SM hosts green forum
SM Supermalls recently held a conference for its tenants, suppliers, and employees at SMX Convention Center. With the theme “Green Retail Agenda: Shaping the Future,” it was about promoting sustainability for the care of the environment with some of the country’s top architects, construction suppliers, and environment advocates as resource persons.
“We are doing this to encourage others to think green and do their share for the environment,” said SCMC president Annie Garcia in her opening remarks. “We need to integrate our roles, and not be just mall administrators.”
Dr. Nereus Acosta, proponent of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, was the conference’s keynote speaker. He said that SM is already part of the cultural landscape in the Philippines, and its environmental efforts were highly commendable.
Highlights of the conference included discussions on green materials and design by the United Architects of the Philippines. Architect Mike Guerrero gave an overview of green architecture, while engineer Catalino Tatlonghari spoke about materials and construction for a sustainable retail design. Architect Joven Ignacio gave a speech about retail store design, while architect David Zaballero of Arcquitectonica, the firm that designed SM Mall of Asia, The Podium, and the renovation of SM City North-EDSA, gave examples of green design all over the world.
The audience also learned about opportunities to promote sustainability in their respective companies in the discussion on green and sustainable materials in construction. Ditmar Gorges of Falcon spoke about how the use of waterless urinals in SM’s male restrooms saves water; Johnson Ongking of Pacific Paint Philippines gave the audience an overview of green paint technology and innovation; Adrian Yap of Thompson Lighting highlighted eco-lighting; and Randy van Mapiscay of Ninedots showed how their company’s Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) can result in a wall system of unmatched comfort, energy efficiency, strength and noise deflection.
SM’s 33 supermalls are owned by SM Prime Holdings and have over 12,000 tenants, generate 160,000 jobs directly and indirectly nationwide, and have 2.8 million visitors to its malls daily. It recently received the 2008 Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry E3 (Excellence in Ecology and Economy) Award and the Father Satur Neri Award for Environmental Heroism.
