Urban development must develop in a manner that takes climate changeinto account, including more green building, experts said at aninternational conference held in HCM City on Feb.27.
Speaking at the conference, Olavo Rasquinho, secretary of the TyphoonCommittee, an intergovernmental body based in Macau , said ineffectiveland-use planning, waste management and infrastructure constructionwould make cities more vulnerable to climate change.
If governments do not take climate-change adaptation seriously,flooding in particular would increase in frequency and intensity,causing damage to property, livelihoods, human health and economies.
Rasquinho pointed to the example of downtown Beijing, where morerain is falling compared to suburban areas because of the number of tallbuildings affecting the formation of clouds.
"Urbanflooding is not an isolated issue and it should be integrated withurban system or planning," he said, suggesting that cities should engagein international cooperation to increase the managerial capacity ofurban planners.
Melissa Susan Merryweather,coordinator of Vietnam Green Building Council, told the conferenceattendees that architectural models should be chosen according to thekind of climate zone.
"Western architecturalprototypes are suitable for northern climates, but are less appropriatein a hot tropical climate," she said.
She urgedbuilders and investors to follow Viet Nam's new LOTUS system, somewhatsimilar to the LEED standard in the US, which awards points togreen construction.
The LOTUS system was set up toreduce power consumption and mitigate carbon output, reduce pollution,adapt to climate change and implement sustainable management.
She said there were a few buildings in Vietnam that had been builtaccording to the LOTUS standards, including UN One Green House in Hanoi, Moc Bai Factory in Tay Ninh and the Solar Panel Factory in HCMCity .
Most of the speakers focused on the need foradaptation to climate change by reducing carbon emissions, preservingthe natural flow of water and using efficient energy.
This is the fifth annual conference on City Development, whichincludes discussions on transportation infrastructure development, realestate development and management in developing new urban areas andmegacities.
The conference was organised by the Malaysia-based regional office of marcus evans conferences, a global event organiser./.
Speaking at the conference, Olavo Rasquinho, secretary of the TyphoonCommittee, an intergovernmental body based in Macau , said ineffectiveland-use planning, waste management and infrastructure constructionwould make cities more vulnerable to climate change.
If governments do not take climate-change adaptation seriously,flooding in particular would increase in frequency and intensity,causing damage to property, livelihoods, human health and economies.
Rasquinho pointed to the example of downtown Beijing, where morerain is falling compared to suburban areas because of the number of tallbuildings affecting the formation of clouds.
"Urbanflooding is not an isolated issue and it should be integrated withurban system or planning," he said, suggesting that cities should engagein international cooperation to increase the managerial capacity ofurban planners.
Melissa Susan Merryweather,coordinator of Vietnam Green Building Council, told the conferenceattendees that architectural models should be chosen according to thekind of climate zone.
"Western architecturalprototypes are suitable for northern climates, but are less appropriatein a hot tropical climate," she said.
She urgedbuilders and investors to follow Viet Nam's new LOTUS system, somewhatsimilar to the LEED standard in the US, which awards points togreen construction.
The LOTUS system was set up toreduce power consumption and mitigate carbon output, reduce pollution,adapt to climate change and implement sustainable management.
She said there were a few buildings in Vietnam that had been builtaccording to the LOTUS standards, including UN One Green House in Hanoi, Moc Bai Factory in Tay Ninh and the Solar Panel Factory in HCMCity .
Most of the speakers focused on the need foradaptation to climate change by reducing carbon emissions, preservingthe natural flow of water and using efficient energy.
This is the fifth annual conference on City Development, whichincludes discussions on transportation infrastructure development, realestate development and management in developing new urban areas andmegacities.
The conference was organised by the Malaysia-based regional office of marcus evans conferences, a global event organiser./.
