IDC in Breaking Stereotypes: Going Green in Emerging Cities

Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC) Chairman and CEO, Architect Romolo Nati shed light on the importance of green buildings in emerging cities in the Philippines during his talk at the Township Development Conference, held at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Manila, on April 26-27, 2017.

Held annually and now on its fifth year, the Township Development Conference was established to bring together property developers, urban planners, designers and executives from different countries to discuss issues relevant to township planning such as sustainability and waste management, to name a few.

Arch. Nati, an expert in green architecture, emphasized the advantages of promoting sustainable buildings for developing cities. He further explained that aside from reducing overall impact to the environment and to human health, “green buildings are the key for property developers to winning financially, as they have been proven to be cost effective with reduced energy requirements within a development.”

With its flagship project, Primavera Residences, located in Uptown Cagayan de Oro, IDC has marked itself as first mover in eco-friendly buildings in emerging cities. “We develop our projects in perfect spots where cost of living is lower and opportunities are higher. Also, one thing we consider first in locating our projects is the location and the kind of environment to make sure they complement the idea of green living, as what our advocacy stands for.”

Nati also propounded the importance of focusing its developments in emerging cities. “Buildings in mega cities such as in Metro Manila, for example, will generally have smaller and smaller units in the future because its land is very expensive and it has to be optimized. Putting up developments in cities with great potential is our strategy to also encourage other developers to follow our advocacy, thus eventually helping these cities become more economically competitive. This could help break the stereotype of how markets look at small cities.”

IDC is a design-driven developer internationally recognized for its commitment in sustainable development. The company received several awards for its flagship project, Primavera Residences, in Cagayan de Oro: among others, the Leadership in Green Building Award given by the Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC) and the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) as the First Completed Condominium Project in East Asia, a global green certification given by IFC-World Bank.

IDC is currently constructing its second project, Primavera City, also located in Uptown Cagayan de Oro. The company is also looking forward to breaking ground in Luzon this year with its third project, Miramonti, located in Santo Tomas, Batangas.

By Kim Namocatcat/IDC