Energy efficient buildings

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Chamber pushes for energy efficient buildings
By Alena Mae S. Flores | Posted on July 11, 2012

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines wants the Makati City government to get all 369 buildings in its central business district be energy efficient.

“There is a need for Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay to push for the passage of a local ordinance that effectively puts every building in the city on a path towards energy efficiency. It can be done with the right political will,” ECCP president Hubert d’Aboville said in a statement.

He said a timely move by the country’s financial hub would encourage other key cities to follow suit.

D’Aboville said the chamber was willing to work with city hall, the Makati Commercial Estate Association, Makati Business Club, the Joint Foreign Chambers, and other business organizations in assisting the 369 buildings to be updated on the importance of being energy efficient.

He said only a handful of buildings have undergone measures towards energy efficiency, with only the new Zeullig Building deserving accreditation.

“Building owners should care about their electricity consumption. They should do away with the current thinking that their tenants would be willing to pay the cost of electricity even in its current upward trend. The building tenants themselves should never accept the rising cost of electricity without a whimper. High cost of electricity is a burden to their operations.”

D’Aboville said the country has the distinction of having the highest electricity cost in the world.

“Investments in energy efficiency would be recovered in three years or less. It is a no-brainer for businesses if they want to be competitive,” he said.

The chamber’s Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum has built strategic alliances among the private sector, government, international donor organizations, and environmental organizations toward a common goal of promoting energy efficiency since 2010.

He said that if the Philippines reduce energy consumption by 20 to 30 percent a year, it would equal the capacity of one small power plant.

ECCP, together with its core members on the project have conducted free energy audits on several companies prior to the 3rd Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum 2012 to identify aspects where energy consumption on their part can be reduced and make their operations more compliant to standards.

ECCP has also continuously conducted best practices seminars, forums, and workshops on energy efficiency.