A website that offers advice on how to use energy more efficiently won the first prize at the Green Ideas Contest on April 26.

The site's designer, Pham Ngoc Thang, will receive 30 million VND (1,579 USD) in prize money after his project, ToiTietKiem.Com, beat 14 other entries competing in the final round of the competition.

ToiTietKiem.Com is a non-profit project that aims to change the wasteful energy-use habits of many Vietnamese youth. The site offers advice on useful ways to save energy while also saving money.

Nguyen Tan Khoa's concrete mixture made with coconut husks won the second prize, which is worth 20 million VND (1,053 USD).

"By using waste from coconuts to make a light concrete mixture, my project aims to create jobs for local people and provide new materials for use in construction," Khoa told Viet Nam News.

Tran Thi Xuan Thuy bagged the third prize worth 15 million VND (789 USD) for her project on promoting awareness on climate change among fishermen in the northern province of Nam Dinh. The project's pilot stage is already being carried out in the province.

The jury board also awarded 15 encouragement prizes, each worth 10 million VND.

The competition was part of Toyota Motor Vietnam (TMV)'s Go Green programme, which was launched last year. A jury of experts evaluated 800 entries from 1,587 candidates from across the nation.

Each winning project will receive 250 million VND (13,158 USD) in start-up funds from Toyota , said Phan Hong Hai from TMV.

The contest was jointly organised by TMV, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Vietnam Environment Protection Agency./.