SM Aura Premier in Taguig said it has secured a LEED Gold designation, making it the first and currently the sole shopping mall in the Philippines to achieve such green-building certification.
LEED consultant Raymond Andrew Sih said SM Aura achieved the certification by meeting and exceeding international standards in indoor air quality, thermal comfort, then energy and water efficiency.
The LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, rating system was developed by the US Green Building Council and has become one of the standards for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
Sih cited the mall’s wastewater treatment plant that recycles water for non-potable use; the energy-efficient light emitting diode lighting system; the centralized air-conditioning system cooled with recycled water; and double low-emissivity insulated glass panels, among others.
In addition, the entire operation is run with regular measurement and verification.
“SM Aura Premier was built with the environment in mind. Almost a third of the cost of construction materials were locally sourced, over 20 percent of the cost of construction materials were from recycled materials, and over 95 percent of the construction waste was recycled,” Sih said.
SM Aura Premier’s Sky Park, which covers more than half of the building, provides visitors with a great place to dine, but it also gives plants plenty of soil, recycled water and room to grow while protecting the building from the heat of the sun, Sih said.
“Achieving LEED certification is more than implementing sustainable practices. It represents a commitment to making the world a better place and influencing others to do better,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC.
“Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role of the building industry in that effort, SM Aura Premier demonstrates their leadership through their LEED certification of Gold,” he said.