VIETNAM (Ho Chi Minh Ville) –- South Asia is experiencing rapid population growth and urbanization. Carrier, Otis and other leading UTC Building & Industrial System brands hosted Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series events intended to further enhance the dialogue on sustainable building. Carrier, a world leader in heating technology, air conditioning and refrigeration solutions and Otis, the world’s largest manufacturer of elevators and escalators, are both part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of the United Technologies Corp.

The series of events, which brings together sustainable construction leaders and green building professionals in emerging economies, held its first conference in Ho Chi Minh City, VIETNAM on December 4th after returning from Singapore on the 2^nd of December. Approimately 250 professionals gathered together for the set of events which comprised lectures and roundtable discussions.
In Singapore, where 100% of the population lives in urban areas, Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority has recently announced its third GREEN BUILDING MASTERPLAN. The project includes a grant of nearly $ 39 million to encourage existing buildings to adopt sustainable initiatives and to improve energy efficiency. It is part of a long-term effort to transform 80% of buildings in Singapore into green buildings by 2030.

In VIETNAM, the urban population is growing by more than 3% each year, according to data supplied by the World Bank, while rapid industrialization over the past decade has led to an annual energy consumption growth rate of over 12%, according to the US Department of Energy. The country’s Ministry of Construction has designed a plan to reduce energy consumption per square meter for development by 10 to 15% compared to the 2010 figures. It also plans to have 30% of public buildings and 20 % of private buildings achieve green status, as defined by the VIETNAM GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL.

“As the lecture series returns to Southeast Asia, I’m inspired by the steps both countries are taking to encourage sustainable development and building practices,”said Mr. JOHN MANDYCK, Director of Sustainability at UTC Building & Industrial Systems. “The sustainability runway is long and these two countries are poised to maximize their opportunities, leveraging the technology of today to create a more sustainable future.”

The Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City events have featured lectures by experts in sustainable building and design. Mr. RICK FEDRIZZO, CEO of both the US Green Building Council and the Green BUILDING CERTIFICATION INSTITUTE, highlighted the benefits of green buildings and the progress of the global movement in making green building a practical reality everywhere.

“Green building is accelerating across the globe. In fact, as of October, 44 percent of all square footage pursuing LEED^® certification is outside of the United States,” Fedrizzi said. “In Singapore, 69 percent of firms said they’re planning green renovation projects by 2015 in a recent study, and the country already ranks eighth on our list for LEED registered and certified buildings.”

Also present at the series of events was Bob Fox of Cookfox Architects who led the design of the 2.2 million square foot Bank of America Tower New York, the first tower to be awarded the LEED Platinum rating in the United States. Mr Fox discussed the elements of high-performance architecture and the value of human connection to the natural environment, including biophilic design or the use of natural elements inside buildings.

“As cities grow and more people move from the countryside to urban settings, it’s becoming even more important that we recognize the importance for humans of having a connection with nature,” declared Fox. “Biophilic design seeks to improve well-being by bringing nature into indoor space, incorporating materials and patterns that evoke nature, and allowing for expansive views.”

The Singapore lecture series event was sponsored by UTC Building & Industrial Systems brands Carrier, Otis, Chubb, Kidde and Lenel while the Ho Chi Minh City event was sponsored by Carrier and Otis.

Launched in the Middle East in 2011, the lecture series has been attended by nearly 3000 professionals across 24 conferences in Brazil, China, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.