Plastic trash could top 13 billion tons by 2050, and recycling doesn’t help much if human beings don’t take any action to minimize the current plastic consumption. In our company, OVC staffs are aware of this matter and start replacing plastic items with utensils made from glass, stainless steel, or porcelain to contain daily drinks and food; canvas bags, pretty paper bags are substituted for plastic bags. If we are aware of a "sustainable" lifestyle, we are contributing to protect the environment apart from countless benefits for ourselves and our family. Not much, just little changes to our daily life routines, we are making the world better.

As a young M&E Engineer in a Construction Company, what do you think you need do to help the environment?
Ta Van Huy: Things we can do at home or at work from now on, to save the heart of the Planet!
   - Do not use disposable bottles for drinking water in meeting or picnic, as an alternative we use reusable containers
  - Do not use plastic bags, one-use wipes in any activities in our company, at meetings  and at home. Alternatively, biodegradable garbage bags made of Organic materials such as ANECO bags.
  - Encourage everyone in our company to aware of using products made from sustainable materials, contributing to creating a sustainable lifestyle.

In Japan, and many developed countries worldwide completely use solar panels to reduce electricity consumption. As a manager of the M&E design team, which solutions  should we advised customers to save energy and protect the environment?
Ta Van Huy: Currently, to protect environment by reducing electricity consumption is a urgent attention in Vietnam and all over the world. As a Construction company, we care about the “Green Buildings”, friendly environment, we can provide sustainable solutions for our clients such as chillers with high module, Ice-bank cold storage, HRV heat recovery system or installing systems using solar panel - the key to a clean energy future, CO2-free, low operating costs, or wind power battery, geothermal energy. There are also many other advanced technologies that are being applied in the near future.

How long have you been working for Obayashi?
Ta Van Huy: Since 2008

At present, our company has a policy of encouraging support for higher education staff, improving professional skills. Do you plan to study Master in Vietnam or to study in Japan?
Ta Van Huy: I would like to study MBA in business administration

Why are you interested in MBA?
Ta Van Huy: I want to invest in self-growth, I think this course will bring me ability to analyze problems and a sharp mind. In addition, MBA can help me understand the bigger picture of management and leadership, then have a very different perspective on the orientation toward practical business. This is one of the important factors for working in a team with colleagues, the ability to manage and persuade customers.

You just welcomed a new member this year, so does it influence much on your family if you are proposed for overseas training or other study program?
Ta Van Huy: It will definitely affect, but I will arrange time to balance.

As the position of a manager and father, which role do you think you do better?
Ta Van Huy: It’s hard to give a clear explanation… it’s not easy to make clear this matter.

Interviewer: Could you tell me, how does your  normal day looks like?
Huy Manh: Well, I usually get up at six in the morning, after 15 mins of exercise, I will prepare  my breakfast, a very important meal of a day which provides full energy to begin a new day. Morning is effective working time for me. I start working at 8am and leave office around 19pm. Then it’s time for personal things and acquiring new knowledge, or running my own business. Of course, that’s a normal day, some special days for my family and other relationships and physical activities. I always balance between work and life.

Interviewer: Which areas are you searching for?
Huy Manh: I like drawing, I really admire the imagination and hand-drawing competence of architects.

Interviewer: How do you spend time for physical activities?
Huy Manh: I like playing sports, especially team sports. I join the company football club every Tuesday night. At weekend, I usually play the shuttlecock in the park. All my stress has been gone when I play sports.

Interviewer:    If someone is going to cook you a meal, what would you like him/ her to cook?
Huy Manh:    I am an easy-eating person. I like and taste all kinds of foods. It’s hard to describe which one is the best, but I think tortoise/snails hotpot with green banana is my favorite. This dish is often found in wedding party in my hometown. The green banana after cooked is glutinous, mixing with the greasy taste of the bacon, the nutty flavor of peanuts, the crunchiness of snails, all combination creates a great dish.

Interviewer: What is your favorite pet?
Huy Manh: I like animals, but I don’t have any pets

Interviewer: Who is the idol that you look up too?
Huy Manh: Roger Federer! A professional Tennis Player, do you know him? Federer is an alive monument in this sport with records of the number of championships in the top leagues, not only one of the most talented athletes on the planet, but also one of the richest. He has very early professional career, and keeps the Greatest of All Time. At his age, other athletes have retired from their career, but he still keeps the top rank thanks to his hard-practice. When he's not on the court, he is a model man of the family. Maybe I'll try playing tennis in future.

Interviewer: Do you have any bad habits?
Huy Manh: I don’t know…(lol), please tell me! If that’s bad habits, I will never repeat.

Interviewer: What do you do for fun when you are in bad mood?
Huy Manh: Hang out with friends, or play Video Game at home.

When I was employed to work for Obayashi Corporation seventeen years ago (1996), actually, I didn’t know Japanese and had very few knowledge about Japanese people and culture.

In 2008, after twelve years of working here, with my great efforts, I had the opportunity to be trained in Japan for one year at Obayashi Tokyo Head Office. I have studied Japanese, and the more I study, the more I like and admire Japan as well as its culture, people in general and Obayashi Vietnam Corporation in particular.

As far as I know, OBAYASHI (大林) means “Huge Forest”. Incidentally, my name is Linh, in Japanese it is spelled as “Rin” (リン), and can also be spelled as “Hayashi”(林), which means “Forest”. I would like to be a Small Forest among the Huge Forest and contribute to the development of the company.