ArthaLand’s sustainable developments offer better living

Country Business Reports interviews and articles by Discovery Reports www.discoveryreports.com

With the development momentum across the Philippines on the upswing propelled by the growth in the local economy, publicly listed green property developer ArthaLand is making a solid industry imprint by focusing on world-class and sustainable real estate developments. Arya Residences – a top-end, high-rise condominium – is ArthaLand’s flagship residential project and a towering testament to the company’s capability to combine leading-edge sustainable building features and world-class building design.

Nestled in a quiet yet central location within Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Metro Manila, Arya Residences has earned the distinction of being the first and, so far, the only residential condominium development in the Philippines to obtain dual green certification – a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification from the US Green Building Council and a BERDE (Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence) Four-star Certification from the Philippine Green Building Council.

“We’re more than just in the business of building buildings,” says Jaime González, vice-chairman and president. “We aim to build a legacy of delivering well-thought-of real estate projects founded on our core philosophy of environmental sustainability. To achieve this, we maintain a collaborative approach in our projects and work with renowned designers, suppliers, consultants and foreign joint-venture partners who share the same values.”

In the first quarter of last year, ArthaLand completed ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower (ACPT), a premium-grade AAA office development also located in BGC. The ultra-modern building provides efficient and sustainable quality office spaces for multinational companies. It has obtained the highest-possible certifications from the two councils: LEED Platinum and BERDE Five-star.

ArthaLand is now constructing a 39-storey sustainable office project at the gateway of the Cebu IT Park, which will change the urban landscape of Cebu city. Cebu is a premier investment location in the Visayas with a higher-than-average gross domestic product growth compared with the Philippine average. Once completed in 2021, Cebu Exchange will be the largest commercial development in the Southern Philippines. It is pre-certified for LEED and is expected to earn BERDE certification.

Continuing to expand its portfolio of green buildings, ArthaLand broke ground for the Savya Financial Center in March this year. Savya is a grade A twin tower office development with a fully integrated retail component. It is envisioned to be the new capital address for business and commerce in the new business district of Arca South in Taguig.

“Remaining true to our core value of sustainability can be a tedious and costly process. But these challenges only motivate us to pay extra attention to the details because this is the only way we can ensure that the future will be better for our customers, the community and the environment,” says Christopher Narciso, executive vice-president for business and project development.

As part of its medium-term expansion plan, ArthaLand will soon launch its first horizontal development project in Laguna, a nearby province southeast of Metro Manila. The 8.1-hectare mixed-use complex will include student dormitories, town house villas, community amenities and retail/commercial components.

ArthaLand is also evaluating the prospects of acquiring new properties to boost its land bank in Metro Manila and other key cities. As it grows as a world-class green developer, ArthaLand welcomes opportunities to partner with international master planning firms and technical consultants, building material suppliers, top local architectural firms and contractors who can help it deliver on its sustainability commitments.

“We have no plans on becoming the largest property company,” González says. “We will continue to maintain the culture of a boutique, green property developer with an entrepreneurial mindset.”

ArthaLand is from the Sanskrit word artha, connoting purpose, knowledge, significance and wealth. Not just wealth in material terms, but in enduring intangibles such as comfort, health and happiness. This characterises ArthaLand’s commitment to sustainability. “It’s not just about making money; we want to take care of the environment. We want to leave a legacy behind,” González says.

www.arthaland.com