Being a disaster-prone country, the Philippines badly needs sustainable and pro-environmental building practices to ensure that millions of Filipinos at least minimize the impact of severe typhoons and other natural disasters caused by climate change and, to a certain extent, mismanagement of the Philippines’s environment.
Renato Redentor Constantino, Executive Director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), stressed in an e-mail interview with the BusinessMirror that cities must be future-proofed to meet the challenges of climate change, global warming, among others. He added that the pandemic was an eye opener for the country as its infrastructure needs a lot of improvement to ensure the people will have continued mobility.
The greening of the buildings
Colliers Philippines industry analyst Tricia Ann Pacete pointed out in her paper “Forging Smarter and Greener Building,” the local property sector is also doing its part to promote environmental sustainability. “Smarter and greener buildings are fast becoming the norm in the Philippines, with more and more property developers taking action to address climate change and to embrace the available advanced technologies,” she said.
Moreover, Pacete observed that the local building and construction industry has been continuously innovating in response to the rapid changes in the environment. She added sustainability initiatives such as smart technologies, and increased safety standards for occupiers’ welfare, leading the transformation of new buildings’ design and features.
As a result, Pacete noted smarter and greener buildings are rapidly emerging as the standard in the Philippines, with more and more property developers taking action to address climate change and to embrace the available advanced technologies.
It is a fact that the building and construction industry has a significant impact on the economy, society, and the environment. It plays a crucial role in the economy, driving jobs and growth. Pacete cited an article published in Industry Tap noting that the building and construction industry accounts for about 13 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), and which is expected to increase to 15 percent.
Pacete said the building and construction industry has a big impact in every business—shelter, infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, and many others. Further, she said the quality of the buildings it produces imparts a legacy on the lives of countless of people.
“As the industry continues to expand, bringing more growth, its environmental impact cannot be left unnoticed as it accounts for 39 percent of carbon emissions. This figure is alarming and calls for an improvement in the quality of construction and the materials used. The unprecedented appearance of the global pandemic has contributed to the acceleration of innovation across the building and construction industry.
These innovations have given rise to key trends shaping the construction industry,” Pacete explained.
She said these trends center on sustainability initiatives, well-being, and the integration of smart technologies into the building management system.
As far as the Philippine construction industry is concerned, Pacete observed that the country is also gradually keeping up with the trends. “Many buildings now are becoming more digitized and have more sustainable features not just to reduce cost but also to lessen their carbon footprint,” she said.
She said many players in the Philippine construction industry are also studying the potential benefits of integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning to their building management systems (BMS). “Artificial intelligence, for instance, can be used in crucial building operational systems, such as energy management, enhanced HVAC system for optimal comfort, and predictive maintenance.”
Being a sector with the largest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, Pacete said the real-estate industry is aware that it has an immense responsibility in creating a greener and more sustainable built environment.
Transitioning to the new normal
As the world transitions to a new normal, Pacete said the building and construction industry is also transforming to cater to the needs and ensure the well-being of their building users. Right now,she said real-estate developers are now investing more on innovations as the world transitions to the post-pandemic environment. She said this will not only ensure productivity but will also provide a sense of safety. One such innovation is contactless or touchless systems, such as sensors, access cards, and facial recognition software.
These features will help lessen the risk of transmission not only of the Covid-19 virus but also other pathogens.
“Sustainability in the built environment is not just an option, rather it is now a must-have. We believe that the future of office buildings leans towards creating spaces that are safer and healthier with minimal impact on the environment,” Pacete said.
Image credits: Colliers Philippines