RL Commercial REIT (RCR), the real estate investment trust sponsored by Robinsons Land Corporation, has earned its second EDGE certification, this time for its Cyberscape Beta office tower in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
The Philippine Green Building Initiative (PGBI) awarded Cyberscape Beta’s EDGE certification after its audit report assessment, which revealed that the building’s eco-friendly design allows it to conserve energy, water, and other resources.
EDGE, or Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, is an international green building certification system that specifically focuses on energy, water, and embodied energy in materials [the calculation of all the energy used to produce the materials that make up a building] to obtain a quantitative approach to sustainability.
In the presentation of the EDGE certificate to RCR officials, Engr. Leandro A. Conti, PGBI’s chairman and president, announced, “Our assessment confirms the auditor’s report that Robinsons Cyberscape Beta’s resource-efficient design will result in reductions of 34% in energy, 36% in water, and 83% in materials’ embodied energy compared to a local base case.” He added, “We hope that RL Commercial REIT will commit to EDGE for all of its office properties in the future. As you are aware, by choosing innovation you have leveraged your own brand of corporate excellence and environmental responsibility, while at the same time ensuring that future tenants benefit from utility savings.”
The energy savings as measured by PGBI were achieved in part through the use of high-performance glass and window glazing that lets in light but blocks heat, a fresh air pre-conditioning system, energy-saving interior and exterior lighting systems, efficient power factor correction, as well as the re-use of existing materials for its walls, roof, and floors. Water-saving devices, such as low-flow faucets in the bathrooms and kitchens as well as water-efficient bidets and urinals in the toilets, were also installed in the building.
The latest EDGE certification represents “another milestone in our commitment to find the most efficient way to build and operate our office towers,” said RCR President Jericho Go. “It is also a testament to RCR’s dedication to sustainability and developing green buildings. The company and its tenants are firmly resolved to contribute significantly in the conservation of precious resources, while enjoying cost savings from the reduced consumption of energy and water through the use of more efficient facilities and materials,” added Go.
RCR's first EDGE-certified building was Cyberscape Gamma, the next-door neighbor of Cyberscape Beta.
An innovation of the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, EDGE was created to respond to the need for a measurable and credible solution to prove the business benefits of building green and to unlock financial investment. As an internationally recognized green building certification system, EDGE can be deployed to meet global ESG requirements.
The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) – the benchmark used by investors to evaluate the ESG performance of real estate assets – includes EDGE as a qualifying certification system for improved scoring on the GRESB Real Estate Assessment and the GRESB Developer Assessment.
The International Capital Markets Association also recognizes EDGE as a qualifying certification system in its green bond principles, a set of guidelines recommended for issuing a green bond. Also known as climate bonds, these are debt securities issued to finance (or refinance) projects that contribute positively to the environment and/or climate.
Likewise, the Climate Bonds Initiative, an international organization working to mobilize global capital for climate action, includes EDGE in its certification system to meet the Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme. EDGE certification fulfills both residential and commercial requirements for the allocation of proceeds from green bonds.
For more information on RL Commercial REIT, visit rlcommercialreit.com.ph
To learn more about leasing opportunities in Cyberscape Beta, visit robinsonsoffices.com/properties/cyberscape-beta
