Aboitiz Economic Estates has received the Business Leadership in Sustainability Award under the Developer category from the Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC), recognizing its efforts to integrate sustainability into infrastructure, utilities, estate operations and workforce development.

The recognition comes as the industrial developer seeks to position sustainability as part of the operating fundamentals that support long-term investment and competitiveness.

Aboitiz Economic Estates is the first industrial developer in the Philippines to secure 5-Star BERDE District Certification across its entire operating portfolio, covering LIMA Estate in Batangas, Mactan Economic Zone 2 Estate and West Cebu Estate.

The district certification evaluates sustainability performance across energy, water, transport, infrastructure, land use and estate management.

“For many international companies, sustainability is already part of the investment baseline. It sits alongside infrastructure, utilities, talent and operating continuity when companies evaluate where they can establish and grow,” Aboitiz Economic Estates president and CEO Rafael Fernandez de Mesa said.

At LIMA Estate, power distribution is managed by LIMA EnerZone, with supply that includes geothermal and hydroelectric sources. The estate also has 31 megawatts of installed rooftop solar capacity across commercial and industrial facilities.

Its water system, managed through LIMA Water, uses a Smart Water Network that provides real-time monitoring of system conditions and maintenance.

The company said the system has reduced repair-related operating costs by up to 30 percent, fuel consumption linked to operational monitoring by up to 20 percent, and maintained average facility uptime at 99.3 percent.

The estates also incorporate disaster resilience, waste recovery, electric mobility and workforce development into their operations.

Through its Talent Edge program, the company works with educational institutions and employers to develop skills aligned with manufacturing requirements. Its partnership with Batangas State University includes an industry-based engineering campus within LIMA Estate.

Aboitiz Economic Estates manages and develops about 2,100 hectares of industrial-anchored estates, supporting more than 260 locators, over P175 billion in investments and more than 100,000 jobs.

“Investment readiness goes beyond having available land,” Fernandez de Mesa said. “It requires infrastructure that works, utilities businesses can depend on, people with the skills industries need, and systems that can perform over time. Sustainability strengthens those fundamentals and helps keep our estates competitive for the long term.”