Green buildings that don’t cost the earth

 

Sam Pobre, Sustainability Manager, Arthaland

Jaime C. González, Vice Chairman/President, Arthaland

Oliver Chan, Senior Vice President, Arthaland

 

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Arthaland is the only real estate developer in the Philippines with a 100 per cent certified green development portfolio, and it believes everyone should have access to sustainable housing. Its mission is embedded in its name, with Artha derived from the Sanskrit word for purpose, knowledge, significance and wealth. At Arthaland, wealth is determined not only by material assets but also a sense of spiritual progress and meaningful existence. It transforms investments into lasting benefits such as comfort, health, happiness and a better future.

 

When Arthaland launched in 2009 the green building movement was in its infancy in the Philippines. The company had to embark on a relentless campaign to educate the public, its clients, suppliers and employees on the need to build green. The main challenge of building green is cost, but the market does not allow developers to charge a premium just because a building is sustainable. The developer must give up a certain percentage of its profit margin, and only a few are willing to do that. But profit should not be the only responsibility of business, as there are social and environmental responsibilities.

 

“Arthaland is different because we absorb some of the extra upfront costs of green technologies without charging extra for our buildings,” said Jaime C González, Arthaland’s Vice Chairman and President. “All the sustainability benefits, such as lower water and electricity bills, will go to our buyers and tenants. We are still profitable, but it means we have to find ways to become more efficient to make that profit.”

 

Arthaland has proven that building sustainable developments works. Its multi-certified flagship office building Arthaland Century Pacific Tower, which holds the distinction of being a Net Zero carbon-certified building, has been fully leased out since its launch. The two-tower luxury green condominium Arya Residences, the first and only residential building in the Philippines to receive a sustainable dual certification, comprising of LEED Gold certification and BERDE 4-star rating has become one of the most desirable residential addresses in Metro Manila. True to its purpose, Arthaland has now set its sights on the middle market with the launch of Una Apartments, which is on track to being the first multi-certified sustainable mid-market development in the country. It has also taken significant steps to help less privileged members of society, who it believes would benefit the most from living in a green home. It has signed an agreement with the government to build around 100 sustainable houses across a two-hectare property as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives. This will be the first of many similar endeavours.

 

“Our vision is to lead while taking other developers with us on the journey,” said González. “We are working closely with new suppliers and partners who share in the cost of producing sustainable buildings and sustainable technologies and workflows that they can use everywhere. In addition, we want to share our expertise with competitors because we need industry-wide co-operation and commitment. Only then can we make a more meaningful and lasting impact for the benefit of everyone.”

 

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For more information about Arthaland, email ask@arthaland.com or visit arthaland.com