As Seen On: businessmirror.com.ph June 28, 2022

The Taiwan Semicon Manufacturing Company is one of Armstrong’s major clients in Asia Pacific

The emergence of smart buildings was a very welcome development in the sector as it trimmed  the simple tasks, simplified communications and created a livelier  and more productive office environment.

“As technology comes into play in a workplace, people become more efficient, and time is freed up for more engaging experiences,” said Jenny Soo, Regional Head of Workplace Experience at JLL Asia Pacific in her article posted on the JLL web site. “A smart building and thoughtful workplace experience create an environment that keeps people happy and builds a sense of belonging that can contribute to staff retention.”

The ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower (ACPT) has been awarded both the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEE D) Platinum rating and the Philippine Green Building Council’s Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) 5-Star certification, the highest and most prestigious categories in both green building rating standards.

Smart buildings also attract bright talents, according to a global study conducted by MIT Sloan Management Review and Deloitte saying “significant numbers of employees and executives are ready to leave companies that aren’t keeping pace with digital change.”

“A holistic blend of technology and personable service is key to nurturing great workplaces,” said Soo.

Showing the way

Boutique developer ArthaLand is one of the leading developers of  smart buildings and green office buildings. The 31-story ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower (ACPT) in Bonifacio Global City has garnered awards both locally and internationally. It was the 5-Star winner for Best Office Architectural Design in Asia at the 2017 Asia Property Awards and the winner for Best Green Development and Best Office Architectural Design at the 2017 Philippines Property Awards. It was also awarded both the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating and the Philippine Green Building Council’s Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) 5-Star certification, the highest and most prestigious categories in both green building rating standards.

Jaime C. González, Vice Chairman, President and CEO of ArthaLand, said the company was thinking back then what would be the reaction of the market in their advocacy. He stressed going green defines the philosophy of the company. This goes beyond making money.

The pivot towards green development has paid off as Arthaland saw a rising demand for LEED and BERDE-certified sustainable office buildings, especially among transnational companies, because they provide positive impact in championing sustainable development.

A potential market for smart buildings

According to Andrew Harrop, global director, technical applications at Armstrong Fluid Technology, developing smart buildings is quite important in a Third World country like the Philippines.

Harrop told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail interview that the business sector has a social responsibility to reduce their energy consumption and carbon emissions. “While smart buildings are not only about energy, maintaining and improving a building’s energy efficiency can certainly help improve the overall operational efficiency over its lifespan,” he said.

Like other Third World countries, the Philippines can attract organizations looking for investments in developing smart buildings aligned with  their corporate social responsibilities. “It is vital that developing countries provide the appeal for the development of smart buildings in order to attract investors. Otherwise, investors may most certainly look elsewhere,” he said.

To operate smart buildings, Harrop said it is essential to have stable connectivity services and a reliable IT infrastructure. He stressed infrastructure such as sensors, actuators, and microchips helps owners, operators, and facility managers improve asset reliability and performance, which reduces energy use, optimizes how space is used, and minimizes the environmental impact of buildings. “Connectivity technology like 5G is the prerequisite to the Internet of Things [IoT] that automates processes and for data centers located within the country to reduce latency and help bear the load of cloud-based analytics,” he explained.

The purpose of smart buildings is not just promoting efficiency. Regulations like the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act in the Philippines encourage the implementation of smart buildings to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. This paves the way for smart buildings and ultimately, smart cities, and it is no coincidence that major technology companies are increasing their presence in the country.

There are several advantages offered by smart buildings such as  giving key insights into the building’s operations and allowing easy sharing of the building system’s data and intelligence. Multinational corporations would be more than happy staying in a smart building as it would complement their own sustainability and operational policies. Anything that can help them monitor and achieve those goals will be extremely valuable and in fact, it will also encourage occupancy, according to Harrop

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