GREEN buildings that are environmentally friendly with their designs and features matching global sustainability standards are no longer a pleasant option for the office market, especially those based in Metro Manila. Due to increasing demand from property owners and occupiers, “sustainability has become a competitive baseline across sub-districts and major developers alike,” said Michael Jay Castro, operations director for property management of CBRE Philippines.
In his presentation to partners and shareholders during the real estate solutions provider’s “Pagtanaw: Start of the Year Market Monitor 2026” on May 18, Castro said that the adoption of renewable energy (RE), supported by the necessary certifications, can differentiate a property from the rest.
In an interview with The Manila Times, he elaborated that RE has “become commercially relevant across occupiers, mainly because of their carbon reduction commitments.” Many of these occupiers are multinationals, ESG (environmental, social and governance) firms, tech enterprises and business process outsourcing companies — all of whom have sustainability goals to fulfill. The eco-friendly preference of these tenants, like the use of solar power in the buildings, has made the message clear to landlords: “Sustainability is becoming a strategic necessity in their market.”
The two most popular sustainability certifications that tenants look for in their buildings are the globally recognized LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and Berde (Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence), which is customized for the Philippine setting.
Developed by the United States Green Building Council, LEED is the most widely used green building certification program globally. It provides a framework for designing, constructing, operating and maintaining healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving sustainable buildings. Its points-based rating system evaluates a building’s environmental and sustainability performance across several core categories: carbon and energy; water; materials; indoor air quality; location; and transportation.
Berde is the Philippines’ nationally recognized green building rating system, developed by the Philippine Green Building Council. It provides a voluntary framework to assess, measure and certify the environmental performance of buildings and districts. Designed specifically for the Philippine climate, local construction practices and national regulations, the program helps property developers showcase sustainability above and beyond standard building laws.
According to the CBRE sustainability presentation, about 4.2 million square meters (sqm) of office spaces of major developers nationwide are currently being powered by RE. That is a noticeable increase over the 2.9 million sqm recorded as of the third quarter of 2025.
The CBRE report also ranked National Capital Region cities that have accelerated their adoption of RE and other sustainability features, which can vary on a per-sub district basis, in 2026: Ortigas, Alabang, Fort Bonifacio, Quezon City, Makati and Bay Area. When it comes to the major developers who have similarly done so, the list is headed by Robinson’s Offices, Filinvest, Megaworld, AyalaLand and SM.
While the focus of developers and occupiers right now is mostly on certifications, the next level of the competition, said Castro, will take concrete methods that will assess how green the building really is: “proving operational performance, indoor air quality and measurable energy outcomes.”
