Cagayan de Oro Property Developer to Present Cost-effective, Energy-efficient Housing Solutions at Affordable Housing Confab

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The rotational brownouts in Mindanao might have waned, but the region is still in the midst of a power crisis. As the power crisis continues, consumers are left to bear the brunt of brownouts and rising electricity costs. What can property developers then do to help minimize the consumers’ dependence on the power grid while at the same time offer affordable projects? How can they make buildings more energy efficient?

Using a combination of smart grid technology, renewable energy sources and high-performance design may just be the solution, according to Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corp. (ITPI) chairman and CEO Arch. Romolo V. Nati, who will present at the Affordable Housing Conference on June 25 in Ascott Makati. ITPI is a young Cagayan de Oro property developer specializing in sustainable architecture and design. Its first project, Primavera Residences, is the first eco-friendly condo complex in Cagayan de Oro.

“Renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic solar panels can reduce the power consumption of a building and save on electricity costs,” shared Nati. “Energy produced from the solar panels can be used to power some areas, if not all, of the building, thus making it self-sufficient and less reliant on the grid.”

According to Nati, integrating these renewable sources with the smart grid technology will further make the building energy-efficient. A smart grid is a computer-based, remote-controlled system that regulates the power supply and efficiency of a building or house.

“Designing buildings in consideration of the surrounding environment and local climate will also enable developers to build sustainable structures that can withstand extreme weather conditions. This is what we call high-performance design. However, there is a general misconception that green buildings are expensive to develop. As a sustainable developer, I believe that constructing sustainable buildings does not need to be costly. You just have to come up with a design that does not use expensive materials in order to build affordable projects,” he added.

The conference aims to gather property developers, building contractors, members of the public and private housing sectors, and environmental groups from across Asia to discuss and share ideas on the best measures in building quality housing at affordable prices as well as on sustainable development. It also seeks to address issues on the lack of supply but increasing demand for low-cost housing.

ITPI president Atty. Jojo Leviste will be moderating a panel on a session called “Venturing into sustainable ways in building low cost houses.”

Primavera Residences is an energy-efficient mixed-use development in Cagayan de Oro City. Its green features include cantilevers on the exterior walls that protect the windows from the harsh sunlight during the hottest part of the day, thus lessening the need for aircon use. The building will also be fitted with photovoltaic solar panels on the rooftop to produce its own energy and power its common areas. Because of its eco-friendly features, Primavera Residences has recently been awarded as Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines by the prestigious International Property Awards during the 2014-2015 Asia Pacific Property Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

To learn more about Primavera Residences, visit the website at www.primaveraresidences.com or call (088) 310-8173, 0917-7921078.

 

Combine Smart Technology and Green Architecture to Effectively Manage Energy, Advises Green Property Developer

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The expiration of the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order (TRO) against Meralco’s power rate hike on April 22 will once again put a spotlight on the issue of electricity costs. Consumers will be faced once again with the problem of a possible increase in their electricity bills. How can the country then resolve the issue on power consumption? What can consumers and industry leaders do to mitigate the costs of electricity?

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Using smart grid technology in buildings may just be an effective way to better manage energy and allow consumers to save on electricity, as green property developer and renewable energy expert Atty. Jojo Leviste will present at the Mixed-use Development Conference in Ascott Makati on May 8. Leviste is the president of Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corp. (ITPI), which specializes in green architecture and sustainable real estate development. Its first project is the internationally awarded and eco-friendly mixed-use condo complex Primavera Residences in Cagayan de Oro City.

Leviste’s talk will explore the synergy of smart grid technology and architecture for greater cost advantage using ITPI’s projects as case studies. A smart grid is a computer-based remote control automation that manages electricity demand in a sustainable, reliable and economic manner, built on an advanced infrastructure such as a building or home.

Primavera Residences, soon to be completed, will have photovoltaic solar panels installed on the rooftop to power the building’s common areas, minimizing the energy consumption cost of residents. According to Leviste, the goal is to have buildings that will produce the total amount of energy that they require. “The company is doing a lot of research to make its projects energy self-sufficient. The key is to combine different power sources so that they will not be dependent on the grid, which is volatile both in price and supply,” he said.

“With a smart grid technology to manage energy supply from the grid, solar panels and other energy sources, we will be able to dictate that the price for consumers will stay stable and affordable for a very long time,” he added.

The conference seeks to discuss the effective measures in managing construction costs and time as well as share the best practices in mixed-use development. Aside from Leviste, other mixed-use developers and industry leaders from various countries will also speak at the two-day event.

“As an advocate of sustainable development and renewable energy, I believe that exploring other energy-saving methods will enable developers to build better homes and buildings, thereby allowing consumers to also save on electricity costs,” shared Leviste. “I am looking forward to sharing these ideas at the conference.”

Leviste has recently been cited as one of the country’s new business leaders by the National Geographic Magazine in its February 2014 issue.

Primavera Residences, a twin-tower, ten-storey building is the first eco-friendly condominium complex in Cagayan de Oro with energy-saving and energy-producing features. Tower 1 was completed in 2012 and Tower 2 will be completed by September of this year. The property recently won in the Asia Pacific regional competition of the International Property Awards, a prestigious global award-giving body that recognizes excellence in property development. The official announcement of the winners will be held in Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur on May 9.

For details on Primavera Residences, visit the website at: www.primaveraresidences.com or call (088) 310-8173, 0917-7921078.

[Editor’s Note: As of May 2, 2014, the venue of the Mixed-use Development conference has been moved to InterContinental Manila.]

On Mindanao News Daily: Primavera Residences Architect in Italian Language Week

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Primavera Residences Architect featured in Italian Language Week

 

Architect Romolo Valentino Nati, the Italian architect and designer who designed and executed Primavera Residences, Cagayan de Oro’s first ever eco-friendly mid-rise condominium, will be prominently featured in the 13th edition of the Settimana della lingua italiana (Italian Language Week) on December 10-13.

Arch. Nati has been invited to speak on “Eco-Friendly Buildings and Renewable Energy” on December 12 at the Conference on the theme: ““Ricerca, Scoperta, Innovazione: L’Italia dei saperi” (Research, Discovery, Innovation: Italy and Knowledge) at the Claro M. Recto Hall, Faculty Center (College of Arts and Letters), UP Diliman.

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On the Manila Bulletin: Renewable energy firm (along with Italpinas’ sister company) to bring Iceland’s Blue Lagoon Experience to Oriental Mindoro

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Tourists from all over the world troop to “The Blue Lagoon Spa” in Reykjavik Iceland to enjoy the geothermal seawater with its minerals, silica and algae as it provides a rejuvenating spa experience near a geothermal power plant in the area. EPRHI, in collaboration with Constellation Energy Corp. (CEC) and Dutch company IF Technology (IFT) intend to replicate the Blue Lagoon experience in the host spring and wellness resort to be constructed near the site of the 20MW geothermal power plant being build by EPRHI, CEC, IFT consortium in Brgy. Montelago, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Filipinos need not travel to far Iceland to have the world-famous “Blue Lagoon” spa experience as a renewable company energy finalizes plans to put up a hot spring and wellness center near a geothermal power plant in scenic Lake Naujan in Oriental Mindoro.

Dutchman Dr. Antonie de Wilde, chief technical officer of local green energy firm Emerging Power Resource Holdings Inc. (EPRHI), said they are out to replicate the Blue Lagoon Spa in Reykjavik, Iceland environment in Lake Naujan by blending the energy-generating potentials of their 20 MW geothermal power plant and the health rejuvenating benefits of a hot spring.

“Filipinos will experience up close the benefits of geothermal power and the soothing balm of a refreshing health bath in our hot spring near our geothermal power plant. We are going to bring the Blue Lagoon experience here,” said Antonie de Wilde.

De Wilde was referring to the Blue Lagoon which he visited numerous times. One of Iceland’s famous attractions, the Blue Lagoon allows people to have a health bath and spa from its geothermal seawater that is rich in minerals, silica and algae. In addition to the lagoon, one can relax in a sauna, steam bath carved out of a lava cave and a massaging waterfall.

The Blue Lagoon, which was featured in CNN as one of the top 10 wellness retreats from around the world in 2011, was created as an over-spill pool for the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station. When heat and electricity has been generated from the water, it is pushed through to the lagoon.

As the CNN website puts it, one can “slather on the rich mix of minerals, silica and algae provided in buckets along the sides of the huge outdoor pool, or get a professional massage and visit their clinic for psoriasis sufferers.”

Much like the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, de Wilde said their water spring in Barangay Montelago, Nauhan, Oriental Mindoro will also pump out excess mineral-rich water after producing electricity.

The geothermal power project and hot spring resort is a joint project of the EPRHI, the the Constellation Energy Corp (CEC) and Dutch company IF Technology. The geothermal power plant has a potential of generating up to P70MW.

“We are going to include medical tourism to the many attractions of Oriental Mindoro. The hot spring resort will boost island’s tourism and economy,” added CEC Chairman Jose P. Leviste, Jr.

Leviste said they are effectively going to bring life back to the Montelago hot spring. Although a law was passed in 1964 declaring the Montelago hot spring as a tourist resort, nothing much happened to the area for lack of investors willing to pump money into the hot spring in the remote barangay, he said.

CEC, together with its technical and financial partners, is one of many companies and groups identifying and developing geothermal steam fields. Other than the Montelago project, CEC is also developing other energy projects in Biliran province and Negros Island.

CEC-EPRHI-IF Technology consortium is developing the Montelago project under a Geothermal Renewable Energy Service Contract granted by the Department of Energy (DOE).

Dr. de Wilde said the geothermal project would provide baseload capacity with as much as 90 percent availability. Once the Montelago plant is operational, he added, it would be a big factor in providing a reliable and secure source of power and in stabilizing retail electricity rates in the island-province.

The Philippines is the second-highest producer of geothermal power, next only to the United States. Situated in the so-called ring of fire, the country has vast geothermal potentials.

 

Featured in the Manila Bulletin, 13 june 2013