The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) yesterday said it wanted the Makati City government to take strong actions and ensure all 369 buildings within its central business district move toward energy efficiency.

“There is a need for Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay to push for the passage of a local ordinance

that effectively puts every building in the city on a path toward energy efficiency. It can be done with the right political will,” ECCP president Hubert d’Aboville said.

“If Makati City goes energy efficient, we believe every other central business districts in the country will follow,” he added.

Being the country’s premier business district, d’Aboville said it was imperative upon the city government to make Makati as the country’s role model in terms of energy efficiency.

According to d’Aboville, the ECCP is willing to work with the Makati City government, the Makati Commercial Estate Association (MACEA), Makati Business Club (MBC), the Joint Foreign Chambers and other business organizations in assisting the 369 buildings in the central business district to be properly updated and informed on the importance of being energy efficient.

Currently, d’Aboville said only a handful of buildings had undergone measures toward energy efficiency, with only the new Zeullig Building deserving accreditation for being truly energy efficient.

“This should not be the case, Building owners should care about their electricity consumption. They should do away with the current thinking that their tenants would be willing to pay the cost of electricity even in its current upward trend. The building tenants themselves should never accept the rising cost of electricity without a whimper. High cost of electricity is a burden to their operations” he said.

He said that after the Energy Regulatory Commission allowed Manila Electric Co. to increase its distribution charges late last month, the Philippines now has the distinction of having the highest electricity cost in the world.

Aside from energy efficiency, d’Aboville said building tenants should also be properly informed and educated on safety measures related to electrical installations in their offices.

“Investments in energy efficiency would be recovered in three years or less. It is a no brainer for businesses if they want to be competitive.” d’Aboville said.

Since 2010, the chamber’s Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum (PEEF) has built strategic alliances among the private sector, government, international donor organizations, and environmental organizations toward a common goal of promoting energy efficiency.

According to d’Aboville, if the Philippines reduces energy consumption by 20 to 30 percent a year, it would equal the capacity of one small power plant.

Leading to PEEF 2012, the ECCP, together with its core members on the project have conducted free energy audits on several companies to identify aspects where energy consumption on their part can be reduced and make their operations more energy efficient.

Along the way, the ECCP has also continuously conducted best practices seminars, forums and workshops on energy efficiency.

Sources: The Daily Tribune; Business; 11 July 2012