Heeding the call towards sustainability

REAL ESTATE
(The Philippine Star) Updated September 11, 2009 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - In today’s times, it is becoming more and more important for companies to not only innovate, but to creatively innovate with sustainability in mind. The real estate industry is making a move to be in the forefront of this by providing improved and sustainable use of the environment for home and work-life settings.

Joselito N. Luna, chief architect and group head of Ayala Land’s Innovation and Design Group, shares how the country’s most trusted real estate company saw many years back, the vital need to plan and put in new features for sustainability.

“Ayala Land has a long history of responsible development. Care for the land has been in the company’s DNA long before sustainability became a buzzword. Tree preservation, waste water treatment, preserving and creating open spaces and bio habitats, designing with nature, developing pedestrian-friendly settings have been characteristic features of ALI projects for many years. During the period leading to global awakening for the need to address climate change and advance green living, Ayala Land was already doing its homework in mapping out creative design solutions for its residential, mall, office building, and mixed-use developments. Today, the inroads that create impact to our commitment in building sustainable master-planned communities are present in the new Ayala Land projects,” Luna states.

Victor B. Ahorro, Ayala Land Businesscapes senior division manager, cites the U.P.-Ayala Land TechnoHub, where business locators benefit from a highly efficient district cooling facility to reduce their air-conditioning costs. The centralized air-conditioning system is fitted with automated technology which allows individual control by the building occupants, thereby allowing further reduction of energy costs, and also enhancing indoor environment quality. “No room should be too cold nor too warm for its occupants. And, if a particular area needs to work overtime, there is no need to turn on the air-conditioning for the entire floor or building,” he explains.