RLC Residences recently forged a groundbreaking agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), committing one million square meters (in gross floor area) of net zero carbon and resilient condominiums by 2031.
The pledge was spearheaded by John Richard Sotelo, RLC Residences Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager, at the IFC’s 2nd Climate Forum held in June at the Ayala Museum. Sotelo was joined by Angelo Tan, Country Lead for IFC World Bank Group's Climate Business in the Philippines, Malaysia, and the Pacific. The partnership will focus on identifying, evaluating, and implementing green building measures to help achieve net zero carbon using the IFC’s Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification. Additionally, the resilience rating of future RLC Residences’ projects will be assessed and verified using the IFC’s Building Resilience Index (BRI) tool.
John Richard Sotelo, RLC Residences Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager, with Angelo Tan, International Finance Corporation Country Lead (Climate Business) for the Philippines, Malaysia, and the Pacific, at the contract signing during the IFC's 2nd Climate Forum. IMAGE RLC Residences
Since 2022, RLC Residences, the vertical residential division of property giant Robinsons Land Corporation, has been proactively designing developments with a focus on efficiency, aligning with the company's broader commitment to sustainability.
Despite being a relative newcomer in sustainable residential developments, RLC Residences received its first Preliminary EDGE Certification for Le Pont Residences Tower 1 at Bridgetowne East in Pasig City, in recognition of the development’s energy and water efficiency measures and sustainability features.
“With this fantastic partnership we have with IFC, we're learning that there's a lot of work involved but at the same time, it's part and parcel of what we do on a day-to-day basis. We are thankful to IFC for helping us understand sustainability and resilience better and how we can improve our residential projects with that in mind,” shared Sotelo at the forum.
“RLC Residences' commitment to green and resilient initiatives is commendable and a vital step towards a sustainable future. Achieving EDGE Preliminary Certification for Le Pont Residences reflects a forward-thinking approach that benefits the environment and the local community,” said Ommid Saberi, Global Lead for the IFC’s EDGE and Building Resilience Index programs. “IFC will also be supporting the resilient assessment of its projects. As a hot spot for disasters, it is crucial to explore how the Philippines can incorporate climate resilience practices into the design and construction of buildings.”
Developed by the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group focused on private sector development in emerging markets, EDGE is a green building certification system aimed at promoting resource-efficient building practices. The system includes a cloud-based software tool that helps developers, architects, and building owners assess and enhance the environmental performance of their projects. By entering project details into the app, users can calculate potential energy, water, and material savings, receive recommendations for improvements, and work towards meeting the benchmarks required for EDGE certification. The overall goal of EDGE is to make green building more accessible and affordable, driving widespread adoption of sustainable construction practices globally.
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