LIMA Estate’s smart city features to push Lipa-Malvar into the next-generation economic hub

For its efforts in seamlessly integrating innovation with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into its smart city initiatives, LIMA Estate recently clinched the Smart City Award at the inaugural ESGBusiness Awards held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

A leading smart and sustainable industrial-anchored estate in Asia, Aboitiz InfraCapital’s LIMA Estate commits to transform Lipa-Malvar, Batangas into a thriving, next-generation economic hub.

Through strategic partnerships with global urban infrastructure experts and Aboitiz Data Innovation, LIMA Estate has successfully implemented a comprehensive suite of smart city features, that focuses on enhancing the liveability, resilience, and sustainability of its community.

A standout initiative within this portfolio is the Central Estate Command Center, a facility equipped with technology for real-time monitoring and management of estate functions. This command center ensures swift and efficient response during emergencies while optimizing traffic management, energy use, and security.

LIMA Estate’s commitment to the smart city model is exemplified by its substantial strides toward achieving net zero emissions. Notably, the LIMA Central Business District boasts an impressive 63% off-site renewable energy utilization. Meanwhile, The Outlets at Lipa achieves a commendable 43% on-site energy utilization and its 1.5-megawatt peak rooftop solar panel system offsets 31,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to planting 1.4 million trees. Furthermore, the estate has laid out plans to transition all future buildings within the LIMA Office Park to rely on 100% renewable energy sources.

The estate’s dedication to sustainability extends to waste disposal systems and the Smart Water Network operated by LIMA Water. Through the use of interconnected and intelligent water network solutions, LIMA Estate has delivered remarkable outcomes for its occupants, such as a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and a 30% decrease in repair costs. The Smart Water Network has also significantly enhanced its responsiveness to equipment failures, maintaining a high average facility uptime of 99.3%.

“We extend our sincere thanks to ESGBusiness for recognizing our endeavors and our commitment to ESG. LIMA Estate has been actively working to propel Batangas onto the global stage as a green, smart, and workable city,” said Rafael Fernandez de Mesa, President of LIMA Land and Head of Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates. ”Through our continuous efforts in digitization and decarbonization, we have significantly enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and the quality of life for our locators, employees, and host communities.”

LIMA Estate is also proactively enhancing employee mobility and reducing carbon emissions through the implementation of an electric intra-estate transportation system, while promoting walkability, bikeability, and enhancing green spaces around the estate. It has also started building dormitories to provide housing options for its locator employees, thereby reducing fuel-powered vehicular trips in and out of the estate.

Another initiative in the pipeline is repurposing plastic waste into eco bricks. This endeavor aims to decrease the entire estate’s ecological footprint, actively promoting the development of a circular economy. Additionally, the estate has partnered with Green Antz for its Compost to Fertilizer program, which utilizes a composting machine to process solid food waste from mall concessionaires and food tenants.

“These efforts form the cornerstone of next-generation cities. We aim to thoroughly embed the smart city model and a sustainability mindset across our organization, encouraging our valued partners and locators to embrace the same standards. In doing so, we catalyze a positive ripple effect on the environment, our country, and the local communities within Lipa-Malvar, Batangas,” said Fernandez de Mesa.

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LIMA Estate was previously recognized by PropertyGuru as the Best Green Development in Asia and awarded the first and only 5-Star BERDE (Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence) District Certification from the Philippine Green Building Council. The certification is a local standard for assessing and certifying industrial estates’ environmental compliance.

With over 170 businesses, more than 4,000 households, a four-star hotel, and 167 retail outlets, LIMA Estate has driven economic development in the CALABARZON region, attracting investments totaling US$1.87 million and generating jobs for over 66,000 Filipinos.

Looking ahead, the estate is poised for further expansion, spanning 150 hectares, with plans to introduce an additional 450 hectares to the market over the next 10 years. These expansion plans aim to accommodate more industries and introduce new amenities that will further enhance the estate’s offerings.

Aboitiz InfraCapital, with its extensive history in creating and managing industrial-anchored estates, takes great pride in its legacy. Over the last 25 years, LIMA Estate has consistently led the way in advocating for sustainable urban living in rural areas. However, their commitment goes further, actively seeking to ensure that their operations consistently adhere to the most current and rigorous global standards for smart and sustainable development.

This strategic approach is vital in anticipating the constantly changing demands of the market. By doing so, Aboitiz InfraCapital remains competitive, effectively representing the Philippines as a top-tier investment destination in Asia.