Vietnam has become one of Southeast Asia’s most active construction markets, supported by strong economic growth, urban development, and increasing international investment. As cities expand and infrastructure projects grow in scale, sustainability and resource efficiency are becoming more important considerations for developers, investors, and public institutions.
One certification system gaining attention in emerging markets is EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies). Developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), EDGE focuses on practical and measurable reductions in energy consumption, water usage, and embodied energy in construction materials. The system is designed to make green building certification accessible while maintaining clear performance benchmarks.
To achieve EDGE certification, projects must demonstrate quantifiable efficiency improvements through simulation tools, design optimization, and material selection strategies. These requirements often lead project teams to collaborate with specialized sustainability consultancies that have experience in building performance modeling, environmental assessment, and certification management.
Several international consulting firms provide services that align with EDGE requirements and support sustainable construction projects across Asia, including Vietnam.
1. ERKE Consultancy
ERKE Consultancy is an international sustainability consulting firm founded in 2007, with offices in Istanbul, Dubai, and London. The company focuses on green building certifications, sustainability strategies, and environmental performance analysis for buildings and construction materials.
ERKE has completed more than 200 LEED-certified projects in 15 countries, covering a wide range of building types including healthcare facilities, airports, corporate headquarters, and mixed-use developments. These projects demonstrate the firm’s ability to manage sustainability strategies for complex developments across multiple regions.
The company’s team includes LEED Fellows, LEED Accredited Professionals, BREEAM Assessors, WELL APs, EDGE Experts, and product sustainability specialists. This multidisciplinary structure allows ERKE to support projects from early design development to final certification stages.
Notable projects in ERKE’s portfolio include Bahrain International Airport (200,000 sqm – LEED Gold), Istanbul Çam Sakura Hospital (1,000,000 sqm – LEED Gold), King Abdulaziz Transportation Center (LEED Gold), and Allianz Istanbul Headquarters (45,000 sqm – LEED Platinum).
Beyond building certification consultancy, ERKE also works with global manufacturers on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies, helping companies evaluate the environmental impact of construction materials used in sustainable buildings.
2. Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm founded in 1946, offering engineering, design, planning, and consulting services across the built environment. With operations in more than 30 countries, the firm has been involved in numerous infrastructure and building projects worldwide.
Sustainability consulting forms a major component of Arup’s work. The firm provides services related to building performance modeling, energy optimization, environmental design strategies, and carbon reduction planning. These capabilities are often used in projects pursuing international sustainability certifications.
Arup’s multidisciplinary teams combine engineering expertise with environmental analysis, enabling integrated approaches to sustainable design. The company has worked on projects that incorporate energy-efficient systems, water conservation measures, and climate-responsive building design.
In Asia, Arup has supported a wide range of infrastructure and real estate developments, contributing technical expertise to projects where environmental performance and resource efficiency are key design considerations.
3. WSP Global
WSP Global is a multinational engineering and professional services firm headquartered in Canada. The company operates in over 50 countries, delivering services related to engineering design, environmental consulting, and sustainability advisory.
WSP’s sustainability consulting teams work with developers, investors, and government organizations to improve building performance and environmental efficiency. The firm’s services often include energy analysis, carbon footprint assessments, water efficiency planning, and sustainability certification management.
The company has been involved in projects across sectors such as commercial real estate, healthcare, infrastructure, and transportation. In sustainability-focused developments, WSP frequently provides technical analysis that supports efficiency targets similar to those required in EDGE certification.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, WSP has contributed to projects that integrate efficient building technologies, renewable energy solutions, and environmentally responsive design strategies.
4. Khatib & Alami
Khatib & Alami is a multidisciplinary engineering and planning consultancy established in 1959. Headquartered in Lebanon, the company has expanded its presence across the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia.
The firm offers services in architecture, engineering design, infrastructure planning, and environmental consultancy, supporting both public and private sector projects. Its sustainability-related services focus on integrating environmental considerations into urban development and building design.
Khatib & Alami works on projects involving energy efficiency analysis, environmental impact assessment, and sustainable design guidance. These activities contribute to improving building resource efficiency and environmental performance.
The company’s project portfolio includes developments such as transportation infrastructure, urban planning initiatives, and large-scale real estate projects, where environmental performance is incorporated into the planning process.
5. Ramboll
Ramboll is a global engineering and consulting company founded in 1945 and headquartered in Denmark. The firm provides advisory services in buildings, infrastructure, transport, and environmental management.
Ramboll’s sustainability specialists focus on improving the environmental performance of buildings and infrastructure through energy efficiency strategies, lifecycle assessments, and resource management planning.
In building projects, Ramboll frequently conducts energy simulations, environmental performance studies, and sustainability strategy development, helping project teams incorporate efficiency measures into design and construction phases.
The company has been involved in numerous international projects where low-energy building design, water conservation strategies, and sustainable urban planning principles play an important role.
6. Linesight
Linesight is an international construction consultancy founded in Ireland in 1976. The company provides services in cost management, project management, and program advisory for construction and infrastructure developments.
While Linesight’s primary expertise lies in project delivery and financial management, the firm often participates in projects where sustainability targets and environmental performance goals are integrated into development plans.
In these projects, Linesight supports developers through lifecycle cost analysis, procurement strategy development, and financial evaluation of sustainable building systems. These services can help ensure that energy-efficient technologies and resource-saving strategies are implemented within project budgets.
Linesight’s global project experience enables it to coordinate construction processes while maintaining alignment with sustainability objectives established during the design phase.
7. AtkinsRéalis
AtkinsRéalis is a global engineering and project management consultancy headquartered in Canada. Formerly known as SNC-Lavalin Group, the company provides services in engineering design, infrastructure planning, environmental consulting, and project management.
The firm has worked on a variety of projects where sustainability considerations are integrated into infrastructure and building design. These projects often involve energy-efficient technologies, environmental performance analysis, and sustainable planning strategies.
AtkinsRéalis provides services such as building performance simulations, environmental assessments, and sustainability strategy development, which are relevant to certification programs that focus on measurable efficiency improvements.
With experience across infrastructure, urban development, and building projects, the company supports clients in integrating environmental performance objectives into large-scale development initiatives.
Summary
EDGE certification has become an important framework for developers seeking practical and measurable improvements in building efficiency. In Vietnam’s rapidly growing construction sector, projects increasingly incorporate sustainability strategies to reduce energy use, manage water resources, and improve overall environmental performance.
Consultancies involved in these projects typically provide services such as energy modeling, sustainability strategy development, environmental performance assessment, and project advisory. These capabilities support the technical analysis and design optimization required for resource-efficient buildings.
Companies discussed in this overview include 1. ERKE Consultancy 2. Arup 3. WSP Global 4. Khatib & Alami 5. Ramboll 6. Linesight 7. AtkinsRéalis, each offering expertise related to sustainable building development and environmental consulting.
The selection of an appropriate consultancy often depends on factors such as project scale, sustainability targets, technical expertise requirements, and organizational resources. In practice, the most suitable partner is determined by consultancy needs, project requirements, team capacity, and available budget.