SM City Iloilo
launches its 2,904-panel solar power facility on Sept. 5, 2017. As SM Supermalls aspires to be exemplary among commercial and industrial establishments, this latest green energy milestone reaffirms SM Prime’s commitment to being a catalyst of economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities that enrich the quality of life of millions.
Photo shows Iloilo City’s Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III and Director Rosario Cabrera of the Office of Civil Defense 6 together with SM Regional Operations Manager for Visayas 3 Girlie Liboon (4th, 5th and 6th from left, respectively) lead the switch-on. They are joined by (from left) SM City Iloilo Assistant Mall Manager Darrel John Defensor, Rabbie Chris Carvajal (chief of DENR-EMB-6 Environmental Education and Communication Section), Councilor R Leone Geroche (Iloilo City Council’s committee on environment chairman), Iloilo Provincial Information and Community Affairs chief Nerio Lujan, and Engr. Robert Escuto, senior environmental management specialist, Iloilo City CENRO.
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 Dasmariñas, 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.
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 i n the country at SM City North Edsa, the f i rst mall i n 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./