^{Certified-green office building Parkway Corporate Center and upscale residential condominium property Bristol at Parkway Place have both partnered with First Gen Corporation to shift to direct supply of 1,100 kilowatts of geothermal energy for all common areas. The supply agreements were signed by officials from both properties and First Gen, led by (from left) Michelle Lazatin, Board President of Parkway Corporate Center Condominium Corporation and Bristol Tower Condominium Corporation; and First Gen Head of Sales and Engagement Arlene Sy Soriano.}

First Gen Corporation has secured a deal to directly supply 1,100 kilowatts (kW) of geothermal power to two high-end properties in Filinvest City, expanding the use of 24/7 renewable energy in Metro Manila’s commercial and residential sector.

The listed energy firm will power the common areas of Parkway Corporate Center and Bristol at Parkway Place under a supply agreement signed on February 19, with the properties’ condominium corporations and building manager Pro-Excel Property Managers, Inc.

The contracted capacity will cover lighting, elevators, water pumps, security cameras, air-conditioning and fire detection systems of the two towers, which are located in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa.

First Gen said the electricity will be sourced from its Bacon-Manito (Bac-Man) geothermal facilities straddling Albay and Sorsogon, providing baseload renewable power to the developments.

“We are pleased to partner with First Gen to power two of our key properties with geothermal energy. This steady renewable supply strengthens our long-term energy strategy, supports more efficient cost management, and reinforces our commitment to sustainable building operations,” said Michelle B. Lazatin, Board President of Parkway Corporate Center Condominium Corporation and Bristol Tower Condominium Corporation.

The 38-storey Bristol Tower is a 345-unit premium residential development by Filigree, while the 32-storey Parkway Corporate Center holds a v4 Core and Shell rating, making it the first office building project in the Philippines certified under the latest version of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

“With more geothermal capacity in the market, more and more of the LEED or green buildings will be able to shift to 24/7 renewable energy which can support increasing demand while ensuring as minimal a carbon footprint as possible,” said Arlene Sy Soriano, First Gen Head of Sales and Engagement. “We encourage more properties to explore programs that will enable them to optimize and even aggregate power usage.”

First Gen’s renewable portfolio includes geothermal, hydro, solar and wind assets with a combined capacity of about 1,700 megawatts (MW). The company also holds a 40% interest in four gas-fired power plants with a total capacity of 2,017 MW, alongside majority owner Prime Infrastructure Capital, Inc., to support supply reliability.

As more LEED-certified and sustainability-driven developments come online, will direct geothermal supply become a standard feature for premium properties in Metro Manila and other urban hubs?

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