Primavera Residences wins Leadership in Green Building in PHILGBC Awards 2016

Listed developer Italpinas Development Corp. was recently awarded the Leadership in Sustainability Design Award by the Philippine Green Building Council for its pioneering Primavera Residences project in Uptown Cagayan de Oro, and will represent the country at the coming World Green Building Council Asia Pacific Regional Network Leadership Awards for the same category.

“We are absolutely delighted with this recognition – and with the chance to represent the country in the regional competition,” said Romolo Valentino Nati. chairman and chief executive officer of Italpinas.

Italpinas’ flagship development was recognized for its two eco-friendly strategies: the use of passive green energy, involving an inner courtyard, a cross-ventilation layout and shaded facades; and the use of renewable energy from rooftop solar
photovoltaic panels, to power and light common areas and to afford its residents savings of 20 to 32 percent in airconditioning costs.

The project also embodies principles of biomimcry, an architectural philosophy that is inspired by nature.

Planned by Nati himself, the Primavera Residences’ emphasis on design and sustainability will be a staple of all future developments of Italpinas. The company’s follow-up offering is Primavera City, also in Uptown CDO.

According to Jose Leviste III, Italpinas president, the company is encouraged by the market’s warm welcome of its design-driven approach and focus on sustainability.

The company reported a 142.9 percent increase in net income in 2015, from sales of Primavera Residences units.

It recorded net sales of P216 million for the two-tower condo, a 62-percent increase year-on-year, as of the end of fiscal year 2015.

Eighty-two percent of the 328 units in both towers have been sold, with only six remaining in the first.

Italpinas also announced a return of equity of 22 percent, also as of the end of fiscal year 2015.

Following its initial success in Mindanao, Italpinas said it will continue to pursue projects outside of Metro Manila.

“We see growth in places like Cagayan de Oro,” Leviste said at the company’s recent stockhoders meeting.

He said Italpinas is now looking into Batangas, Davao, Mindoro and Negros.

Article from Malaya

Italpinas recognized for sustainability efforts

LISTED green builder Italpinas Development Corp. is set to represent the Philippines in an Asia Pacific green building awards event with its Cagayan De Oro-based Primavera Residences project.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Italpinas said it recently received the Leadership in Sustainability Design Award from the Philippine Green Building Council for its Primavera Residences project, a 10-story, twin-tower mixed-use development in uptown Cagayan de Oro City.

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Arch. Romolo V. Nati, IDC Chairman/CEO, during the PHILGBC Awards Recognition Ceremony

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Arch. Romolo Nati receiving the award on Leadership in Sustainable Design &Performance Award (image courtesy of PHILGBC)

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Arch. Romolo Nati with PHILGBC CEO Mr. Christopher de la Cruz (image courtesy of PHILGBC)

As part of winning the said award, Primavera Residences will represent the Philippines in the coming World Green Building Council Asia Pacific Regional Network Leadership Awards.

“Italpinas’ flagship development was recognized for its two eco-friendly strategies: the use of passive green energy, involving an inner courtyard, a cross-ventilation layout and shaded facades; and the use of renewable energy from rooftop solar photovoltaic panels, to power and light common areas and to afford its residents savings of 20-32 percent in air-conditioning costs,” Italpinas said.

Earlier this year, Primavera Residences was also recognized for its eco-friendly design, as it received the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, making it the second development in the country to receive the certification.

Italpinas chairman and chief operating officer Romolo Nati said that at present, 82 percent of the 328 units of both towers of Primavera Residences have already been sold, with only six units remaining in the first tower.

Following the success of Primavera Residences, the company has recently launched a follow-up project called Primavera City, which is also located in Cagayan De Oro City.

In an earlier interview, Italpinas president Atty. Jose Leviste III said they were bullish about the outlook for emerging markets outside of Metro Manila such as Cagayan De Oro.

“So far, we’ve been happy in CDO, and we want to find other places where a similar dynamic will be discovered,” Leviste said.

At their company’s annual stockholders’ meeting, Leviste said they are looking at potential growth areas similar to CDO such as Batangas, Mindoro, Davao and Negros.

Article by Catherine Talavera of Manila Times

Miss Earth England Katrina Kendall experiences Primavera Residences

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Miss Earth England 2015 Katrina Manaya Kendall, together with her mother, Floramae Manaya have visited Cagayan de Oro again and was welcomed warmly by its people.

Kendall who is a Filipino-British citizen, 26, is back in Cagayan de Oro after visiting different countries to do charity work and environmental awareness campaign.

Shared Green Advocacy

While busy spreading her green advocacy by getting in touch with the local youth, whom she encourages to become eco-volunteers and plant more trees, she gets her much needed rest at Primavera Residences, which is currently her home away from home.

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Photos: Miss Earth England Katrina Kendall with Italpinas Staff

Italpinas Development Corporation, the developer of multi-awarded Primavera Residences, shared the same advocacy as the reigning Ms. Earth England.

Kendall graduated with a first class master’s degree in chemistry from University of Edinburgh, specializing in environmental and sustainable chemistry.

Primavera Residences has been actively promoting green advocacies in the city and has won numerous local and international awards for its eco-friendly architecture. Featuring the best principles of passive cooling technology: shadow and sunlight control, wind cooling and shape performance, the project has been cited as one of Asia’s top 10 clean energy projects because of its capacity to help residents save as much as 32% on overall energy consumption.

Do you want to know more about Primavera Residences and its advocacies? You may call 0917 794 2221 or (088) 880 5002. You can also visit their website by clicking here.

14 ways to go green this Valentine’s day

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If Facebook forced me to define my relationship with Valentine’s Day, I’d have to select “it’s complicated.” On one hand, it’s a good excuse to go on a sugar-high-fueled glittery-pink-heart-shaped spree of sharing the love.

On the other hand, Valentine’s Day has become a horribly shopping-driven holiday that encourages us to commodify our relationships and evaluate how much we’re loved by how much someone spends on us. Not to mention that it creates a lot of trash from wasteful packaging and cards that may not even make it to the recycling bin.

So, to reconcile these two impulses, I’m offering this list of ways to share the love with everyone you adore without hating on the environment.

1. Make an edible Valentine

© Margaret Badore

Vegan treats will sweeten the day without the waste–since they’ll definitely be devoured. Consider homemade Sweetheart sugar cookies or chocolate cupcakes with strawberry filling.

2. Avoid e-waste cards

That singing card might be charming, but e-waste is less cute.

3. Buy fair-trade and rainforest friendly chocolate

If you’re single or not, this day will involved some sort of chocolate for many people, but cocoa farming is associated with some serious ethical and environmental problems. That’s why it’s important to stick with fair trade chocolate.

4. Craft a recycled Valentine

An old-fashioned homemade Valentine can be way more meaningful than something you find in a store. Consider turning scrap paper, pressed flowers, or fabric scraps into cool, handmade cards and tokens of affection, like these cute cardboard hearts from the Five and One blog.

5. Shop your closet

That scarf you’ve never worn? That book you’re not going to re-read? Consider re-gifting. Or check out Gifteng, a site that helps you give and receive in your area.

6. Think local

If you’re going to do some gift shopping or eating out, consider supporting a local business instead of a big chain. You can also look for locally made products. For example, I recently discovered Bixby chocolate, made here in New York state with ethical cocoa.

7. Look for organic flowers

Rosa y Dani/CC BY 2.0

If flowers are a must, look for organically grown options because cut flowers can be particularly drenched in toxic pesticides. If you’re not sure about your local florist, you can also order online from Organic Bouquet.

8. Consider a potted plant

Even better than cut flowers, why not give a plant that will last longer than a week? Here are recommendations for houseplants that don’t need much water.

9. Choose sustainable wine

When it comes to picking a wine, look for the organic label or the Rainforest Alliance seal. Learn more about eco-friendly wines here.

10. Select ethical jewelry

© The Nozomi ProjectI love jewelry that comes with a beautiful story. If jewelry is the only way to delight your beloved, consider browsing Helpsy’s selection or supporting the Nozomi Project.

11. Send the perfect .GIF

It definitely won’t end up in the waste bin.

12. Be a green lover

You may want to opt for vegan protection, to keep things smooth with organic ingredients, to get good vibes without phthalates or have fun with plastic-free play.

13. Cuddle

Not only does it feel good, it’s good for your health.

14. Do something extra nice.

Maybe it’s making dinner for your mom or maybe it’s taking out the compost for your roommate. Maybe it’s just calling that friend you haven’t heard from in a long time. I’m sure you can think of something nice to do for the people you care about, and that’s what this day should really be all about.

Property developers going “green”, Italpinas project gets IFC’s green building certification

By Doris Dumlao Abadilla | Philippine Daily Inquirer

MORE property developers are seen embracing environmental sustainability features, with about 20 percent of all new construction in the Philippines likely to be certified as “green” developments in the next five years.

This is what the World Bank’s private sector arm International Financial Corp. (IFC) hopes to see with the introduction to the local market of EDGE – which stands for “excellence in design for greater efficiencies” – a simpler and more affordable accreditation system for developers to reduce energy and water consumption in their buildings while lowering greenhouse-gas emissions.

IFC global green building specialist Prashant Kapoor, the inventor of the EDGE system, talked about this new platform during Monday’s issuance of the EDGE accreditation to the twin-tower Primavera Residences project in Cagayan de Oro, the flagship project of boutique property developer Italpinas Development Corp. (IDC). This project is one of the first in the Philippines to obtain the EDGE certification.

Designed by architects Romolo Valentino Nati and Francesco De Luca, the towers feature a set of cantilevers that create a shadow from within, preventing direct sunlight from penetrating windows to keep indoor temperatures down. A green inner courtyard promotes natural ventilation by forcing warm air out of the building through the roof, which is lined with solar panels to power common areas.

The buildings will be maintained in an eco-friendly manner, promoting waste segregation, non-chemical products for cleaning, and bicycles, in addition to resource efficiency. Initiatives will be organized to increase interest among unit owners about the benefits of sustainable living.

With all its “green” features, IDC’s Primavera Residences project is seen to generate 33 percent in energy savings, 37 percent in water savings and 32 percent reduction in embodied energy in materials.

The first tower of Primavera, with 160 units, was completed in 2012 and the 166-unit second tower was completed in 2015.

“We are at the cusp of transformation or edge,” Kapoor said, noting that by offering a simpler and more affordable platform to encourage green design in construction projects, more governments and more private entities would adhere to sustainability features.

“Our vision in next five years is we want to see Philippines have 20 percent of all new construction to be green. That’s the challenge,” Kapoor said.

Kapoor said nowhere else did it make sense for construction projects to go green than in the Philippines, where the cost of energy was so high while economic growth rate was high as well.

“We found a rating system that matches our vision and it’s also a good way that developers can access EDGE. It’s not expensive. It’s user-friendly,” said Nati, who is also IDC’s chair and chief operating officer.

Jose Leviste III, president and chief executive officer of IDC, said having the EDGE accreditation also empowers investors and buyers “to ask the right question and demand the right diligence” from property developers in this day and age when it’s fashionable to claim to be a “green” developer.

“This does resonate for us as developer because what we want to do is to introduce design thinking at this particular market strata,” Leviste said, noting that unless consciousness on green building cascades to the bottom of the economic pyramid, there’s risk that the “green” movement could be perceived as an “elitist” thing.

(Article from: http://business.inquirer.net/205807/property-developers-going-green)

Italpinas seeks ‘green building’ certification for all projects

By Krista A.M. Montealegre | Senior Reporter, Business World

PROPERTY DEVELOPER ITALPINAS DEVELOPMENT CORP. INTENDS TO SECURE “GREEN BUILDING” CERTIFICATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORP. (IFC) FOR ALL ITS PROJECTS IN AN EFFORT TO SET ITSELF APART IN THE CROWDED REAL ESTATE MARKET.

Italpinas on Monday received the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification for Primavera Residences in Cagayan de Oro City, from the IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank.

Primavera Residences — a 10-storey, twin-tower, mixed used development — is the first completed condominium project in East Asia and the second project in the Philippines to be certified by EDGE.

“All our projects in the pipeline are up for EDGE certification,” Italpinas Chairman Romolo Nati said in a briefing yesterday in Makati City.

Italpinas is seeking EDGE certification for Primavera City in Cagayan de Oro and Miramonti in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, Mr. Nati said.

The real estate firm is upbeat that the green building recognition can translate to higher sales.

“The marketplace has become more and more noisy because it’s very easy to say that a project is green or environment friendly…With this framework available to us, we can show end users that this what we mean when we’re green,” Italpinas President Jose D. Leviste III said.

The design of Primavera Residences, combined with renewable energy that will be produced from solar panels found on the rood deck of the towers, will help bring down the overall energy consumption of the buildings. For example, Primavera Residences saw a 30% reduction in the use of air-conditioning units, Mr. Nati said.

EDGE is a green building certification system for emerging markets created by IFC. It is described to be a “measurable way for builders to optimize their designs, leading to a more investment-worthy and marketable product.”

Shares in Italpinas lost 20 centavos or 7.69% to close at P2.40 each on Monday.

Italpinas project gets IFC certification

By Catherine Talavera | Manila Times

GREEN builder Italpinas Development Corporation has received a green building certification from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, for the company’s Primavera Residences project in Cagayan de Oro.

For its eco-friendly design, the twin-tower, mixed-use development got the IFC’s Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE), company officials announced in a briefing Monday.

This makes Italpinas the second developer in the Philippines to get the mark.  The first was Imperial Homes, for its affordable housing projects in Batangas—the Tiarra Premiere Homes and the Delsey Homes.  Imperial Homes’ projects got the recognition early last year.

EDGE is a new green building certification system for emerging markets. Its goal is to prove that the next generation of buildings can be more profitable while making a lighter carbon footprint.

“To be able to qualify for certification, a new building must achieve a 20-percent reduction in energy, water, and embodied energy in materials compared [with] a conventional building,” IFC said during Monday’s handover rite.

Architect Romolo Nati, Italpinas chairman and chief operating officer, said the green building mark could further improve its projects’ take-up, which he described as already high.

“I would say that the occupancy of the units is quite high, because even if around 40 percent of our clients are overseas Filipinos—so they really don’t live there—with the access of a property management group, we are renting out their units for them, so that they’ll produce income,” Nati said.

The first tower of Italpinas’ Primavera Residences is already sold out, while the second tower is 80-percent taken up.

The first tower began construction in 2010 and was completed in 2012.  The firm began building its second tower in 2013 and completed it last year.

Nati emphasized that most units for the Cagayan De Oro project are literally occupied, as units bought by Filipinos who work or live abroad are being rented out to tenants.

Nati also expressed optimism that the EDGE certification would fulfil the firm’s goal of developing eco-friendly buildings for the middle-income market.

“So in some way, this is to prove that the stereotype that green building is very expensive has been broken,” Nati said.

Also, Italpinas President Jose Leviste III said the certification acknowledges what the firm has done and helps prove that green building is accessible to middle-market developers, as EDGE offers a more affordable certification.

“Relative to other forms of accreditation, EDGE is very mindful of excluding the cost of application as a significant factor,” Leviste said.  “That’s one good thing because it prevents us from seeing green accreditation as an elite certificate to pursue for only expensive developers to see.”

When asked if the certification will help increase property sales, Leviste said it might, and they are hopeful.

“It’s a positive thing. It’s a way of acknowledging what we’ve done.  So, yes, we hope so,”
he said.

The newly listed firm also aims to have all of its projects EDGE-certified.

Nati said the company is in the process of applying for certification for its other Cagayan de Oro project, the Primavera City.

(Article from: http://www.manilatimes.net/italpinas-project-gets-ifc-certification/240128/)

Italpinas gets IFC approval for green building certification

By VG Cabuag | Business Mirror

ITALPINAS Development Corp. has secured a greenlight to use the green-building certification of International Finance Corp. (IFC)called EDGE, or short for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, to one of its developments.

The company said IFC, the private-sector arm of the World Bank, awarded the EDGE certification to Italpinas’s Primavera Residences in Cagayan de Oro City.

Primavera is the first completed condominium project in East Asia to be certified by EDGE, which the IFC called its “innovation” unit as it helps property developers build and brand their properties “green” in a fast, easy and affordable way.

EDGE is supported by a software that encourages solutions to reduce energy, water and the energy used to make building materials by at least 20 percent, which is the standard for the certification, IFC said.

“All our future projects will be accredited and certified as green building by EDGE,” IDC Chairman and COO Architect Romolo Nati said in earlier interview.

The company said, Primavera, which will have 163 and 166 units for towers one and two, respectively, will be constructed at a cost of P670 million, which include the land.

Its second project, called Miramonti, meanwhile, is in Santo Tomas, Batangas, and will cost between P700 million and P750 million. It will sell the units of both developments between P85,000 and P95,000 per square meter.

Construction for both projects may start by this year, but all the necessary funding for the project has already been settled, company officials said.

The company, which said it uses passive and active green-design strategy, raised P207.44 million from its initial public offering, valuing the six-year-old firm at around P700 million.

“We are interested in alternative locations in the Philippines where we bring our innovative sustainable real-estate product. We’re also interested in expanding for mixed-use building to hotels to commercial and BPOs [business-process outsourcing],” Nati said.

The alternative sites that Nati are referring to are those second-tier cities of the country where the top players are still absent.

(Article from: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/italpinas-gets-ifc-approval-for-green-building-certification/)

Italpinas joins PAFTOG 10-led Tree Planting Activity in Indahag

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Italpinas Development Corporation’s (IDC) premier green property in Northern Mindanao, Primavera Residences, has recently partnered with the Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group 10 (PAF-TOG 10) in their aim to conserve the environment through a tree planting activity in Sitio Calacapan, Brgy. Indahag last 26 September 2015.

“As leaders to sustainable developments, it is our promise to the people that we continue to build and rebuild communities through being frontrunners and supporters to the city’s environment advocacies. Through these activities, we can bring people together in attaining our goals in ensuring environmental sustainability,” Cesar Stefan Rago, IDC’s Public Relations and Marketing Officer, declared.

Supported by different schools, colleges, universities, government and private offices, PAF-TOG 10 has successfully planted 1000 assorted seedlings as reinforcement to the National Greening Program of the government to increase the awareness of the civilian populace in sustaining the environment through activities like this.

“It is our delight to continue conducting tree planting activities to showcase/highlight PAF’s continuous support to the different programs of other agencies to help preserve the environment which, in a way, supports the AFP Internal Peace and Security Plan’s (IPSP) ‘Bayanihan’,” Lt. Col. Leo A Fontanilla, PAF (GSC) Group Commander, said.

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Italpinas Development Corporation has been in the forefront of sustainable developments and passive green architecture. IDC has won numerous local and international awards for its high-performance design—featuring the best principles of passive cooling technology: shadow and sunlight control, wind cooling and shape performance. Its flagship development, Primavera Residences in Cagayan de Oro, has been cited as one of Asia’s top 10 clean energy projects because of its capacity to help residents save as much as 32% on overall energy consumption.

Built in 2012, the multi-awarded building is located in a master-planned community in uptown Cagayan de Oro. It has been effectively on the lead in promoting green advocacies in the city.

 

 

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World Green Building Council visits Oro Sustainable Development

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Photo from: http://www.vebidoo.com/

Last August 26, 2015, Mr. Autif Sayyed, a Green Building Specialist of World Green Building Council, visited Primavera Residences to meet with Engr. Aldwin Nilles and Ms. Melissa San Jose, general manager of Primavera Residences.

Mr. Sayyed visited the green building to complete the stages of Primavera Residences’ EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certification. EDGE is a new building resource efficiency system created for emerging markets, providing clients with technical solutions for going green and captures capital costs and projected operational savings.

Autif Sayyed is the Regional Green Building Specialist for the East Asia Pacific Region at International Finance Corporation (IFC). He provides technical support to IFC’s green building programs in the emerging EAP countries, namely Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and China. His primary focus is on close cooperation with government counterparts and private sector stakeholders in order to initiate and implement green buildings regulatory changes. He also provides support to governments in the region on development of long term green building strategy, capacity building of building professionals and government officials and creating opportunities for funding green buildings.

Do you want to know more about Primavera Residences? Call us now at +63 917 794 2221 or (088) 880-5002.