Energy efficiency and remarkable contribution to the government’s energ conservation program won for the SM Group of tycoon Henry Sy 48 energy citations including the prestigious Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Awards for 2014.
The award-giving body said SM got a total of 48 awards, the most number given to a company.
The Don Emilio Abello Efficiency Awards is spearheaded by the Department of Energy in recognition to outstanding companies and energy managers who have achieved substantial savings in their energy consumption.
SM Engineering team Vice President for EDD Operations Teodoro S. Bautista said SM saved the equivalent of P320.28 million in electricity costs or 31,616, 923 kWh.
“This saved energy can power for one year 3,609 – 1kW households of 50sqm size or 360,924 – 10W light bulbs or 120,308 – 30W electric fans or 515,605 – 7W cellphone chargers. Continuous efficiency in energy consumption may help reduce the impending power shortage,” he said.
He noted that aside from making their operations sustainable, they are also contributing to the mitigation of climate change and the power shortage.
He said the engineering department was initially ordered by SM Prime president, Hans Sy, in 1998 to look for systems and technologies that would reduce the electrical consumption of the malls and optimize the operation of its machines and equipment.
He said Sy has already foresighted as early as that time the rising cost of electricity.
SM malls, a department store and two office buildings were conferred 48 energy efficiency awards, including a Hall of Fame award, out of the 147 given during the awarding ceremonies held at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati recently.
The Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Awards gave eight types of award – the Secretary’s Award, Hall of Fame Award, Outstanding Award [achieved energy efficiency by at least five (5) percent], Citation Award [efficiency of more than three (3) but less than five (5) percent], Special Award [efficiency of one (1) to less than three (3) percent], Indigenous Award, Awards of Recognition and Outstanding Energy Manager.
Companies submit their consumption reports that are evaluated by the steering committee composed of the DOE Secretary (Chairman), and top executives from the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), National Power Corporation (Napocor), Manila Electric Company (Meralco), Petron, Philippine Energy Conservation Center, Inc., Chevron, Energy Development Utilization Foundation, Inc., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp, and Energy Efficiency Practitioners Association of the Philippines
SM Clark received the Hall of Fame Award for being a recipient of three outstanding awards for three years (2009, 2010 and 2014).
Aside from SM Clark, other recipients of the Outstanding Award were the SM City malls in Batangas, Bacolod, Bacoor, Cebu, Consolacion, Fairview, Iloilo, Lipa, Lucena, Manila, and The Podium; SM Quiapo; office buildings SM Cyber Makati 1 and One E-Com Center. Citation Awards were given to SM Centers in Las Pinas, Muntinlupa and Valenzuela and SM City Sta. Rosa while Special Awards were given to SM City malls in Bicutan, Calamba, Marikina, Marilao, Megamall, Novaliches, Pampanga, Rosales, San Lazaro and Sta. Mesa; and the SM Center in Pasig.
For being the only Philippine company to receive an award at the 2014 ASEAN Best Practice for Energy Management in Buildings and Industries, SM City Davao was given an Award of Recognition. SM City Davao won 2nd runner up in the Large Buildings Category at the ASEAN energy awards.
SM City Naga was also given an award of recognition for its entry for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Best Practices Competition in the new and existing buildings category.