D&L Industries, Inc.'s Batangas Plant, “Central Hub,” Gets LEEDv4 Gold Certification

D&L Industries, a Filipino manufacturing business that aspires to be a truly sustainable and world-class company, has obtained a LEEDv4 Gold Certification for the 6-story Central Hub of its recently operational plant in Batangas from Barone International.

The most popular green building grading system in the world, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, is a worldwide recognized indicator of sustainable accomplishment. It offers a paradigm for cost-effective, incredibly efficient, and healthful green buildings that have positive effects on society, the environment, and governance.

Out of a possible 80 points, D&L's Central Hub received 60 points for all of its features that meet the requirements for transportation, materials, energy, carbon, waste, water, and indoor environmental quality. As a result, the building has received a Gold certification from LEED, which is the second-highest grade. In the Philippines, there are currently just 42 buildings with LEED Platinum and Gold certifications.

“Right at the very beginning, it was our intention to have sustainability at the core of our new plant in Batangas. The plant itself is dedicated towards the manufacturing of higher value added, sustainable, organic, and natural products that harness the power of coconut oil. And true to our advocacy, we wanted to keep to a minimum level the carbon footprint of the operations itself by designing an efficient and sustainable facility,” remarked D&L President & CEO Alvin Lao.
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The D&L plant in Batangas is a showcase for cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and international best practices for integrating sustainability into daily operations. Buildings with sustainable designs, renewable energy sources, a centralized chilled water system, intelligent water metering, and water recycling initiatives are a few of its important characteristics. In order to maintain compliance with regulatory restrictions, the plant will also be outfitted with state-of-the-art technology for the monitoring of important factors like noise emissions, wastewater discharge, and air quality.
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The Central Hub's energy-efficient architecture makes the most of natural light, reflecting solar heat and enhancing interior areas with a light and airy feel. The Central Hub has a 20% higher energy efficiency rating than non-green buildings when compared to ASHRAE 90.1-2010, the international benchmark used to rate the energy efficiency of buildings. On the other hand, the building's water recycling system alone produces an annual water savings of one Olympic-sized pool, or an average 67% reduction from baseline.
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Last but not least—and perhaps most importantly—the architectural design prioritizes people, emphasizing the human experience over merely the physical structure. Managing indoor air quality, thermal comfort, using low-emitting and non-emitting materials (i.e., minimizing exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), natural light, and pleasing views are the main architectural elements that support a healthy indoor environment. This emphasis on the needs of the people highlights D&L's dedication to designing environments that are not just ecologically conscious but also advantageous to their occupants as a whole.

“Our new plant in Batangas is a next generation facility that embodies our advocacy to create a truly sustainable future. With this plant, we are proud and excited to offer to the world sustainable, natural, and organic products that are manufactured by a Filipino-owned, world-class facility,” Lao concluded.