The Resilient Case of SM City Baguio
(From L-R photo Image) SM City Baguio Sky Terrace, and UN Sustainable Development Goal 13, Climate Action.
Typhoons, typhoons and more typhoons! That is our everyday reality during the monsoon season. It is not about to get better with the increasing effects of climate change looming on our horizon.
Baguio City is one of the places in the country that gets the highest amount of rain, and despite its elevated location, puts lives and properties at risk of flooding.
We are left with only one resort – TO THRIVE ABOVE OR TO SINK BELOW. Together with the resilient design of SM City Masinag, let’s look at the RESILIENT CASE of SM City Baguio
PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES
Before climate change and disaster risk reduction became mainstream, SM has been incorporating innovative features in our buildings to make sure that our tenants, employees, and customers are protected during calamities. Because we can operate during times of disasters, we are able to serve as safe haven to our stakeholders and act as first responders such as providing Kalinga Packs to our communities.
HELPING OUR COMMUNITIES ADAPT
With the average rainfall continually rising, flash floods and landfalls are expected in Baguio City. In just minutes, years of investments, as well as memories, hopes, and dreams, can be washed away. Many Filipinos fall victim to La Niña and stronger typhoons. That is why we spend 10% of our building capital to make our buildings disaster resilient and helping our communities become resilient as well. To date, we have installed water catchment basins in 25 malls including SM City Baguio to help prevent flooding as well as soil erosion during sudden high volumes of rainfall.
RESILIENT CASE OF SM CITY BAGUIO
Our communities residing near SM City Baguio can be assured that we are a good neighbor that they can rely on during times of calamities.
Did you know that the size of our rainwater catchment at SM City Baguio is 3,159 square meters or twice the size of the Baguio City Botanical Garden? It has a capacity to hold 6,390 cubic meters of water, equivalent to two and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools. This means that we help alleviate concerns caused by heavy rains on the city drainage system.
In 2021, the catchment proved useful when Tropical Storm Maring dumped 625.5 millimeters of rain over Baguio City, that’s more than a month’s worth in a 24-hr period. The catchment serves as a holding tank that lessens the load of water passing through the drainage, aiding in flood prevention and avoiding soil erosion by reducing water run-off.
Now how does this work?
The water holding tank located on the lower ground floor of the mall building collects rainwater, not only from the mall’s roof deck and perimeter. The rainwater is collected and stored until utilized by the mall.
Interesting, isn’t it? Next time you visit SM City Baguio, you now have a different way of seeing it – not only to be a fun place to enjoy but it is also a place you can rely on during times of calamities.
SM City Baguio’s Water Catchment Facility supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 13, Climate Action. ### (PR)
