Last updated: October 2021
Having been awarded the LEED Gold certification, the President Place building is considered the greenest building in the city. The building has been designed to create an exceptional balance between work, life and the environment. The 9th and 13th levels of the building have green roofs and terraces. President Place selected climate-tolerant plants that can survive on natural rainfall, and thus the green roof system does not require a permanent irrigation system. Effective practices were considered during the installation of the green roof, such as mulch for trees to conserve moisture, choosing plant species that can easily adapt to the site and need less irrigation. Trees have also been planted on the ground level. Additionally, the building is surrounded by permeable paving to help rainwater percolate easily. The aim was to create a visually appealing office building that leads the way in environmental, design-led construction in Saigon. [1, 2]
President Place Building Garden
http://www.presidentplace.com/index.php/media
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
Focus
Creation of new green areas
Project objectives
1. To reduce the heat island effect.
2. To retain stormwater and, minimize stormwater runoff volume within the building.
3. To provide insulating benefits to maximize energy savings. [2]
Since one of the main objectives of the project is focused on adaptation to high temperatures and the creation of an effective water management system, when selecting vegetation for the green roof, emphasis was placed on climate-tolerant plants that can stand harsh conditions [1, 2].
Implementation activities
Vegetated roofs are installed to beneficially reduce the heat island effect by replacing heat-absorbing surfaces with herbaceous plants, shrubs, and small trees to cool the air through evapotranspiration. The roofs are also designed to retain stormwater to prevent flooding, with soil more than 1.5 meters deep, which required significant structural support underneath. With this thick soil layer, the “pots” function as stormwater basins for detention and retention. In addition to the green rooftops, the ground is built with permeable bricks which increase infiltration during the rainy season. [1,2]
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
- Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation
- Increase the use of climate-resilient plant species (resistant to drought, fire, and pests)
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Owner: President Place Saigon LLC, Development and Building Manager: Sapphire, Construction Manager: Mace, MEP Design and Supervision: Indochine Engineering. [3]
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Private Foundation/Trust
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Increased property prices
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
- Attraction of business and investment
- Increased market share for green economies
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Asian Development Bank (2016) Green Buildings. Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Nature-based solutions for building resilience in towns and cities: Case studies from the Greater
Mekong Subregion.
Mandaluyong City, Philippines. URL: Source link. Accessed on 14th September, 2021.
2. President Place (n.d.) CASE STUDY
PRESIDENT PLACE Boutique Office Building. URL: Source link. Accessed on 14th September, 2021.
3. President Place Building website. URL: Source link. Accessed on 14th September, 2021.
Mekong Subregion.
Mandaluyong City, Philippines. URL: Source link. Accessed on 14th September, 2021.
2. President Place (n.d.) CASE STUDY
PRESIDENT PLACE Boutique Office Building. URL: Source link. Accessed on 14th September, 2021.
3. President Place Building website. URL: Source link. Accessed on 14th September, 2021.
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the UNA global extension project funded by the British Academy.