Ortigas, Pasig, Philippines – On July 9, 2021, Exquadra Tower was awarded by the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) using the rating system by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), a LEED Platinum certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and a recognized international symbol of excellence in green buildings.

The Exquadra Tower is the 6th building in the Philippines and the 1st in Pasig to earn LEED Platinum certification, the highest level in the LEED – Building Design & Construction - Core & Shell (LEED BD+C: CS) rating system for its design, sustainable construction, efficient operation and maintenance practices that improve environmental and human health.

The 38-storey Ortigas prime office tower on Exchange Road joins the rank of the world’s most renowned state-of-the-art, environment-friendly buildings such as Bank of America Tower in New York, Asia Square in Singapore, and Taipei 101.

Unioil’s commitment to developing a sustainable project in the heart of Ortigas is a testament to its leadership in today’s world-class “green” architecture. The LEED Platinum-certified Ortigas Landmark signifies Unioil’s legacy: one that is future-proof, iconic, and speaks of the longevity Unioil is known for.

“On its 50th anniversary five years ago, the company decided that despite its significant efforts in protecting the environment, it needs to do more… much more. That is why Unioil formed its first property development company, Exquadra. Today, this is just beyond dreaming. Exquadra Tower is now a LEED Platinum certified building in the heart of the Ortigas CBD. The most exciting part about all this is that we are just getting started,” said Janice Co, Director of Exquadra.

Even before the project’s inception, Unioil intends to build an innovative, people-centric, and technologically advanced structure. This is evident in the plans integrated by the team of architects and design consultants behind the Exquadra Tower. While Barone International, Exquadra’s sustainability consultant, monitored the construction process to ensure that Exquadra adheres to LEED requirements.

“The developers of Exquadra opted for LEED certification by the US Green Building Council because it is the most “holistic” measure of sustainability…not just considering environmental impact but more on tenant wellbeing,” said Kelly Cada, Project Manager of Exquadra.

The resource-efficient systems and green technologies behind Exquadra Tower are designed using an integrated, whole-building approach. The building was designed to provide significant energy savings from the latest, efficient water-cooled chiller system with Magnetic Levitation Technology. It is the same technology that cools the Changi Airport in Singapore and the Louver in Paris. This is the first installation of this technology in the Philippines. 

The Exquadra Team emphasises the importance of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) within the building to prevent sick building syndrome by providing dual-stage (MERV 8 & MERV 13)  filtration system  which was designed to introduce pre-cooled, fresh, clean air exchange to every office unit in the building – a feature that has proven to be vital during this pandemic and compliant with the new DOLE Guideline for Ventilation in the Workplace.

The tower is also installed with double-glazed curtain glass that efficiently reflects heat to reduce internal building temperature. It also boasts LED lighting throughout the building, and provisions for energy-efficient destination control elevators. The building’s parking lot is also equipped with (scalable) electric vehicle charging stations, and high speed under-chassis camera for better security. The Exquadra Tower is also the first 5G-ready building in the Philippines with picocells in every office unit to optimise coverage.

“Achieving LEED certification is more than just implementing sustainable practices. It represents a commitment to making the world a better place and influencing others to do better,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President, and CEO, USGBC. "Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection and the central role buildings play in that effort, Exquadra is creating a path forward through their LEED certification,” he added.