SM turns malls into solar-powered energy hubs

SM Supermalls is expanding its use of rooftop solar panels across its nationwide network, transforming mall spaces into clean energy hubs while enhancing sustainability without disrupting customer experience.

Through its parent firm SM Prime Holdings Inc., the mall operator has integrated solar power systems into its properties to help reduce pressure on the power grid and improve energy availability for surrounding communities.

Since installing its first solar panels at SM North EDSA in 2014, SM said its solar capacity has grown to a scale capable of powering cities the size of Mabalacat, Pampanga, or Mandaue, Cebu.

“The use of solar power enables SM Supermalls to elevate the service we provide to our customers by embedding sustainability into our daily operations,” SM Supermalls president Steven Tan said.

“When Filipinos visit their most-loved SM malls, they are entering a space that actively helps preserve the environment through responsible resource management, reducing carbon emissions while ensuring more resources remain available for our surrounding communities,” he added.

SM currently utilizes about 65 hectares of rooftop space for solar panels — nearly the size of the entire SM Mall of Asia complex — making it the property developer with the largest clean energy capacity in the country.

Beyond rooftops, the company has introduced innovative applications of solar technology within mall spaces. At the SM Mall of Asia, solar panels are integrated into the MOA Sky walkway, providing shade for visitors while generating energy.

The setup produces enough electricity to run about 1,000 escalators daily or power up to 1,800 homes for a month.

In SM City Bicutan, solar-powered parasols installed at the Sky Garden serve as both design features and functional lighting, delivering up to five hours of illumination after just three hours of daytime charging.

“Our approach to building malls that satisfy our customers and stakeholders goes beyond giving them what is expected,” Tan said. “We believe it is up to us to be proactive in enriching the mall-going experiences of Filipinos by investing in seamless, sustainable solutions that allow us to preserve natural resources for many years to come.”