SM Baguio mall expansion to include replanting of trees

SM Baguio at night. PHOTO FROM SMSUPERMALLS.COM

MANILA, Philippines—SM Prime Holdings Inc., the country’s largest shopping mall developer, announced on Sunday it would begin this month a one-year expansion and redevelopment plan for SM City Baguio based on an environment-friendly blueprint adhering to globally accepted “green” building standards.

SM Prime said in a statement that it has been working closely with the Baguio City Government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – and had received the necessary permits – to re-ball and relocate 142 trees in the shopping mall area.  Of these, 80 will be replanted in the mall premises and the rest will be turned over to the DENR compound for replanting, according to SM Prime.

The mall has also vowed to conduct massive tree-planting efforts in the city in coordination with the DENR. The statement was issued by SM Prime on the heels of concerns aired by environmentalists on the trees to be affected by this expansion.

The expanded and renovated SM City Baguio has been planned as a seven-level open-air retail, dining and entertainment destination that would rely almost exclusively on natural ventilation, SM Prime said.

Located at the heart of Baguio City, the expansion will mean an additional area of 76,000 square meters to the existing 106,000 square meters. A primary amenity of the expanded SM City Baguio will be an expansive Roof Garden, lushly landscaped with native and non-invasive trees and other plant materials, intermingled with numerous water features.

“The plan will not only be a catalyst for employment, business, and tourism opportunities in the city, but also highlight SM’s commitment to the environment,” SM Prime said in the statement.

Citing its adherence to a sustainable environment, SM Prime said it has teamed up with the US Green Building Council to uphold the “green” building standards in building design, construction and operation. As a member of USGBC, SM Prime said its mall was committed to the “common mission and guiding principles of fostering a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy saving green buildings.”

This roof garden, for instance, will use the green roof technology to create an environment for vegetation growth intended to be as close to the plant’s natural environment as possible even though there is no direct contact with nature ground.

The project aims to be the first shopping mall in the country to be certified by LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design], the internationally recognized standard for green building design and construction developed by the USGBC.

Other “green” features cited by SM Prime were:

• While already located in close proximity to multiple public utility facilities, the mall seeks to encourage the use of energy-efficient public transit by providing an additional mall entrance along Governor Pack Road. Canopies will extend from the building to the street on all front, additionally enhancing the experience of those arriving on foot.

• For customers who will bring cars, almost 1,000 additional underground parking spaces will be provided below the expansion, removing them from public view and from surrounding streets. By locating these spaces underground, the intention is to reduce the impact of this redevelopment on wooded surroundings and likewise curb the “heat island effects” often encountered in other large shopping centers.

• Interior space will “incorporate visually dramatic views to urban and natural surroundings, allowing generous daylight to penetrate deep into the common areas of the mall and greatly reducing the need for energy-consuming artificial lighting.” Where artificial lighting is needed, the mall plans to use energy-conscious and efficient sources such as LED and Compact Fluorescent Lamps.

• Ceiling fans will be located throughout the public areas of SM City Baguio to efficiently increase the thermal comfort of shoppers and to avoid the expansive use of artificial air conditioning;

• A water reservoir will be located at the lowest level of the expansion building where it will occupy about 2,190 square meters with a capacity of 4,380 cubic meters. This aims to alleviate problems caused by heavy rains in the drainage system within the area. Having this holding tank will allow the mall to use the accumulated water to reduce the load of water that passes through the drainage.

• Park finders using LED is also incorporated in the design for customers to easily locate parking and lessen the fuel consumption.