LafargeHolcim Philippines | Green Roof and Water Management in Philippines Government Office Building (2017)

Detailed Description

Rapid urbanization in the Philippines has given rise to many challenges, including increased energy consumption. To address this issue, LafargeHolcim supported the government’s mission to protect the Laguna Lake area and act as an environmental steward by providing innovative technology products for the government’s new building.

Both the public and private construction sectors are responding to urbanization challenges by reshaping the cityscape and designing building structures that are energy efficient and adapt to the changing environment.

The two main stakeholders in the project were LafargeHolcim Philippines and Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA). LLDA’s mission is to ensure the development and balanced growth of the Laguna Lake area while providing environmental management, control, and preservation of the quality of human life and ecological systems whereas LafargeHolcim helps customers differentiate themselves from competitors by receiving environmental credits for their projects.

LafargeHolcim partnered with SIKA—a manufacturer of specialty chemicals for construction and industry—to develop the innovative green roof solution that was used for the LLDA’s new building.

In addition to the green roof, the project also included other ecological features such as a wetland area for onsite stormwater treatment and to provide a cooling effect in the area surrounding the building.

In addition to monetary benefits, ancillary benefits of the Bio Roof include:

• Rainwater, collected within the substrate for plants, helps cool the atmosphere when the temperature rises, reducing heat island effects.
• Insulating properties of the green roof system improve the energy performance of a building over its lifetime, reducing demand for heating and cooling.
• Green roofs contribute to improved air quality and have the ability to neutralize the pH of the rainwater run-off.