Cities continue to shape the way we live our lives – from shifting
to greener lifestyles choices to reducing overall carbon emissions to help save
the planet. The successful shift to greener cityscapes begin with the
construction of green buildings, providing smart innovations that work with the
environment and promote the well-being of the people who use these spaces on a
daily basis.
According to a study made by the US Green Building Council,
green buildings can reduce carbon emissions by around 40% on average, water
consumption by around 30% and waste generation by around 70%. Beyond the
environmental benefits, green buildings also help meet social needs by
enhancing spaces, protecting human health, empowering differently-abled members
of the community to take active participation and ensuring access to basic
services at reasonable rates. Economic benefits can be felt as well with green
buildings commanding higher rent potentials, encouraging ‘greenovation’ and promoting
cultural and recreational activities without harming the environment.
Committed to making every day living better, SM Prime has
taken the lead in incorporating sustainability and resiliency in its designs,
making each component work together as a fully-integrated city of the future.
“Constructing greener buildings provides holistic solutions
not only reducing emissions but also promoting social well-being.” shares Hans
T. Sy, SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee. “We see this in
our developments which drives us to build greener and even retrofit our
existing malls to meet green standards.”
Among SM’s developments, a number boast of receiving LEED
Gold certification while others are in the process of certification such as the
SM Baguio expansion, SM North EDSA BPO offices, SM Megamall Mega Tower and SM
Retail Corporation, to name a few.
SM
Aura
The iconic SM Aura at the
Bonifacio Global City is a mixed-use development that incorporates retail,
trade halls and a Grade A office tower. The LEED Gold Certified mall promotes
resource efficiency, green mobility and green landscapes.
SM Aura Bicycle Racks
·
Green
Mobility. Cycling is
encouraged with accessible bicycle storage, cyclists’ shower rooms and
convenient access to safe lanes to public transit.
SM Aura Premier Park
·
Green
Landscapes. The SM
Aura Premier Park covers over 55% of the building, uses recycled water and
provides enough room for plants to grow while protecting the building and
people from heat.
SM Aura LEED GOLD Certification
·
Resource
Efficiency. SM Aura uses
16% less than conventional buildings through a high- performance building
envelope that reduces solar heat while allowing sufficient sunlight. Through
low flow water sensor and metering faucets, it also reduces 1/3rd of its
potable water use. Only low emitting materials were used as paint, adhesive
sealants and floor materials.
Conrad Manila
Known as a lifestyle center, Conrad Manila is LEED Gold
Certified. The hotel is designed with a dramatically-formed angular structure
that houses a stylish 347-room hotel, spa and function space while S
Maison is home to a swathe of smaller,
more bespoke outlets for brands.
Bicycle racks at the
Conrad Manila
·
Luxury Means
Green Mobility. Boasting of high-end luxury experience, Conrad Manila
remains environmentally friend by providing preferred parking slots for low
emitting fuel efficient vehicles, car-sharing vehicles and special parking
spaces and facilities for cyclists.
·
Eco-Friendly
Materials.
Locally manufactured and recycled materials and products were used whenever
possible with more than 80% of the project’s construction waste recycled.
Filtration systems maintain a minimum efficiency rating of 90% to eliminate
airborne particulates.
Conrad Manila LEED Gold Certification
·
Resource
Efficiency. Conrad Manila is designed to reduce energy around 12% less
than American energy standards. Its water heating system recovers heat from the
chiller condensers to produce hot water while its ventilation system recovers
the coolness from the exhaust air, returning that into the building. The hotel
is outfitted with occupancy sensors, tinted with low emissivity insulated glass
to keep heat and noise out,
Going beyond the LEED Certification, SM Engineering and
Design Development, the mall's design and construction arm has implemented these
sustainable design strategies on the following projects:
SM Baguio Sky Garden
SM Baguio brings
outdoor and indoor as one space optimizing natural lighting and ventilation
with the Sky Garden. It has a green roof system as well as a provision for an
underground water reservoir for storage and reuse of rainwater with a capacity
of 4,389 cubic meters.
SM Seaside Cebu
SM Seaside Cebu mall goers
can enjoy an extensive green area, center courtyard and roof garden.
Constructed with low glass and utilizes EchoStop for noise management, the
building is designed to maximize natural light and ventilation.
SM Lanang Sky Garden
SM Lanang Premier showcases
lush greens, a roof garden and green pavers that encourage filtration and allow
stormwater back to the underground soil. It is equipped with a rain water
catchment system and a water reservoir with a 546-cubic meter capacity based on
425mm per hour rainfall intensity. It also has a materials recovery facility
which receives, segregates and prepares recyclable materials for marketing to
end-user manufacturers.
SM Masinag Holding Tank
SM City Masinag helps
communities avoid flood waters through its 15,033 cubic meter water catchment
facility. It is designed with green screens to promote vertical plant growth
and is constructed with Clerestory windows as a source of natural light.
SM North EDSA Solar
Panels
SM North Edsa is one of
the pioneers of the use of solar panels. It is also the first to have the Sky
Garden and elevated parks.
The Mall of Asia
SM Mall of Asia is uniquely
designed with a seawall to avert any damage from potential storm surges or seal
level rise. Built on reclaimed land, it used an excavation method providing a
greater degree of protection against liquefaction and seismic events. It is
also elevated above the required building levels and is equipped with wave
return and drainage channel to prevent flooding due to storm surges and high
waves.
SM Marikina sits on 246
stilts and is built 20 meters beyond the compliance for safety zone. At 20.5
meters above natural ground level, it serves as a first responder and a place
of refuge for the residents of Marikina during times of calamities.
SM Marikina on stilts
Today, real estate investors, both for business and
personal use, have grown to prefer spaces that support sustainability agendas
of the growing population. Pursuing green building standards support the
public’s aspiration for more sustainable communities that are designed for
environmental and social well-being. SM Prime believes that it is important for
developers to work with communities on addressing climate change and achieving
shared aspirations – a greener, more sustainable cityscape for all to enjoy.
“Creating a more sustainable way of life requires a
sustainable backdrop that supports the shift. At SM Prime, our passion is to create
one that is sustainable and resilient for the life we want for today and the
future,” Mr. Sy said.
