Zuellig affiliate allots P7 billion for first ever green building in RP

MANILA, Philippines - Bridgebury Realty Corp., an affiliate of the Zuellig Group, announced it will be investing P7 billion for the construction of the first ever Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) approved building in the country.

The company said they expect to finish the building by 2012.

To be able to be LEED certified, the building must adhere to a set of specific energy principles and features.

These include low-flow plumbing fixtures and water recycling initiatives that will cut water consumption by more than 70 percent when compared to a typical building.

Also, a LEED certified building use reflective paving materials, energy efficient systems and fixtures, lights that automatically turn off when rooms are unoccupied or dim when enough daylight is available. This will reduce energy cost by as much as 16 percent.

Lastly, it has a highly efficient filtration system and automatic carbon dioxide monitoring system used to maintain a healthier indoor environment.

Henry R. Realon, director for LEED consultant Davis Langdon & Seah said that constructing a LEED compliant building may mean an additional three percent to seven percent to the total construction cost.

However, he said the savings in energy and water consumption will offset the initial added cost. The payback period for a LEED certified building, Realdon said, is five years.

For the Zuellig building in Makati, total savings in water is 76 percent and energy savings is 16 percent.

“The Zuellig building has successfully combined design creativity and building performance efficiency,” Realon said. “The unique curtain wall design which uses the latest glass technology will not only bring a new style into the Makati cityscape but also allow daylight into 90 percent of interior spaces while reducing cooling requirements.”

Environmentally friendly buildings can help cut down power costs by as much as 50 percent and reduce water use by 40 percent, international property firm CB Richard Ellis said.

CBRE Chairman Rick Santos said studies show that green buildings reduce energy consumption by 24 percent to 50 percent.

Santos said green buildings are in demand. More than 3,000 buildings in the United States are LEED certified.

Santos said he expects it to pick up given that firms are becoming more environmentally friendly.