SM expands green initiatives with 8 more solar powered malls

SM Supermalls marks August with the completion of new solar panel projects in three SM malls – SM City Cauayan, SM City Cabanatuan, and SM City Iloilo. As the retail giant aims to lead private sectors in clean energy use in the country, SM is slated to launch in the coming months five more solar powered malls – SM City Trece Martires, SM Seaside City Cebu, SM City Dasmarinas, SM City Olongapo, and the upcoming SM City Tuguegarao Downtown.

By the end of this phase, SM will have approximately 33,000 solar panels capable of producing 8.9 megawatts of electricity – enough to fully charge around 1.3 million cellphones, light up 890,000 10-watt LED lamps, run 297,000 30-watt electric fans, or provide power to almost 6000 households.

“SM Prime has always been committed to reduce greenhouse emissions and maximize energy efficiency in our malls. This is just one of the many renewable projects we have been doing and we will continue with finding ways on how to make our operations more environmentally sound and sustainable,” said SM’s Hans T. Sy during the Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony between SM Prime and Solar Philippines in 2014.

As SM’s partner in promoting eco-friendly shopping in the country, Solar Philippines is the largest developer of solar rooftop power plants in Southeast Asia. This rooftop format not only utilizes previously unused space, but also provides “green” roofs for the said malls.

In 2014, SM launched its first solar rooftop project in the country at SM City North Edsa, the first mall in the Philippines to become solar powered. SM Mall of Asia followed two years later with the inauguration of a solar power facility with twice the capacity of the former’s rooftop installation.

As SM Supermalls aspires to be exemplary for commercial and industrial establishments, this latest milestone on green energy projects reaffirms SM Prime’s commitment to its role as a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities that enrich the quality of life of millions.