UN-FIRST Programme Launches “Cool Future” Technology Public Welfare Experience Day to Enhance Elderly Wellbeing in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
06 May 2026
Led by the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as one of the initiatives under the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033), the Fostering Innovation for Resilience and Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Programme has expanded its regional outreach through the “Cool Future” Technology Public Welfare Experience Day, a community-based technology pilot held in Vietnam.
On 2 April 2026, the CityUHK-led team implemented electricity-free cooling solutions at an elderly home located at Tu Hanh Buddhist Temple (Chùa Từ Hạnh) in Bình Tân District, Ho Chi Minh City. The event marks another milestone in the Programme’s mission to deliver practical, inclusive, and sustainable green technologies to underprivileged communities.
Led by CityUHK team, the UN-backed FIRST Programme extends its technology deployment to Vietnam.
Building on earlier deployments in Mainland China, this Vietnam engagement demonstrates the scalability, adaptability, and cross-cultural applicability of sustainable cooling technologies in hot and humid climates—particularly in community settings serving vulnerable populations such as the elderly.
Located in a densely populated urban area of a developing region, Tu Hanh Buddhist Temple provides daily care and shelter to 38 homeless children and nearly 40 abandoned elderly residents, who are particularly vulnerable due to poverty, loss of support, and confined living conditions. In such environments, extreme heat is not merely a comfort issue but a persistent health risk. Through the application of electricity-free cooling paint on temple building surfaces, the FIRST team sought to improve indoor thermal comfort while avoiding additional energy demand or operating costs.
Demonstration of the application of electricity‑free cooling paint under Professor Tso's leadership.
The initiative was led by Professor Edwin Tso Chi-Yan, Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Internationalisation and Outreach) of the School of Energy and Environment (SEE) at CityUHK and Programme Director of FIRST, together with Professor Martin Zhu Yi-Hao, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Management at CityUHK and Co-founder and CEO of i2Cool. They were joined by two CityUHK undergraduate students, staff and local volunteers from Qualidux International Company Limited, exemplifying a collaborative model that bridges academia, industry, and community partners.
“In hot and humid environments like southern Vietnam, heat stress is a daily and tangible health challenge—especially for older adults,” said Professor Tso. “By deploying electricity-free cooling technologies that are affordable, scalable, and easy to apply, we aim to reduce heat-related risks and enhance dignity and comfort, without increasing energy costs.”
FIRST encompasses four key technology streams, including electricity-free cooling paint, printable solar films, biomass waste-to-value conversion, and human-powered sanitation system for potable water generation. The electricity-free cooling paint technology, developed by i2Cool—a start-up nurtured under CityUHK’s HK Tech 300 flagship innovation and entrepreneurship programme—offers a zero-carbon, electricity-free solution that can be applied flexibly to existing building surfaces. Its deployment at Tu Hanh Buddhist Temple reflects the FIRST Programme’s emphasis on solutions that are not only scientifically advanced, but also robust, replicable, and suitable for resource-constrained settings.
“True green innovation must start with those who need it most,” noted Professor Zhu. “This pilot in Vietnam shows how sustainable cooling can serve vulnerable populations, providing a practical and energy-independent alternative in regions facing increasing heat stress due to climate change.”
Beyond technology deployment, the Vietnam activity functioned as a “living classroom” for CityUHK students. Participating undergraduates were involved in on-site coordination, community engagement and science communication. Through direct interaction with temple staff, volunteers, and elderly residents, students learned to translate technical knowledge into meaningful social impact.
CityUHK team members use technology to overcome language barriers in their engagement with elderly residents.
CityUHK team members distribute towels made from cooling materials to elderly residents to enhance daily thermal comfort.
“This field experience goes far beyond textbooks,” Professor Tso added. “Students learn how to engage respectfully with communities, collaborate across cultures, coordinate logistics, and organize activities responsibly. It transforms scientific knowledge into real-world value, while nurturing socially conscious, service-minded professionals.”
The day’s event included an opening ceremony, application of the cooling paint, community interaction, and documentation of the activity, reinforcing partnership and mutual learning between CityUHK and local stakeholders. As part of the initiative, elderly residents also received towels made from cooling materials to help improve daily thermal comfort. The presence of volunteers and staff from Qualidux further highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration in delivering sustainable development outcomes.
The Vietnam pilot underscores the broader vision of the FIRST Programme: to build an open, resilient ecosystem that connects research institutions, community organizations, schools and local partners. By doing so, FIRST aims to ensure that even often-overlooked communities can access the benefits of science and technology in ways that are reliable, deployable, and aligned with their real needs.
“As climate challenges intensify, technologies must be designed not only for performance, but for people,” Professor Tso emphasised. “This engagement in Vietnam is another step toward inclusive innovation—where sustainability, education, and compassion come together to improve lives.”
With ongoing and planned deployments across Asia and beyond, the FIRST Programme continues to scale its impact, reaffirming CityUHK’s commitment to advancing science for sustainable development and shared global resilience.