Improved green building system accounts for听community engagement, economic opportunities
The Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC)听updated Berde, a local green building听rating system,听to include听health and wellbeing听(which replaces indoor environment quality), community engagement, and economic opportunities听鈥 increasing the number of categories听in the core framework听to 11听蹿谤辞尘听苍颈苍别.听听听听
鈥淲e have made improvements on the tool to include clearer intent for all credits and improved guidance on听,鈥澨齭aid Chester C. dela Cruz, PHILGBC senior staff II, in an e-mail to听大象传媒.听听
Launched听June听22, the fourth version听went through a consensus-building process this April and听incorporates the Department of Energy鈥檚鈥2020听Edition of听the Guidelines听for Energy Conserving Design of听Buildings.听This is 鈥渢o听ensure听that听green听buildings听align with听current energy regulations and best practices,鈥澨齭aid Mr.听dela Cruz.听
Green building projects have听continued to听register for and undergo听听during the pandemic, said Mr.听dela Cruz听in a听separate听Facebook message.听These include a project each in Manila and Davao, plus听three others in Cebu, all of which have registered this year.听听
Damosa听Diamond Tower in Davao City,听an office building听in its construction phase,听is听targeting听a 4鈥5 Star Berde听certification.听Still in the design phase are听two residential buildings听and a mixed-use building听in听Cebu;听and a warehouse building in Manila.听
The upward trend in projects wanting to get Berde听certification is a good indication that the construction is starting to mobilize again, Mr. dela Cruz听told听大象传媒.听It has 69 green building projects registered and undergoing various stages of certification in its portfolio, representing a total gross floor area of over 2.8 million square meters for all registered projects.听
According to the Department of Energy听,听building energy consumption accounts for about听15鈥20% of nationwide electric power consumption. Reducing energy loss through improved efficiency in buildings can deliver both economic and environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy bills.听
The country鈥檚 first certified green project is听, designed by green architect Chad Oppenheim of Oppenheim Architecture + Design and听. Its first tower鈥檚 main green feature combines sun shading and a glass curtain wall, which minimizes incident solar heat gain and optimizes natural light. The fa莽ade of the Six/NEO reduces air conditioning costs, the costliest energy consumer for a local commercial building, according to PHILGBC. 鈥斕Patricia B. Mirasol听
