Licking hidden costs of residential condo living

MANILA, Philippines - An underrated energy alternative, piped-in LPG could help residential condominium dwellers save as much as 40 per cent on their energy bills.

Without the luxury of space for washing and hanging out laundry, high-rise residents tend to be more highly dependent on washing machines and driers. Limited opportunities for cross-ventilation in a condo unit likewise mean that they tend to be more dependent on air-conditioning, particularly during the summer months. It is even more difficult for some dwellers of residential buildings where LPG cylinders have been banned for safety reasons. They must use electricity for cooking, which happens two to three times in a day.

In one part of the metropolis, nevertheless, a number of condo dwellers worry less about electric bills. Because they have the luxury of being connected to a network of piped-in gas, they have access to the less costly alternative fuel. According to Serge Bernal, general manager of Bonifacio Gas, piped-in gas costs around 40 percent less than electricity. “A condo resident who can cook and heat food using gas and dry clothes with gas truly enjoys significant savings,” points out Bernal.

As more and more building developers ban the use of LPG cylinders for safety and other reasons, being linked to a 24/7 piped-in gas network like that found in Bonifacio Global City has magnified the benefits of being a Bonifacio Gas user.