At nighttime in Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati, the business street seems still alive and illuminating with lights ensemble from a picturesque 37-storey tower clad with metallic coating and fine glass.

This is the Makati Commerce Tower. Nestled at the heart of Makati’s central business district, it stands as a beacon of excellence, well-being, and adaptability.

Situated on a 58,000-square-meter of land, the building rises a sustainable office development with a typical floor plate area of at least 2,120 square meters, coating a double-glazed Low-E glass facade to help regulate heat in indoor spaces, a designated charging hub for electronic vehicles, and a technology that will help save 22% in electricity consumption. It has also installed solar panels to augment additional energy sources. These sustainable features of the building captured the respect of reputable development experts in Asia and led to its recognition as Office Construction of the Year—Philippines in Real Estate Asia Awards 2024.

Proven with its sustainability features, this LEED-Certified Platinum v4.0 structure ticks the list of DATEM’s green building projects constructed.

 

Sustainability in Structures

The term green building has invoked various meanings, all pertaining to lesser negative impact on the environment and efficient use of office spaces, capturing less energy and water consumption, ventilation efficiency, and responsible urban planning. Harvard Business Review further described that the term gains traction in suggesting “lower overhead costs, greater employee productivity, less absenteeism, and stronger employee attraction and retention.” Companies have moved their offices to green buildings.

Throughout the company’s history, DATEM’s capability in constructing green buildings has assured its persistent commitment to environmentally friendly structures, as affirmed by the LEED, WELL, and BERDE rating programs. In 2012, the construction company achieved its first green building certification on its project, The Mind Museum with LEED V.2.2 Gold. To-date, DATEM has 17 green building projects, wherein 11 green building projects were completed and certified by LEED, BERDE, and Green Mark.

The EDGE-certified (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Menarco Tower in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig attains 41.33% energy use efficiency. The tower also received the first WELL Gold Certification for the Philippines given by the International Well Building Institute in August 2019.

The Philippine Green Building Council’s (PHILGBC) BERDE, or the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence, Green Building Rating System, certified DATEM green building projects for their performance above national and local building and environmental regulations and standards. Seven NEO, formerly known as The Net Park, and the De La Salle Rufino Campus in BGC have been given 5 stars and the Botanika Nature Residences with 4 stars, respectively. Seven NEO has been integrated with green building features such as multiple open green spaces, reduction of solar heat gain, and optimization of natural light to achieve energy efficiency.

The trusted pharmaceutical company, UNILAB, is nestled on a certified green building project constructed by DATEM. UNILAB’s Corporate Center phases 1 and 2 are LEED V3.0 Gold certification, which gives a tranquil experience around its corporate employees and ensures a safe operation. Another LEED-certified building are the One Le Grand Tower, Arya Residences, 8 Campus Place, and Mind Museum, all found in BGC.

At present, DATEM, as a building contractor, constructs more green building projects like Arthaland’s Eluria Residences and Araneta City Inc.’s Cyberpark Tower 3. All these green buildings would not have been erected if not for the initiative and commitment of the clients who trusted DATEM to implement and make their vision come to life.

 

Green-fluencer

With its sustainability features, green buildings tend to have lower maintenance and operating costs, contrary to the notion, due to their high-quality materials with longer lifespans and often tend to have a higher resale value.

Green building certification demonstrates commitment to compliance with design certifications, which DATEM has been confirming. Through an integrated design process, DATEM collaborates during the early stages of the design phase to ensure that all needed design considerations were already incorporated in the for-construction drawings and diligently prepare all documentation throughout the building’s life cycle.

“In the construction of green buildings, materials are carefully handpicked to ensure compliance with the specifications, including having the least carbon footprint. Good waste management practices also provide significant carbon footprint reduction by means of recycling or reuse, thus minimizing the need for landfill disposal. Renewable energy sources, whenever possible, will also significantly reduce carbon emissions on site,” Environment Coordinator and Green Buildings Head RK Lizardo said. These considerations on green building materials, mechanical systems, and furnishings are kept track through DATEM’s Green Building Materials directory (GMD).

The GMD highlights ample information on product descriptions, including its green features and credits contributing to green building certifications. Through GMD, suppliers and contractors are encouraged to apply sustainable practices starting from the harvesting, manufacturing process, and up to the delivery of their products.

Compliance with global standards and rating systems is a driving force of DATEM in its services. To further ensure a safe delivery of service and workplace, DATEM’s integrated management system is ISO-certified with three certifications, namely, ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS), ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System (EMS), and ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS).

 

Towards Net Zero

Apart from green building construction, DATEM joins the collective action in attaining Net Zero through the international organization, the Climate Group. In this action against the disastrous effects of climate change, DATEM participates in the energy efficiency initiative by doubling its energy productivity within 25 years.

“Joining EP100 is a great leap for DATEM, as the first Filipino construction company to participate in Climate Group’s global energy efficiency movement. This will further concretize our green building advocacy and sustainable construction capabilities,” DATEM President Lesley Villanueva said.

In this journey also, through eco-efficient collaborations and partnerships for developments, DATEM will further reinforce solutions as a general contractor in its operations to continuously build resilient, innovative, and sustainable structures to consistently express our malasakit for the environment.

DATEM stands with developers in providing nature-based solutions to the need for sustainable office and leisure spaces near to business and entertainment districts and conveniently accessible to transport systems. With the built environment going green in the mainstream through collaborations, eco-efficient collaborations elevate the quality and principles of living, workplace, and even urban planning with guidance on responsible construction and environmental management systems. From its establishment in the industry, DATEM continues to adapt and reinvent methodologies in constructing efficiently to change the landscape and move to sustainable communities.