HCM CITY — Sixteen leaders in the construction industry discussed opportunities and challenges in building infrastructure at the "Build for Life" conference, which opened in HCM City on October 11.

The conference is focusing on innovative and sustainable building solutions for urban areas, especially large infrastructure.

Philippe Richart, general director of INSEE Vietnam (formerly Holcim Viet Nam), said: “We believe the world will be a better place if everything we build always makes life worth living,” he said.

Việt Nam is one of the most rapidly urbanising countries in the world, which is leading to challenges for the infrastructure system and living spaces.

The conference included discussions about smart cities and future building trends; the future of global engineering; and energy infrastructure for sustainable development in megacities.

Guru Mallikarjuna, managing director of BOSCH Việt Nam, said: "Things are increasingly becoming an active part of the internet. With the Internet of Things (IoT), the physical and virtual worlds are fused."

As early as 2020, the IoT market will be worth some US$250 billion. “Artificial Intelligence (AI) will refine every business industry," he said.

AI will potentially improve the rollout of IoT by going through data and distilling it into actionable themes, he noted.

“Blockchain will also uncover new possibilities,” he said.

Blockchain is the distributed ledger technology behind cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. It will simplify business processes, improve customer experiences and bring cost efficiency, he said.

He noted that smart cities "break down silos, creating an informational and operational web interconnecting disparate systems to optimise performances and create new business models through an integrated technological platform".

“There is no one route to becoming smart, and different cities have adopted different approaches that reflect their particular circumstances,” he said.

Brian Hull, country managing director of ABB Việt Nam, said there are new opportunities for digital solutions and services at the edge of the grid in the furture.

“New digital solutions and services are required to optimise system performance, ensure grid reliability, create business opportunities for energy providers, and maximise customer value,” he said.

Seamless integration of utility and non-utility data (public and private cloud services) enables new business models and materials, he added.

Four concurrent seminars at the conference discussed high-rise buildings; roads and bridges; ports, water treatment and energy; and metro and underground infrastructure.

The one-day conference attracted more than 250 local and international business leaders, Government officials, project developers, construction companies, consultants, architects and construction associations.

It was organised by INSEE Việt Nam, an affiliate of Jardines, in partnership with SIKA Việt Nam, in association with Việt Nam Green Building Council (VGBC), the British Business Association and the HK Business Association.

Founded in 1994, INSEE was formerly known as Holcim Việt Nam, a leading manufacturer of construction materials and management in southern Việt Nam. — VNS