Keppel Ltd (through its real estate division), FiCO Pan-United Concrete Joint Stock Company (FiCO PanU), and Coteccons Construction Joint Stock Company recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore the use of sustainable concrete, ready-mix mortar and other innovative architectural materials, as well as construction methodologies utilising 3D printing in The Infiniti, the third phase of Keppel’s Riviera Point residential development in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This can be scaled up and extended to other phases of the Riviera Point development.

As part of this collaboration, Keppel will be the first real estate company in Vietnam to incorporate sustainable concrete solutions via CO2 mineralised concrete (CMC) technology in its project, which enables the embodied carbon to be reduced at the construction stage. The superstructure of The Infiniti will employ CMC technology, which introduces captured CO2 into fresh concrete, to remove and reduce 1,241 t of embodied carbon, without compromising the performance of the concrete.

Earlier in March 2024, the mass foundation of The Infiniti was completed using a specialised very low-carbon concrete, which reduced a total of 1,562 t of embodied carbon emissions at that stage, compared to the use of conventional concrete. FiCO PanU estimates that on completion, The Infiniti, including its superstructure, would remove and reduce a total of 2,803 t of embodied carbon compared to using conventional materials.

“We have a shared commitment towards the sustainable building of Vietnam’s city skyline, and to strongly support Vietnam in achieving its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The innovative use of CMC technology spearheads a new dimension in Vietnam’s built environment industry to remove and reduce carbon emissions before a development project is completed,” said Steven Loh, general director of FiCO PanU.

Nguyen The Phu, managing director of Coteccons, added, “Coteccons is firmly committed to implementing ESG principles throughout our entire value chain. We actively implement a range of ESG solutions, from utilising renewable energy sources and minimising carbon emissions, applying the 3R model (reduce, reuse, recycle) at our offices and construction sites.

“This dedication extends beyond our own operations and encompasses our partners and subcontractors that not only share our commitment to environmental protection, but also provide sustainable products and services that meet the exacting standards of environmentally conscious companies like Keppel.”