According to a press release, an ICT reference framework for the development of smart cities (version 1.0) has been issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) as a basis for localities and businesses to develop smart city projects.
The ICT reference framework is a set of functions to link smart regions, applications, and urban services to ensure consistency and synchronisation in smart city development. This is according to Decision 829/QD-BTTTT on the ICT reference framework issued on 31 May by the MIC.
The ICT reference framework for developing smart cities is the basis for building and implementing smart city plans, smart city development investment projects, plans on leasing smart city services, and the ICT architecture of smart city development.
The creation of the ICT reference framework is one of the tasks included in Decision 950/QD-TTg on the sustainable development of smart cities in 2018-25, issued on 1 August in 2018 by the Prime Minister.
The priority fields and services for smart city development include smart city management, water systems, waste collection and treatment systems, grids, lighting systems, traffic systems, education, and healthcare.
In recent years, many provinces and cities in Vietnam have started plans to build pilot projects on smart city development such as HCM City, Ha Noi, Da Nang, Thua Thien-Hue, Binh Duong, Da Lat, Thai Nguyen, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, and Can Tho.
However, the localities have not been able to draw upon standards like the ICT reference framework in the process of developing their smart city projects.
Smart cities
Vietnam has taken the first step in its journey towards smart cities, according to a foreign property service provider in the country.
A representative of it said that at the city level, there have been efforts made by local authorities to create a smart city, including with utilities, power, and public facilities. At the project level, developers and buyers have shown a strong interest in how to make buildings safe and smart from a management and operation perspective, including security systems, internet connectivity, electricity, and environmental factors.
Within the home itself, it has IoT and integrated smart assistants provided by third parties.
According to a commercial real estate service firm, the smart townships launched by developers have achieved high sale rates. Since its first launch in 2016, the Ha Noi property market has welcomed more than 10,000 smart units with a sale rate of approximately 70% on an average.
The firm expects more smart township projects to come to the market in the near future. These include BRG Smart City in Ha Noi, Ecopark Smart City in Hung Yen Province, Dragon Smart City in Da Nang, and Thu Thiem Eco Smart City in HCM City.
These projects promise convenience through smart landscape planning with advanced IT infrastructure to build a smart and eco-friendly neighbourhood where residents can enjoy integrated services within a walkable distance.
Undeniably, smart townships are gaining significant popularity that has directly led to a series of changes in Vietnam’s property market. While it could be a good option for investors and individual buyers, the latter should be aware that different developers are providing different technology solutions to varying degrees.
The Vietnamese property market is starting its journey where both public and private sectors are changing the urban landscape to incorporate technology that could enhance the living environment.
The adoption of new technology platforms generates new and more easily accessible market data, which is key for overall real estate transparency in Vietnam.
