Net Group delivers ‘Berde’ solutions

The West Valley fault in Luzon last moved in 1658, and according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), it should move every 300 to 400 years.

By this measure, the next big quake is either overdue since it should have happened in the ’50s, or impending, one that is set to occur sometime in the 2050s. The earthquakes earlier this week meanwhile meant that the Philippine plate is releasing stresses.

National Building Code

Buildings in the country should be able to withstand an 8.4-magnitude earthquake—as long as these follow the National Building Code. Following the construction codes and standards, buildings are structurally designed to sway during an earthquake, hence more movement on the upper floors.

During the recent earthquake, an external fiberglass roof deck water tank provided by a professional third party at Net Park ruptured. This caused water to cascade over the side of the building, but the water was absorbed by the green roofs located on the eighth floor. The flow of water was immediately contained within 10 minutes.

Across The Net Group portfolio of seven buildings in Bonifacio Global City, no other damages, structural impact or injuries were reported at this time.

Net Park is a landmark sustainable corporate tower with iconic world-class architecture and pioneering ecologically responsive features. Its 38 floors (plus four floors oversail) provide close to 65,000 sqm of office and retail spaces and showcases multilevel green park spaces—all supported by the highest levels of functionality with efficient floor plates, robust redundancy, high end infrastructure and quality finishes.

The latest building in The Net Group’s portfolio is Net Park, which features a single basement for visitor parking, retail shops and lobbies on the ground floor, and six levels of podium parking. The podium parking levels are shared with its sister tower Net Lima, with tenants to both towers enjoying naturally lit and ventilated parking convenience.

The eighth floor features sky parks, making the natural green roof system the largest ever installed in an office project in the Philippines. The ensuing 30 levels are for the office block. A total of 19 elevators provide efficient vertical transportation.

Net Park was conceptualized by Miami-based architect Chad Oppenheim, an internationally multi-awarded, environmentally conscious alchemist of urbanscapes.

Working with top Filipino architects Anna Sy and Andy Locsin, Oppenheim fused sustainability, functionality and elegance in the design and creation of the office building.

Green building

Currently pursuing 5-star construction certification (already 4 stars for design certification) under the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (Berde) green building rating system, Net Park was recognized as a 5-Star Best Commercial High-Rise Development in the Philippines by the Asia Pacific Property Awards in 2015. It’s also the Philippine Winner of the Leadership in Sustainable Design and Performance in the Commercial category of the 2018 Asia Pacific Leadership in Green Building Awards.

OTHER KEY POINTS:

World class design

Net Park is truly an iconic landmark that has come to define the skyline and set the benchmark for buildings in Bonifacio Global City. It worked with top international and local designers; dedicated an extended period for design and pre-development; and had committed to the highest levels of performance, sustainability and innovation.

Industry leading, sustainable green building

As the top green office developer in the Philippines, The Net Group has committed to pushing the envelope in terms of sustainable performance for the building, by integrating a wide range of green building features including multiple open green spaces, and implementing a host of operational initiatives and campaigns.

Focus on tenant happiness and wellness

The Net Group believes that truly green buildings do not only do good for the environment but also promote the happiness and wellbeing of its occupants. With close to 7,000 office workers, Net Park has created a unique #TNGHappyAtWork campaign that combines physical project features with active tenant engagement programming to foster a community of happy and healthy employees.

Pioneering innovation

While there were many innovations introduced in the project, one of the things that had the most impact was the Adopt-A-Park arrangement that The Net Group was able to pioneer in partnership with Bonifacio Global City. This had not only resulted in a best-in-class public park, but had also paved the way for similar arrangements across the city wherein private property developers were able to partner with the city master developer to significantly upgrade existing park facilities adjacent to their properties.

Triple bottom line

Consistently 100 percent leased since even prior to its completion in 2015 at above market rates, Net Park is occupied by top multinational companies. This confirms that not only does a commitment to performance, sustainability and innovation resonate with end users, but that it also proves a large scale office project in the Philippines can be successfully executed with a triple bottom line approach of people, planet and profit.