancing different
processes to make the most out of electrical devices, including a replacement
of its air conditioner system.
According to electrical experts, an upgrade of the air
conditioner system (usually consumes from 60% to 80% electricity of the
buildings) in old buildings could help save a quarter of power consumption. In
2009, Caravelle Hotel saved over 500,000 kWh, equivalent to nearly 1.5 billion
dong and cut down over 350 thousand kilograms of carbon dioxide emission by
using energy saving bulbs and resetting temperature, installing energy saving
device for boilers.
Many other buildings in the city such as Majestic,
Continental, Grand, Palace, Kim Đô, Oscar, Metropole, and Big C supermarket
also applied energy efficiency technology and have saved 15% - 40% of their
annual power consumption.
Energy efficiency is now not only popular with a single
building owner. There have been an increasing number of energy efficiency
models attracting many units, e.g. in Ho Chi Minh City,
a French association has collaborated with the Saigon Tourist Company and Eterteam Center
for research and development on energy saving to organize an environmental
managing program for hotels and tourist areas in Vietnam. The program attracted the
participation of 15 hotels and resorts in the city.
Another notable example is a program in Ho Chi Minh City held by Vietnam Electricity
Corporation to support the use of solar power water heaters, providing
financial support of 1 million dong per device. Until the end of July, the
program has received 600 installation requests from citizens.
By Nguyen An
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