Works to be Done - To Raise the Appreciation of Green Building in Philippines

GREEN buildings" in the Philippines still have a long way to go.

If we are to go by the experience of Zuellig, whose pre-certified green building development is fast rising at the intersection of Makati avenue and Paseo de Roxas, it would not be difficult to conclude that the market has yet to fully appreciate the benefits of living in a green building.

Chickie Locsin, marketing and communications manager for developer Bridgebury Realty Corp. which is developing the building owned by the Zuellig Group, said takeup of the Zuellig development is relatively slow with interested locators surprised by the premium rates compared to the typical asking rates of prime office spaces in the Makati central business district.

The Zuellig building is the first building to have been pre-certified under the GOLD standard by certifying organization Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED), the green building standard that was developed and approved by property market players that are part of the US Green Building Council. It is one of the two most adopted standards globally, together with the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREAM) of the UK Green Building Council, based on the study of property consultant CB Richard Ellis.

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Source: Malaya, 2011-04-07, Link

The Very First Green Facility of Coca-Cola in Philippines

THE very first green facility of Coca-Cola in the Philippines will soon be operational, a high-ranking company executive said.

Located in Misamis Oriental, some 20 km east of Cagayan de Oro City, the Villanueva plant is expected to be operational in a couple of months.

Besides being able to generate jobs in the area, the Misamis Oriental plant also boasts of being Coca-Cola's first green building in the country.

The softdrink company has installed systems that catch rainwater from its roofs and its lighting systems use environmentally-friendly LED (light-emitting diode) technology, among others.

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Source: SunStar, 2011-04-05, Link

Leighton Asia Wins Contract for Manila Green Building

Leighton Asia, a subsidiary of Australia's Leighton Holdings, has been awarded the contract to construct the Zuellig Building in Makati City, Philippines. The building has achieved precertification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Core & Shell Development Gold Level. Once completed, it aims to be the first Gold Level, Core & Shell building in Manila, Philippines.

The 33 level office tower (66,000 square metres) will be erected on the prime development site on the corner of Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas Street.

The contract was awarded by Bridgebury Realty Corp, a division of the Zuellig Group and contract works will commence in January 2010 with completion scheduled for the third quarter of 2011.

Source: Construction & Maintenance, 2009-12-23, Link

Philippines Confident of Creating More Green Jobs

Starting next year, the Philippine government will be able to create more “green" jobs and workplaces and promote economic growth at the same time.

This was announced by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) after it signed a “green" pact with the Federation of Free Workers, and the Philippine Green Building Council.

Besides generating “green" jobs, the pact will also promote awareness of green workplaces, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said in an article posted at the department’s website (www.dole.gov.ph).

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Source: GMA News, 2009-12-14, Link

How Green is Green?

The need to address the environmental problems caused by industrialization has long been overdue.

In the case of the Philippines, buildings are estimated to account for 40 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, a major culprit behind the climate change that everyone is witnessing.
Nonetheless, it is still better to be late in delivering solutions to this pressing problem than not do anything at all.

"Environmental sustainability is not only a concern for the Americans or the Europeans. It is also an issue that developing countries like the Philippines should face," Christopher dela Cruz, chair of the Philippine Green Building Council, said in a briefing held last week.

PGBC (a private-sector group advocating for environmental awareness among the country’s construction, architecture, and related industries) is pushing for the adoption of a "Green Ratings System."

Under the system, the environmental sustainability of buildings will be evaluated based on a set of criteria.

Dela Cruz said it would be a prudent move for the government to adopt and implement this system in regulating building construction and maintenance.

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Source: Inquirer, 2009-08-30, Link