WITH its approximately 11 hectares of gross floor area, Cebu Exchange strengthened its claim as the largest multi-certified sustainable office tower in the Philippines after being Pre-Certified under the International Well Building Institute’s prestigious Well Building Standard™ in December 2020.
It currently stands as the largest Pre-Certified WELL™ building in the Philippines and the first outside Metro Manila. The points for Well Building Standard™ pre-awarded to Cebu Exchange in this building design category are equivalent to Gold level pre-certification.
A signature development of Arthaland and Hong Kong-based private equity real estate firm Arch Capital, Cebu Exchange has previously been Pre-Certified Gold in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed®), as well as Design Certified 5-Stars in the Philippine Green Building Council’s Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (Berde), the highest rating for this category.
The tower is also currently registered and vying to receive Zero Carbon certification from the International Finance Corporation’s (a member of the World Bank Group) Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (Edge®).
Launched in October 2014 after years of research and development, the Well Building Standard™ is the premier standard for buildings, interior spaces and communities seeking to implement, validate and measure features that support and advance human health and wellness globally. Well™ was developed by integrating scientific and medical research and literature on environmental health, behavioral factors, health outcomes and demographic risk factors that affect health with leading practices in building design, construction and management.
“For Arthaland, promoting personal health and wellness goes hand in hand with helping save the environment and advocating for sustainable lifestyles and practices that benefit society and the planet. The Well™ pre-certification that the Cebu Exchange has achieved, alongside its other renowned accolades garnered from several local and global green building certification standards, make this project your best office investment in 2021, whether it be for your use or as an investment for you to generate attractive high yielding returns,” said Jaime C. González, vice chairman and president of Arthaland Corp.
Some of the features of Cebu Exchange that qualify it for Well™ pre-certification are its highly-efficient air filtration system that cycles in fresh outdoor air and effectively keeps the circulation clean and free from infectious pathogens. The building spaces were also thoughtfully designed to be thermally comfortable for improved occupant satisfaction and will positively impact overall productivity. It will have provisions for an energy-efficient air-conditioning system that lowers operating costs, ultimately making sure that working within Cebu Exchange will be beneficial and enticing for businesses and enterprises.
The lighting design will also accommodate the visual acuity and comfort of occupants, that can positively impact circadian rhythms as well as visual and mental health, promoting everyday ease and wellness.
With regard to water management, Cebu Exchange will be equipped with low-flow water efficient and contactless plumbing fixtures that prevent the transmission of diseases from high-touch surfaces and generate savings on water bills by regulating potable water demand. The water supply for the building’s irrigation, toilet flushing and other auxiliary uses will be filtered and treated onsite through Cebu Exchange’s greywater recycling system to meet the contaminant threshold safe for the occupants.
As with other Arthaland developments, open and vegetated spaces are abundant within the development—landscaped gardens at the Terrace Garden, Sky Park and the Penthouse Deck. Studies show that providing access to nature supports healthy environments by mitigating stressors and positively impacting cognitive and emotional health, focus, productivity and overall well-being. It will also have its own Potager Garden at Cebu Exchange™, providing occupants easy access to healthy, sustainably grown food and raises awareness about the importance of good nutrition.
Cebu Exchange is strategically located at the gateway of Cebu IT Park, right at the heart of the metropolitan area’s primary business district. It hopes to lessen the city’s air pollution and promote a healthy and active lifestyle with key features to address these concerns.
These facilities include bicycle racks with shower facilities that support cycling and other alternative modes of transportation and by allocating preferred parking spaces for use by low-emitting fuel-efficient vehicles (Lefev). Its use of low-emitting and non-toxic building materials limits dust and harmful toxins in the air, thereby helping reduce associated health risks and hazards for occupants. In terms of movement within the tower, RFID-enabled elevators will be available to minimize contact with high-touch surfaces and allow better hand hygiene.
Cebu Exchange’s Phase 1 and Retail Area has started handover in October 2020, while Phase 2 is on schedule for completion by the fourth quarter of 2021. It was awarded Best Office High Rise Development at the 2019 Japan International Property Awards, Best Commercial Landscape Architectural Design at the 2019 PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards and the Best Office Development in the Philippines at the 2018 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards. SPONSORED CONTENT