HSBC Vietnam's headquarters in HCM City. (Photo courtesy of HSBC)Ithas achieved gold certification under the LEED v4 Interior Design andConstruction: Commercial Interiors rating system. To achieve LEEDcertification, it has adhered to prerequisites and credits that address carbon,energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health and indoorenvironmental quality.
Thisachievement represents the bank's commitment to sustainable business practicesand reflects on their collective effort towards making responsible andeco-conscious choices throughout the refurbishment process. From optimisingenergy-efficient equipment, incorporating sustainable materials and reducingwaste, the bank has achieved substantial energy savings contributing to theoverall reduction in carbon footprint.
TheLEED Gold certification marks another step towards making the HSBC organisationmore sustainable, which is part of its broader climate strategy. The bank wantsto do more than simply play its part in the transition to a more sustainableworld. It has committed to help arrange up to 12 billion USD of direct andindirect sustainable financing for Vietnam and the corporate sector in Vietnamby 2030, supporting its customers to the transition to a low carbon future,especially in carbon challenged industries and accelerating new climatesolutions.
It has also committed to becoming a net-zero bank and reducing carbon emissionsfrom its supply chain to net-zero by 2030 or sooner. This includes managing theemissions of 14 offices and branches in Vietnam plus those of its suppliers. Itwill minimise its environmental impact by cutting carbon and waste, and usingless energy, water and paper. For instance, it has managed to reduce 22% of CO2emissions against the baseline, from 784 tonnes CO2 (2019) to 153 tonnes CO2(2022), its energy consumption also reduced 22 per cent against the baseline,from 1,515 MWh (2019) to 301 MWh (2022).
To achieve a pathway to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, the InternationalEnergy Agency (IEA) estimates that overall building sector CO2 emissions shouldfall to around 5 GtCO2 in 2030, or by 0.6 GtCO2 per year. According to theWorld Energy Outlook report, cost-effective, proven energy efficiency anddecarbonisation measures in buildings could contribute over 6.5 GtCO2 of reductionsin annual emissions by 2040.
Reductions in emissions from buildings represent one-third of the totalreductions required to align with the Paris Agreement's goals, presenting alarge potential for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared toother major emitting sectors./.
VNA
