The preference for healthier environments is not only becoming a trend among home buyers but is also gaining attention from property investors as they seek more sustainable or green developments.
While the popularity of green properties has been growing in recent times, Filinvest Alabang Inc. was long ahead of the trend as it emphasized the importance of sustainable developments even before the pandemic with Filinvest City.
“Developing prime communities that marry business and nature has always been in Filinvest townships’ DNA. This has taken shape in the form of Filinvest City, a 244-hectare garden central business district (CBD) in the south of Metro Manila that nestles business, commercial, and residential infrastructures collectively enjoying the benefits of an environment-friendly location,” said Don Ubaldo, first vice president for townships of Filinvest Alabang Inc.
Filinvest City has been awarded with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED v4 Gold for Neighborhood Development (LEEDv4 ND) certification – the first CBD in the Philippines to earn this recognition and the largest in Southeast Asia to meet the world’s stringent green development rating system.
This means that business and residential real estate customers are able to live healthier through lush greens and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition, businesses have a higher chance of becoming LEED-certified themselves because building locators are entitled to additional points in their LEED application since the very township where they are located is LEED Gold-certified itself.
Meanwhile, having LEED-Gold certified properties also allows real estate investors to enjoy lower operating costs in energy consumption, water savings and better waste management, these properties can also enjoy a higher market value and lease rate.
With the township’s green features,investors who gear their strategies toward green ventures will be able to take advantage of property hunters looking for specific developments that comply with today’s health standards.
“Being in close proximity to your residence, workplace, essential establishments, and transport hubs is a major consideration for residential hunters these days, as they want a community that won’t put them at risk for any health issues,” Ubaldo said.
“Investing in developments built near these important locations means offering property hunters an ideal community where everything is within easy reach,”he added.
Apart from its health benefits, sustainable property developments also boast of higher market values.
Filivest Alabang said Filinvest City properties have been enjoying increased asset values through the years, with an annual growth rate of over 20 percent in the last 10 years.
This is something attractive to property investors, as cost-effective measures and growth flexibility allows them to maximize return on their investment.
“Today, it’s not just about where a property is located but also how it is strategically designed to meet specific needs, which are driven by new factors like health and the environment,” Ubaldo said.
“Investing in ventures that factor in these indicators should be the driving force for property investors when making their purchasing decisions,”he added.