Cebu Exchange: Cebu City’s Cebu Exchange Leads Sustainable Office Race

Patrick Chambers
3 min read

Cebu Exchange, located in Cebu City’s IT Park, is Metro Cebu’s tallest office building and the Philippines’ largest single-building office development. Construction began in 2018 and development should be finished by the end of this year. The 39-story building is divided into three sections: floors nine to fifteen will be for business process outsourcing firms; sixteen to twenty nine will be for large corporations; thirty to thirty nine will be for the headquarters of companies and smaller corporate offices. 

 

Indeed, real estate developer Arthaland is leading the project and Leo Po, their executive vice president commented, “The Cebu Exchange is equivalent to three office buildings combined. When completed, it will have more than 12,000 people working in it, which is a massive number of people. That’s why we’re calling it our biggest and our best project to date.” Cebu Exchange has already become a premier business address and a key element of Cebu City’s skyline. 

 

The development has already garnered a number of accolades. In December 2020, the office tower gained a significant victory on the sustainability front: it was pre-certified under the International WELL Building Institute’s renowned WELL Building Standard™. This certification renders the development the largest certified one in the Philippines and the first outside Metro Manila. 

 

The WELL Building Standard™ is arguably the world’s most prominent standard for sustainable buildings and interior spaces. It was created by collating the latest learnings in the fields of the environment, human health and human behaviour, and how they impact the most groundbreaking practices in building construction, management and design.



The Cebu Exchange. Image: Arthaland

 

Cebu Exchange has gained this prestigious certification for a number of reasons. First, there are many green spaces, including landscaped gardens and a potager garden, so that residents will have access to food grown on-site. Non-toxic building materials reduce associated health risks whilst the building’s air filtration system provides a steady flow of fresh outdoor air and reduces operating costs, a boon for businesses who chose Cebu Exchange for their new office space. Metro Cebu still sources roughly 40% of its power from coal-powered facilities so there is a particular need for sustainable energy solutions. The Exchange will also take advantage of contactless plumbing fixtures which lower disease transmission from high-touch surfaces along with producing savings on water costs. Lastly, extensive shower facilities and bicycle racks promote green ways of commuting to the office. All these elements have led to Cebu Exchange achieving this premier sustainability certification. It is worth noting that the Exchange has been awarded a Pre-Certified Gold in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®). It received five stars, the highest number possible, in the Philippine Green Building Council’s Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE.) 

 

These are an impressive array of accolades. Leo Po added, “This building is a testament to sustainability. We are the only developer that embarks on dual certification with the USGBC and PhilGBC. This shows that we think global but act local. We are bringing a world-class building to this wonderful city.” 

 

Cebu Exchange and its sustainability mission tap into a wider trend: Cebu City’s progression into Philippines’ foremost modern city. Digital transformation in the region is accelerating at a rapid pace and Cebu City’s authorities want it to remain competitive and attractive to businesses and investors long into the future. Supporting innovation and the startup ecosystem, by promoting technology-led buildings and enterprises, are key to this journey. Cebu Exchange both represents a promising move for office sustainability and a bright future for Cebu City as a technology and business hub. 

 

The Cebu Exchange. Image: Arthaland

Leave a Comment
Recent Articles
Subscribe


Sign up to receive the Propeterra's newsletter and exclusive property news and updates. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe links in our emails.

 

 

posts by tag

See all

Market Cover_Emerging Markets-1

 

Market Cover_Frontier Markets-1

 

Market Cover_Special Situations-1-1

 

Market Cover_Developed Markets-1

 

Recent Articles

2 minutes read

It’s Ski Season! Four Resorts to Invest In Now

The swish of skis, the powder on the slopes and the crisp mountain air… With Covid restrictions easing, many holidaymakers’ thoughts are turning to travel - and with the winter sports season in full flow, what better time to look at the resorts that offer the most bang for your investment bucks? Read on for Propeterra’s rundown of our favourite ski destinations - including some you’d never have expected!

Niseko, Japan

Japan might not seem like an obvious skiing destination, but the snow at Niseko is hard to beat. Located in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, the annual snowfall is a staggering 15 metres - so unlike some less fortunate resorts in warming parts of Europe, your good skiing is practically guaranteed. Niseko is also renowned for its beautiful scenery and luxury accommodations - and with New Chitose International Airport a short two hour drive away, as well as the Hokkaido Shinkansen connection coming in 2030, it’s never been easier to travel there.

Prime investment opportunities available now include the Pavilions Resort Villas and the Ginto Residences - and for more information on the area, Propeterra’s Niseko Report is available for download now.

3 minutes read

Affordable Housing - the ADB and Lessons from the UK

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently released a briefing paper attempting to
learn lessons from the UK as to successes and failures of affordable housing policy. It is
justifiable to critique the UK’s faltering policy of delivery over a number of decades, but
this is precisely why it is a fruitful area of enquiry from analysts considering other parts
of the world. The UK has benefitted from significant resources, and policymakers have
been under considerable pressure from the electorate to ensure adequate housing across tenures. This is why the Chief of the Urban Sector Group at the ADB, Manoj Sharma, saw fit to commission this work, and report on its conclusions.

3 minutes read

Back to desks and back to the city!