The Visayas Islands in the Philippines are gradually embracing renewable energy, and the capital city has just inaugurated its first green building – Iloilo City Hall. The building was recently unveiled by President Benigno S. Aquino III, and it features a roof topped with solar panels that will save $17,000 per year and prevent 36 metric tons of carbon dioxidebeing pumped into the atmosphere.
The building has also seen the recent construction of a roof deck and the installation of landscaped green plants and the “Lin-ay Sang Iloilo” (Ilonggo Pride Statue), which is the newest tourist attraction in the city. The building’s solar roof will provide enough electricity to power all of the air conditioning units on the building’s entire seventh floor, and a rainwater harvesting system placed on top of the building will provide water for the City Hall’s toilets.
Mayor Mabilog added that new energy conservation programs have already helped lower power consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in the city. The island is planning on launching several new schemes including a lamp retrofitting project which involves changing incandescent bulbs in 10,050 city street lamps to high pressure sodium lights.
+ Philippine Information Agency
Via Sun Star
