Published on Tuesday, 11 October 2011 18:04

Written by Administrator

The Philippine Green Building Council partnered with the BCI Asia in delivering Building Green 2011 and the FuturArc Forum 2011.

Read more: Building Green 2011 Conference

Published on Monday, 19 September 2011 09:24

Written by Administrator

 March 17, 2010 at the Bahia, Intercontinental Manila

Mr. Townsend, Director of BREEAM, discussed about the carbon metric system and procedures on how to create a rating tool for the Philippine Green Building Council.  He pointed out some of the key factors that could help Philippines with their need for Green Development.  He also commended the fact that Philippines is very much into Green Development and that their enthusiasm can be seen.  The enthusiasm that Filipinos are showcasing is something that will drive change, and it is going to put Philippines in a very good position in the years to come.

What are the important elements of what we need to do?

"Make sure that the exchanging of information is constant because buildings, by nature, are international, and with this, they change in terms of the culture.  Make sure that we develop understanding abilities because as we build international knowledge, we build professional knowledge. Professional knowledge is important because professionals understand how to change the technologies and change the skills.  It is significant that if we are to create tools for assessing buildings, we also need to consider how we refurbish them and, lastly, we need to be clearer in terms of the benefits."

 How do I know where best practice is?

"Performance and best practice is different in countries. Some countries driven by environmental issues like Australia, having low rain fall, are innovating their designs in terms of water efficiency because they have less of it and in Europe, where carbon count is increasing, is now constructing buildings that are zero carbon.  We need to put some science behind that to pump it in the right direction."

"Our awareness in terms of sustainability, our changing environment, and the social, economic and environmental issues helps in determining a recipe for our success. To make change happen, I think there are more actors on-stage that we need to bring together. It is obvious that education and awareness is important, but we need to build capacity, we need to make sure we have the right skills."

"There’s no point bringing technology for long distances if there’s opportunity, economic opportunity, to reproduce them locally."

"Economic success can actually rise from generating green buildings. We need to make sure we encourage people. Sometimes the only way people are encouraged to change is through physical measures.  The point intended to be reinforced, which is important, is to go back to the debate about sustainability and its economic success.  Taking into consideration the idea, the debate, in much significance, deals in collaboration, sharing knowledge, sharing ideas."

SPEAKER PROFILE

Martin Townsend, Director, Building Research Establishment - Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)

He has a diverse professional background ranging from advising UK Ministers, as a Regulator in his time at the Environment agency, to working on many construction sites. Martin joined BRE (Global) as Director of BREEAM in 2008 to drive BREEAM forward not just in the UK market, but also internationally.

Martin works closely with the construction industry bringing sustainability issues alive for companies' right across Social, Economic and Environmental agenda

Martin has set himself the challenge as Director to:

- Accelerate and broaden the uptake of BREEAM tools throughout the industry;

- Make BREEAM tools increasingly more challenging as fast as the market will bear

- Focus BREEAM development on market priorities and respond quickly and appropriately to market feedback;

- Encourage and learn innovation in the UK and internationally

- Capture and benchmark best practise and disseminate that learning

- Ensure BREEAM tools are developed and managed in an open and transparent way;

Martin offers both a UK and an international perspective on construction. Martin has addressed and briefed Ministers of State and several other major fora on the environment and sustainable construction in particular.

Published on Monday, 19 September 2011 10:58

Written by Administrator

The Building Green 2010 (BG10) Conference happened November 17 and 18 at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Quezon City; with a series of technical presentations on the Zero Carbon Resorts program in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on November 20, 2010.  BG10 in Manila was highlighted by the launch of the BERDE Green Building Rating System for New Construction.  During the launch, Ayala Land, Inc. renewed their commitment to the BERDE for Existing Buildings, while Megaworld Corporation and De La Salle University committed pilot projects for the BERDE for Communities and Townships and the BERDE for Educational Institutions schemes respectively.

Published on Friday, 16 September 2011 16:47

Written by Administrator

January 28, 2010 at Makati Shangri-La, Manila

Building Green 2010- The CEO Forum highlighted businesses who are presently conducting several activities that will support the overall greening agenda of government.  Several fundamental issues that needed to be discussed and addressed to successfully promote the uptake of green building became the agenda of the dialogue during the conference.

BERDE Pilot Program

Ayala Land, Inc. and the Net Group announced their projects that will use BERDE the new assessment standard developed by the PHILGBC in cooperation with stakeholders in the property industry.

Industry invited to Comment on BERDE

Kits were distributed to PHILGBC Members who were interested to study and comment on BERDE.  To ensure that BERDE reflects the opinion of the majority of stakeholders, an open system has been put in place to ensure the transparency of its development.

Panel discussion with Industry Stakeholders

Green Buildings Vital for Corporate Social Responsibility - One of the important factors for companies will be their choice of office space. Consumers rightfully want to know and prefer to purchase products from responsible companies and it also boils down to the environmental and workplace comfort of offices.  Green buildings are considered green if they have the most efficient use of resource, using materials that do not cause harm to the environment and its inhabitants, and ensure that tenants in the building are comfortable, healthy and safe. This all-encompassing aspect comes to responsible consumerism as well.

Consumers want to ensure that they are doing their part as they realize that what they choose to buy has a large impact on motivating companies to become responsible. Supply indeed is tied together with demand, and the lack thereof. A myriad of groups in different fields have done great effort through education and promotion of new options to give a new found variety of choices that help further evolve environmentalism accordingly.

Technology has also played a major role in showing economic feasibility in green buildings. A company with  broader perspective realizes the value of productive employees, and have seen that a conducive environment can play a major role in staff performance accordingly. Technology has also been able to show economic savings through efficient use of resources.

It therefore proves a point to open minded companies that corporate social responsibility and efficient resource usage has benefits to the company itself. Companies who practice corporate social responsibility are more sustainable and are preferred by consumers.

This initial factor for motivation is indeed encouraging in raising the bar and creating a more holistic understanding of company decisions. This will mean that buildings too will have to raise the bar in going environmental and take the necessary steps to do their part in making the planet a greener place.

SPEAKER PROFILES

HER MAJESTY'S AMBASSADOR STEPHEN LILLIE, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern England

Her Majesty’s Ambassador, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Mr Lillie is currently her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Philippines and non-resident Ambassador to Palau, Marshall Islands and Micronesia. His previous positions include: Head of the Far Eastern Group in the Asia Pacific Directorate at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London. In 2003 to 2006 as New Delhi, Counsellor (Economic) and Director of Trade & Investment, 1999 to 2003 as Guangzhou, Her Majesty’s Consul-General, 1998 to 1999 as FCO, Deputy Head, China Hong Kong Department, 1997 to 1998 as FCO, Head of Section, Hong Kong Department, 1996 to 1997 as FCO, Head of Section, European Union Department (Internal), 1992 to 1995 as Beijing, Second, later First, Secretary (Economic & Political), 1989 to 1991 as Full-time Mandarin language training in London and Hong Kong, and 1988 to 1989 as FCO, Assistant Desk Officer, Middle East Department.

JOHNSON ONGKING, Vice President, Pacific Paints (Boysen) Philippines

He is vice president of Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc. He has led the company’s efforts to introduce new low VOC, environmentally friendly paint technologies such as Virtuoso Silk Touch, Boysen Healthy Home, and most recently Boysen KNOxOUT, the first air cleaning paint in the world. He also led the project team that attained ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 certification for Boysen Paints’ manufacturing plant in Cavite. He has a M.A. in Economics from the University of Toronto and a degree in International Economics from Georgetown University.

MATTHIAS GELBER, Director, Maleki GmbH | Member, International Network of Environmental Management

Mr. Gelber is from Germany and is now a resident of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, having moved there 5 years ago. He is the Director, Maleki GmbH and a Board Member of International Network of Environmental Management. Maleki GmbH is a manufacturing company that specializes on low carbon footprints and high performance building materials. It provides a low carbon concrete flooring system built outside of Europe. He won the award as the greenest person on the planet in 2009, which is an international award granted by Canadian organization to persons whose lifestyle is qualified as green.