Manila, the Philippines, June 17, 2014
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has helped Mandaluyong City in Metro Manila develop a green-building ordinance that aims to reduce energy consumption in new buildings by up to 20 percent and generate about 355 million Philippine pesos in cost savings for businesses and households within the first three years of implementation.
In the Philippines, buildings emitted 33.28 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and accounted for 36 percent of the Philippines’ total power consumption in 2010. The green-building ordinance was launched on June 13 after the city council passed it on February 6 and issued its implementation rules and regulations on March 12. IFC’s partnership with Mandaluyong City is supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the Government of Canada.
“Buildings are big emitters of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming, leading to severe droughts and floods,” said Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos. “Our city is at the heart of Metro Manila where the big shopping malls and offices are. By passing the green-building ordinance, we will help companies reduce their energy use, thereby cutting their carbon emissions and electricity costs.”
The ordinance requires new buildings to adopt high energy- and water-efficiency practices, such as rain water harvesting, energy-efficient air conditioning, daylight-controlled lighting, and other green-building standards. It applies to residential buildings, schools, offices, hotels, hospitals, commercial buildings, and government buildings.
In addition to giving advice on green-building standards, IFC will also work with Mandaluyong officials to support the effective implementation of the standards. IFC is also helping the Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways in another project to develop measures for the existing National Building Code that will enable property owners and developers to build and operate more sustainable and cost-efficient buildings.
“Green building is an important global opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce water and electricity consumption,” said IFC Resident Representative Jesse Ang. “IFC is helping the Philippine government and the private sector to transform the market by providing technical advice about green buildings and working with commercial banks to provide green-building financing.”
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. Working with private enterprises in more than 100 countries, we use our capital, expertise, and influence to help eliminate extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity. In FY13, our investments climbed to an all-time high of nearly $25 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector to create jobs and tackle the world’s most pressing development challenges. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
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