Arthaland Century Pacific Tower certified as world’s 1st Zero Carbon building

By Adrian Paul B. Conoza
Special Features Writer

ARTHALAND Century Pacific Tower (ACPT), Arthaland Corp.’s flagship office development, received the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification for being the world’s first Zero Carbon building, making it the first and only triple-certified green building to date.

Prior to this award, ACPT was awarded with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating from the US Green Building Council and the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) 5-star rating from the Philippine Green Building Council.

EDGE is a building certification system innovated by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, in an effort to meet the need for a measurable solution to provide the financial case for green buildings. According to the IFC, a project is EDGE certified when it reaches “20% less energy use, 20% less water use, and 20% less embodies energy in materials compared to a base case building.” Moreover, the EDGE Zero Carbon certification recognizes a building with at least 40% energy savings and 100% renewables on-site or off-site.

In a statement, Arthaland said the premium office tower in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig is projected to achieve 45% in energy savings, 64% in water savings, and 34% in embodies energy in materials, exceeding the standards set by EDGE.

Furthermore, according to Arthaland, the 30-storey office tower uses 100% hydroelectric energy supplied by the Pantabangan-Masiway Hydroelectric Plant of First Gen Corporation. ACPT’s energy-saving features include higher thermal performance glass, reflective paint on the roof, efficient lighting fixtures with occupancy and daylight sensors, an energy recovery system, and a Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) Cooling System.

In terms of materials, ACPT used aluminium window frames, in-situ reinforced concrete slabs for the roof and floor slabs, medium weight hollow concrete blocks for the internal walls, curtain walling for external walls, and stone tiles and finished concrete floor for the flooring — all of which “have less embodied energy.”

In addition, Arthaland Chief Sustainability Officer Edgar V. Sabidong said that all the wood used in the project is certified by the Forest Steward Council.

“Usually, we cut down trees just so we can create the type of paneling that we have. A green building is very responsible. It wants nothing but a certified [type] of wood,” he explained during a tour of the building for the media.

Water-efficient water closets, faucets, and urinals are installed in the building. In place as well are water management systems such as a gray water recycling system for the collection, treatment, and reuse of water for irrigation and toilet flushing; a condensate water recovery system; and a rainwater harvesting system.

For Arthaland Vice Chairman and President Jaime C. Gonzalez, the EDGE certification places Arthaland and the Philippines in the global stage of taking the initiative to address climate change, which he finds as one of the most difficult challenges in the world.

During a press conference, Mr. Gonzalez said the award speaks much of what a developer like Arthaland can do regardless of its humble stature and the country’s developing state. “We’ve taken the initiative, as not [among] the largest real estate companies in a developing country, to tell everyone in the world that each one of us has got something to contribute if we will address [climate change],” Mr. Gonzalez said.

Meanwhile, Arthaland Executive Vice President and Treasurer Leonardo Arthur T. Po said ACPT is of particular importance to Arthaland for achieving several feats. “Not only are we engaging in a profitable endeavor by being able to charge some of the highest commercial office rates in Metro Manila, but we’re also making the working experience of people in the building better by the features that we’ve placed,” Mr. Po explained.

IFC Country Manager for the Philippines Yuan Xu, who officially turned over the certification in a ceremony on Oct. 9, noted in a statement that the EDGE certification is an “exceptional achievement for Arthaland Corporation as it continues to show the way in developing a sustainable and green model for future office developments in the country and globally.”

The next step for ACPT, according to Mr. Po, is to “look towards providing excellent service to the people that are working in the building.”

ACPT was also awarded Best Office Development in the Philippines during the recent Philippine Property Awards, and is competing for the Best Office Development in Asia and Best Green Development in Asia at the Asia Property Awards next month.

Aside from ACPT, Arthaland’s other office projects include Cebu Exchange in Cebu City and Savya Financial Center in ARCA South, Taguig, both of which will be completed by 2021.

Arthaland is also the developer of residential project Arya Residences in BGC and mixed-use development Sevina Park in Biñan, Laguna.