Sustainable living now a new form of luxury

MANILA, Philippines - Filinvest’s high-end luxury development Botanika Nature Residences will offer most residents a pleasant surprise: reduced water and energy bills.

In addition to plush surroundings, highly efficient bathroom shower heads, water closets and other fixtures engineered to utilize less water than the traditional models, units have been designed to let in natural light and ventilation – the lack of which mean higher energy usage.

A conscious attempt to allow residents a more sustainable lifestyle is part of the new levels of luxury being offered by the premium, low density development in Filinvest City in Southern Metro Manila. Designed by US-based Architecture  International and Leandro V. Locsin and Partners, Botanika’s three towers will each feature an atrium at the core to let in light and nurture the lush greenery strategically located along the balconies opening out to the central space.

“We will further match world-class architecture with lavish amenities such as a variety of gardens that connect to one another and upscale finishes inside the units including homogenous tile flooring and a grand entry door,” according to Catherine Ilagan, Filinvest executive vice-president.

Nevertheless, residents are likely to most appreciate the conscious effort to use less resources while maximizing residents’ exposure to lush vegetation, an innovation in high-end condominium living. This scheme is key to Botanika’s goal to be certified green upon its completion by the Philippine Green Building Council  through its BERDE program. The Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence Green Building Rating program aims to measure and verify the performance of buildings above and beyond existing mandatory building and environmental regulations.

“Overall, buildings contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions almost as much as transport does,” according to Rowena Ramos, principal consultant of Ecotektonika which advised Botanika’s managers on how to adhere to the BERDE guidelines. Botanika has set out to reduce water and energy consumption in addition to devoting as much as 70 percent of its 1.55-hectare land area to greenery as a means to improve air quality for its residents as well as the rest of the community.