Vietnam – United States: Sharing experiences in construction and urban development

(Construction) – On September 25, at the headquarter of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Washington, D.C., Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi and the delegation from the Ministry of Construction held a working session with Mr. Solomon Greene, First Deputy Assistant responsible for research and policy development at HUD.

Minister Nguyen Thanh Nghi during a working session with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). (Photo: VNA)

During the meeting, Mr. Greene provided a brief overview of HUD’s organizational structure, its relationship with the states, and the major programs that have been implemented and are currently underway. In response, the Vietnamese delegation shared insights into Vietnam’s policies on social housing development, apartment renovation, and experiences in addressing climate change as well as preventing natural disasters and epidemics.

The Ministry of Construction consistently encourages and supports U.S. enterprises in collaborating with Vietnamese companies on construction investments to enhance the quality of human resources and real estate products. Through discussions, both parties acknowledged the significant potential for cooperation and agreed to jointly explore ways to concretize collaboration programs in the near future.

During the working visit to the United States, Minister Nguyen Thanh Nghi and the delegation from the Ministry met with Autodesk, a renowned software company specializing in design and technical data management. At the meeting, Minister Nguyen Thanh Nghi emphasized that digital transformation in the construction industry is an essential trend to keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He highlighted the critical role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in this process; To establish a legal foundation for the application of BIM in projects utilizing state capital, the Prime Minister has approved and assigned the Ministry of Construction to lead the BIM application project. Relevant policies have been integrated into the Construction Law, as well as into decrees and circulars to facilitate BIM implementation.

Autodesk shared its expertise on the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital technology solutions in housing and urban development. The discussion particularly focused on the use of BIM in infrastructure and housing construction projects in major cities of Vietnam, highlighting how these applications facilitate faster project implementation and optimize costs. At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Nguyen Thanh Nghi and the representatives from Autodesk expressed their hopes for a swift signing of a cooperation agreement in the field of construction and urban development.