Green materials and economic efficiency in construction – Can they go hand in hand?

Today, a popular trend being adopted by the construction industry both globally and domestically is the production of environmentally friendly construction materials using new materials and new technologies.

According to experts, construction projects around the world consume approximately 17% of clean water and 25% of timber from forests, and generate 35% of total carbon emissions during construction and operation.

The use of green materials in construction projects brings many benefits, such as consuming fewer production resources, being recyclable and helping save costs for society as a whole, and more importantly, contributing effectively to environmental protection. However, many investors remain concerned about costs. Can green materials and economic efficiency go hand in hand?

1. What are green materials?

Green materials are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly materials throughout the life cycle of a building, with features such as being non-toxic, recyclable, resource-efficient, and durable. Using green materials is an important criterion for replacing traditional materials that are harmful to the environment.

According to the Lotus green building standard, the use of sustainable, recycled, and locally sourced materials is encouraged to minimize waste and the need for waste treatment in construction projects.

2. Barriers to the application of green materials

Although it is an inevitable trend, the application of green materials still faces barriers due to concerns about installation costs and high prices. In addition, the capabilities of construction teams and limited investment budgets are also factors that make many investors hesitant, especially amid rising material prices.

3. Efficiency from green material solutions

In reality, many businesses have achieved success by applying green material solutions and achieving high economic efficiency. A typical example is the Ubot slab solution, which was transferred from Europe and has been applied in Vietnam since 2012.

Ubot slabs accompanied the Ecohome Phuc Loi project, which won the “Transformational Business Awards 2018” in the Green Building category, recognizing its positive contribution to the environment and community.

Learn more about the award

4. Does the Ubot slab really deliver economic efficiency as claimed?

• ✅ Environmentally friendly: Ubot boxes are made from recycled Polypropylene, are safe, and do not emit radiation.
• ✅ Energy-efficient & economical: The beamless slab helps reduce MEP costs and facilitates the installation of technical piping.
• ✅ Simple construction: Reduces formwork, beam reinforcement, and reinforcement bending work.
• ✅ Reduced material consumption: Reduces steel consumption by 30% and concrete consumption by 15%, thereby reducing the structural load.
• ✅ Sound and thermal insulation: The hollow structure helps reduce noise and provides 39% better thermal insulation than traditional slabs.
• ✅ Other advantages: Increases clear ceiling height, achieves large spans (up to 22 m), and saves up to 20% in costs.

The Ubot solution nearly meets all-round optimization needs sought by investors and customers.