SHOULD OFFICE BUILDINGS INSTALL SOLAR ENERGY?

04.03.2025

About 90% of office buildings, shopping malls, supermarkets, and similar structures in Vietnam have not yet installed solar power or other energy-saving solutions.

Building and operating office buildings has long been a growing trend in Vietnam. New high-rise structures are popping up everywhere—used as apartments, offices, shopping centers, hotels, and more. However, as this growth continues, there are still issues to address, like architectural planning, energy efficiency, and environmental protection. In reality, very few buildings are designed to save energy effectively—like adding solar panels, solar water heaters, or using heat-insulating materials.

High-rise buildings currently use about 35-40% of the total electricity consumed in cities. Meanwhile, the construction of commercial buildings and residential towers is growing fast, at about 6-7% per year. If new buildings don’t include energy-saving technologies, it will lead to a huge waste of resources. Vietnam has promised the world to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 8% compared to normal growth by 2030—and up to 25% with international help. Under Resolution 55-NQ/TW, the government aims to reduce emissions by 15% by 2030 and 20% by 2045. The government is also offering incentives to install solar power and develop renewable energy. That’s why designing office buildings with energy-saving solutions is so important to meet these goals.

The best option for office buildings is a grid-tied solar power system, which cuts electricity bills during the day. Except for supermarkets with large rooftops, most office buildings have roofs of just a few hundred square meters, while their electricity use—especially for air conditioning—is very high.

Choosing the Right Capacity: Today, 7 square meters of roof space can support 1 kWp (kilowatt peak) of solar power. Each 1 kWp produces 1 kWh of electricity per hour of standard sunlight, averaging 4-5 kWh per day. For a 210-square-meter office roof, you could install about 30 kWp, producing 120-150 kWh daily. That’s 3,600-4,500 kWh saved per month, or about 10-13 million VND in electricity costs for the company.
Investment Cost: Depending on the system’s quality, equipment, and warranty, a complete grid-tied solar setup costs 15-19 million VND per 1 kWp. So, a 50 kWp system would cost a business around 800 million VND total.
Payback Time: Since office buildings pay business electricity rates (averaging over 3,000 VND per kWh during the day, with peak rates up to 4,251 VND), the investment pays off quickly—in just 4-6 years.

Plus, office buildings could add backup storage systems for essential needs or security during power outages. The cost depends on how much backup power is needed.

In short, office towers, shopping malls, and supermarkets can save a lot of money by installing rooftop solar energy systems.

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