KITCHEN SPACES MADE SUSTAINABLE
ESSENTIALS
It’s as if suddenly, everyone knew how to cook and bake.
At the height of the strictest lockdowns last year, practically everyone tinkered in their kitchens, whipping up something homemade—a dish that went viral on social media, heirloom recipes or custom creations courtesy of world-renowned chefs. So if you’re planning to spend more time in the kitchen, might as well make sure it will be energy efficient, eco-friendly and sustainable with these essentials from your favorite home retailer Wilcon Depot.
LED LIGHTS
Brighten up your kitchen with Alphalux’s LED pendant lights, which boast of low power consumption (using only 20 to 25 percent of energy), affordability, and a long life span (it lasts up to 15,000 hours).
INDUCTION COOKTOP
Choose energy efficiency with Hamden’s induction hob, designed with an overheat and overflow protection, auto pan detection, residual heat indicator. Induction hobs also don’t emit flame carbon dioxide, so it releases less amount of heat in your space.
ECO-FRIENDLY TILES
Go for brands that have a strong sustainability sense. Novabell’s ceramic tiles are made from 40 percent recycled materials and are compliant with international quality standards. Grespania’s wall tiles can help purify the air, while the Picasso Mosaic peel and stick are recycled mosaic tiles that are easy to install and can be applied over existing tiles.
MOTION-SENSING FAUCET
Smart faucets make perfect sense in these times when everyone is trying to avoid touching surfaces as a way to remain virus-free. Choose Grohe sensor faucets which can be activated when you move your hands within the sensing range. To upgrade a normal faucet, install the Birke smart sensor faucet adapter. Having touch-free faucets is one step towards having a more hygienic, safer and healthier home.
QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS
The eco-friendly Quartz may be your best choice yet if you’re looking for a durable, high-quality and eco-friendly kitchen countertop. Check out P.tech quartz countertops, which are tough and durable. Its non-porous surface and low water absorption rating make it more stain-resistant and hygienic, preventing growth of molds and bacteria on the surface.
ECO-FRIENDLY KITCHEN SINKS
Made from smaller granite particles, the Franke fragranite sink is not only sustainable but also hygienic as its smoother, flatter surface helps reduce limescale buildup and prevents food particles and bacteria to accumulate between the granules. Similarly,
Glovax Biotech Corp. is eyeing to start operations in October next year of a facility, which will fill vials with a vaccine against COVID-19 being developed by its partner in South Korea, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
According to a presentation of the DTI, the local company has already signed an agreement with its South Korean technology partner EuBiologics Co. Ltd.
The P7.5-billion project is proposed to be located in Clark, with its “form/fill and finish” operations to start in October 2022.
Four possible ventures
While the entire presentation was not shown during the briefing, a copy of the slides showed that the Glovax project was one of four leads that the DTI was pursuing for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing.
The three other companies mentioned in the slides were United Laboratories (Unilab), IG Biotech and Dr. Zen Biotech Inc.
Need for PH’s own facility
According to the presentation, Unilab’s form, fill, and finish plant can be operational by 2023 if its partnership with a technology provider will be finalized in 2022. It also plans to export to other countries in Southeast Asia. IG Biotech, on the other hand, also plans to produce vaccines against COVID-19. The DTI presentation indicated that it was planning to do Phase 3 clinical trials.
Dr. Zen Biotech Inc. has technology providers in India and China, but it is still looking for a possible partner from the United States. It will also have a form/fill facility in the First Bulacan Industrial Estate, which will be operational by 2022. The project, to be done in two phases, will cost $40 million.
In a recent interview on the ABS-CBN News Channel, Glovax Founder and CEO Giovanni Alingog talked about the need for the country to be able to manufacture its own vaccines. He said the company, a vaccine distributor, has been planning to have a manufacturing plant since 2012.