Through its property arm SM Prime Holdings, Philippine retail and property giant SM Investments has opened its 83rd mall in Balanga, Bataan, integrating sustainability and disaster resiliency in its design.

Being a coastal city, Balanga experiences annual flooding and a history of recurring calamities, so the company equipped the mall with two rainwater catchment tanks that can hold up to 900 cubic meters combined. The catchment tanks aim to reduce soil erosion and stormwater flow that causes urban flooding.

The new mall will use rainwater for water closet flushing, landscape maintenance, and supply water to the cooling towers of the building’s air conditioning system. 

In addition, it will utilise clerestory windows – a series of large windows – for better light disbursement, lessening the facility’s energy consumption, potentially saving up to an estimated 2240 kilowatt-per-hour of energy daily. 

As of last year, the SM group reported that it has already recycled 42.5 million cubic meters of water – enough to fill 17,000 competition-sized pools.

Engr. Junias Eusebio, senior assistant vice president, SM Supermalls – North Luzon B, said the company aims to reach more communities and provide services where possible. 

He added that every SM mall has a supermarket, Watsons for health and hygiene needs, and Ace Hardware to provide products for repairing and maintaining homes. 

“Even the transport terminal is connected to the mall,” said Eusebio.  

“By placing all these stores in our malls, we also lessen our guests’ carbon footprint. They don’t have to visit several places to get their needs.”

The opening of SM City Bataan marks the company’s 25th mall with a rainwater harvesting basin and the 28th with an electric vehicle charging station.