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May 30, 2016 From: http://www.worldbank.org/ http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2016/05/30/a-focus-on-green-buildings-to-give-the-edge-to-tackling-climate-change?cid=EXT_WBSocialShare_EXT STORY HIGHLIGHTS • New construction threatens major increases in carbon emissions • Buildings account for more than half of global electricity usage • 60 countries include making buildings greener as part of their Paris Agreement pledges In the global effort to minimize the effects of climate change by drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, buildings can play a vital role. They account for 18 percent of total emissions today, and are responsible for 60 percent of the world’s electricity usage, 25 percent of water usage and 40 percent of materials. Those figures are certain to rise. By 2050, two billion more people will live in cities, a 50 percent increase from today. China plans to construct the equivalent of the current built environment of all of Central and South America by 2030, while 80 percent of India’s new building construction is expected to occur by then. Failure to modernize building construction with energy-saving strategies and materials would substantially increase carbon emissions, rather than drastically reduce them as needed to avoid catastrophic climate change impacts. The good news is that the building sector also has the greatest potential to deliver significant cuts in carbon emissions at little or no cost. New approaches and technologies tailored to specific local conditions and climates can reduce energy consumption and emissions in the construction and useful life of new buildings. The Paris climate agreement at COP21 showed consensus on the need to build green, with 60 countries submitting national climate plans that that include targets on green building codes or energy efficiency in buildings. It’s an issue that was recognized in the World Bank Group’s new Climate Action Plan, released in April, which included a focus on developing low-carbon cities by making climate issues part of the urban planning process. Through its Global Platform for Sustainable Cities, the Bank Group will develop pilot programs in 15 cities by 2020 that integrate low-carbon and climate resilient approaches to infrastructure investment and development, land-use planning, water management, mass transportation, disaster risk management and other elements of urban planning. IFC – the private sector arm of the World Bank Group – has supported the development of green building codes for Colombia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and is now working on building codes at the city level in each of these country as well as national codes for Costa Rica, Panama and Peru. IFC’s EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is a green building certification system which offers certification for new housing, offices, retail, hospitals and hotels that achieve at least 20 percent reductions in energy, water and the energy used in making the building materials compared to conventional construction. Fast and affordable, EDGE is supported by software that enables project teams to determine the financial viability of building green early in the design process. After determining the most cost-effective options to reach the EDGE standard of 20 percent less energy, water, and embodied energy in materials, projects teams can use the certification system for verification. Dozens of new construction projects have received or await EDGE certification, with partners around the world such as the architectural firm HOK and the construction firm Bouygues Bâtiment committing to greening large percentages of their client portfolios in the future. In South Africa, Jacques Schindehütte of Valumax Asset Management, a developer of sorely needed affordable new housing, described plans to build 6,000 rental units in the Johannesburg area in the next five years that will comply with the EDGE threshold. “The two aspects that have been most exciting to me are that I can bring down the costs of heating the water and heating the unit, and that water and electricity consumption will be lower,” he said. “This will benefit the people that live there in perpetuity.” Schindehütte told how Nedbank in South Africa offered a reduced lending rate as incentive for his company to use EDGE, which includes software that factors in weather conditions such as rainfall and humidity, local building regulations and utility costs to immediately provide projections on the expense, benefits and payback period of green design options. It has worked for Schindehütte, who said the EDGE program showed that the cost of choosing green building options was “not as exorbitant as I thought, and in fact, not exorbitant at all.” In Vietnam, IFC helped the government launch a green building code in 2013 that mandates energy efficient practices. One EDGE-certified project in Vietnam is the Green House, a 75,000-square-meter property of multiple towers containing 650 green apartments in Hanoi that have external shading devices, reduced window-to-wall ratio, energy saving lighting, low-flow shower heads and faucets, and dual-flush toilets. Imperial Homes in the Philippines is building 300 EDGE – certified homes in Santo Tomas, Batangas, south of Manila. The development is the nation’s first affordable housing fitted with solar panels, and includes water-conserving toilets, and energy reducing construction materials. In India, EDGE is working alongside other Bank Group teams on the Clean Technologies and Energy Efficiency for Eco-Cities program funded by the European Union. The program enables climate-smart municipal services, and promotes competitive small and medium enterprises, with the aim of catalyzing green building growth. “We’re providing a data solution that proves that everyone can be profitable within the green building cycle,” said Prashant Kapoor, the IFC principal industry specialist who created EDGE. “By interpreting the concept of green through numbers, EDGE builds confidence for collaboration among investors, developers and their customers, leading to a more sustainable future for all.” |
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FWN 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL FILIPINA WOMEN IN THE WORLD AWARDEE August 26, 2015 Congratulations to our President/CEO Ms. Emma Marcha Imperial: FWN 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Awardee Mabuhay and our warmest Congratulations! The Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) is thrilled to announce that you have been selected to receive the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Award (FWN Global 100) We honor you with Innovator & Thought Leader Award Category This award recognizes women who have broken new ground in the global work place have delivered new and unique applications of emerging technology transforming the way people think, in the fields of sports, literature, the arts and pop culture, or have improved the lives of other by helping develop a product or service in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, or mathematics. This award category is also for someone who have either launched a new enterprise, a learning function, or completely overhauled an existing development or community initiative that has sparked a following. ON BEHALF of the Selection Committee for the Global FWN100 Awards: Marily Modejar, Founder & CEO Susue Quesade, President |
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SHIFTING TRENDS… HOME SWEET SOLAR HOME July 27, 2015 New technologies could foster odd complexities … and in energy, they set a trans-formative phase not only at power utilities but also in the confines of everyone’s home. Solar technology for one has been breaking grounds and that is up into the level of home fighting fixtures. In essence that could be a ‘wrist slap’ on traditional power utilities thus, technology trailblazers are confronted with the toughest challenge of proving its viability as well as service efficiency. Add that to the desire of the growing segment of the global population on having their contribution to making planet Earth a better place to live in… and, what could be a sweeter way than to start it at everyone’s household. Experts would reckon that solar is a ‘green energy solution’ … an innovative technology that could be an anti-thesis to those with heat trapping emissions that had been worsening global warming dilemmas. Breaking paths with low-cost housing In the Philippines, Enfinity Imperial Solar Homes Corporation (IHC), a Filipino-Belgian joint venture firm is braving that dynamic switch into solar homes- initially via their 1,000 unit Via Verde low cost housing project in Sto. Tomas Batangas. To this date, there is still aversion that solar homes would only come at exorbitant costs. In fact, many of the first installations of solar homes in the country are found at the enclaves of posh and exclusive villages. Now, here comes the reserve track. IHC’s concept and fearless experiment is to do with low cost housing. Their initial roll-out will be for the three hectare Via Verde housing project which will be of 1,000 units of mixed row and two- bedroom townhouses. Emma Imperial, IHC chairman and group chief executive, believes that solar homes would be able to thrive even in lower cost segments of housing developments. Their service offer will be a ’24-hour solar powered solution” for the Via Verde housing project. The project was launched in January this year and it could be the company’s showcase venture that it intends to replicate in other areas – including the recently launched using development foray in the Bicol region. The company is offering a package deemed affordable in their targeted unit buyers- and the ‘scar solution’ will be a service tucked in the costs that they will pay throughout their amortization period. Imperial notes that their goal is not just to offer environment-friendly solution, but also to ensure that the service will bring eventual cost savings to the consumers. She expounded that 500- watt solar panels will be installed in every unit for free “to allow buyers to enjoy lower electricity rate through the lease-back program” that Imperial Homes bad designed with Belgian firm partner Enfinity. Now Via Verde home buyers may also opt. for an upgrade with 1,000- watt solar solution being offered- this can produce electricity of 4.0 kilowatt hours per day. Technology coupling with battery Following the lift side in solar technology costs, the only other ‘downside’ being addressed in solar solution is its energy generation intermittency. But the answer to that now is also now knocking at every consumer’s door -with the promise of the battery energy storage system. That too will become a fixture in the solar homes being developed by the IHC group – hence, ensuring that the end-user’s expectations of 24-hour electricity service will be met. The battery comes with a warranty provision and the ‘solar homes buyers’ will also be apprised and trained accordingly as to how the system will operate. For the upgraded solar home system, IHC has noted that the power output “Can supply one refrigerator, two electric fans, a television set, two chargers or laptops, three led lights, a washing machine and a rice cooker.” Imperial has enthused that “solar solutions provide savings in money for the homeowner solar user with lower electricity cost.” The initial estimate would be at least Php 1.00 per kilowatt hour (kWh) lower than the blended rate offer of a major franchised distribution utility. Double ‘missions’ Solar, the IHC executive qualified further,”has lower fuel consumption thus, lower carbon emission that is not only good for the economy but for the environment.” Caring for the environment is a side mission that IHC is intending to carry on its shoulders while also helping the country address some 3.0 million backing in low-cost housing. “if more developers will be passionate in maximizing the sun power by incorporating power solutions in addressing the country’s housing backlog.our dream of making the Philippines the Solar Star of Asia is not far from reality.” Ms Imperial said. If it is any affirmation of initial successes on breaking market dynamics. Ms. Imperial counted the growing support of financial institutions as value added developments that could lay down the long-term success of solar-powered homes. “IHC hopes to make the 24-hour solar power solution available and affordable to many Filipino families through loan facilities from home financing institutions like Pag-Ibig and Bank of the Philippine Islands.” she added. Ms. Imperial further noted that “Pag-Ibig is now extending their home improvement loan for IHC-Enfinity’s solar equipment,” qualifying that “those who wish to avail can apply for loan facilities at very convenient terms.” To date, the IHC’s solar powered housing venture is the first recipient of the Edge Certificate being bestowed by the World Bank Group, which is the equivalent of “Green Building Certification” for emerging economies. By MRYNA M.VELASCO |
