SM Prime Holdings Inc., the property arm of the SM Group, has achieved LEED Gold certification for seven of its properties as of 2024.
In a statement, the firm said it continues to pursue green certification for its other properties to address climate change and enhance disaster resilience.
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the world’s most widely used green building rating system.
SM properties that have achieved LEED Gold since 2017 are: SM Aura Premier in Taguig City; The Podium Complex; SM City Baguio; Mega Tower in Mandaluyong City; Conrad Manila; SM North Tower in Quezon City; and SM Three E-Com Center in the Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.
To achieve LEED Gold, the second-highest level, a building undergoes a rigorous review process that includes pre-certification, construction, and post-construction reviews.
“We continue to invest in sustainable designs in our properties,” said Engr. Liza B. Silerio, SM Supermalls Vice President and Program Director for the Environment at SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls.
She noted that “LEED Green certification is an affirmation by independent parties that we are building our properties right and adopting the highest standards. Sustainability for us was never a fad we had to follow. It's deeply embedded in our core.”
Out of the 42 LEED Gold and Platinum-recognized properties in the Philippines as of the first quarter of 2024, SM accounts for over 15 percent with seven developments—malls, offices, and hotels—recognized as LEED Gold.
One of its recently recognized LEED Gold properties is SM City Baguio, which secured certification in March 2023. During the construction of the mall’s expansion in 2016, SM’s architects, planners, and designers closely monitored its progress to ensure compliance from start to finish.
The USGBC reviewed and identified the top five green features of SM City Baguio’s expansion: energy efficiency; public transport access; water use reduction; water-efficient landscaping and vegetated open spaces; and reinforced concrete construction with regional materials and high recycled content.
“A successful business is a responsible business. At SM, our commitment to sustainability drives us to design LEED-certified properties as both responsible and strategic decisions to ensure long-term success and resilience,” said Silerio.
Colliers International Group Inc., a Canada-based investment management company, noted in May 2024 that companies that pursue LEED-certified buildings are more attuned to creating positive business value by aligning project development with social well-being, environmental health, and the local economy where they operate.