uk shares green building technology

UK experts show green building technologies
By CHARISSA M. LUCI (from the Manila Bulletin)
April 18, 2009, 5:16pm

The United Kingdom is bringing in cutting-edge environmental technologies in the country, particularly in building designs, as part of its global commitment to address alarming trends of climate change.

British experts from building and design companies shared the "latest and most innovative" environmental technologies with local counterparts at the recent Annual General Membership Meeting of the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC) held in Makati City, the British embassy said.

John Chick, director of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), said technology sharing is timely since the PhilGBC is currently working on a set of standards for the Philippines called Building Ecologically Responsive Design for Excellence (BERDE).

The UKTI co-sponsored seminar was joined by over 220 industry players from construction, consultancy and real estate with all of the country's top construction companies represented, including Megaworld, The Net Group, Ayala Land and SM Development, the embassy said.

Award-winning architect Jason Pomeroy, also director of Broadway Malyan Singapore, encouraged local industry players to use the UK's BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), the leading and most widely used green building rating system that sets the yardstick for energy efficient, sustainable design to minimize the environmental impact of building construction.

Atkins Design and Product Manager Karl Hurwood and Deputy Head of Building Services Elvin Palma, meanwhile, demonstrated how changes in design can reduce a structure's carbon emissions, while Rey Guarin, Carbon Development Mechanism expert of British company TFS Green, explained the business opportunities in carbon trading.

Mariano Salazar, former Undersecretary of the Department of Energy, said he is confident that the UK and Philippines will further intensify partnership in carbon trading, adding that the Philippines should take advantage of wealth of information and systems being shared by the UK experts.

"The UK organizations have a wealth of information and systems that they can share with the Philippine professionals. There are mutual financial, economic and environmental benefits in the sharing of information and assistance," he said.

"A more active carbon trading between the two countries can come about," Salazar said.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said he is pleased that the British government is encouraging sustainable energy consumption and green building in the Philippines as well as increasing the public's awareness of the importance of reducing carbon emissions that cause global warming.