Filinvest keeps its cool as energy savings heat up

Insider Spotlight

• Filinvest City’s district cooling system has delivered about P2.42 billion in energy cost savings
• PDDC says its cooling facilities can cut energy consumption by at least 40 percent
• The Filinvest-ENGIE venture is taking its cooling solutions beyond the Filinvest ecosystem
  
  
  

Filinvest is keeping its cool as rising energy costs put more pressure on businesses and property owners to trim expenses without sacrificing efficiency.

The conglomerate is widening the reach of centralized cooling solutions designed to help large developments consume less electricity and water while lowering operating costs and their carbon footprint.

The big chill

Through Philippine DCS Development Corp. (PDDC), its joint venture with global energy company ENGIE, Filinvest offers end-to-end cooling solutions for commercial buildings, malls, offices and mixed-use developments.

Established in 2015, PDDC handles project financing, system design, construction, installation, operations and maintenance for district and stand-alone cooling systems. The setup allows property owners to modernize cooling infrastructure without hefty upfront capital investments.

Savings add up

At Filinvest City in Muntinlupa, PDDC has operated one of the country’s largest district cooling systems since 2017, supplying chilled water to 16 office buildings.

The system had saved more than 108 gigawatt-hours of electricity as of end-June 2026, translating to about P2.42 billion in energy cost savings at current prices. It also avoided more than 76,000 metric tons of carbon emissions, according to a company release.

“District cooling is more than an energy solution. It is a strategic investment in sustainable urban infrastructure that helps create more energy-efficient and competitive facilities and business districts,” PDDC general manager Jonathan Urbano said.

Beyond Filinvest

PDDC has brought its cooling expertise to Clark International Airport, Festival Mall, Quest Hotel Manila and PBCom Tower in Makati, among other developments.

The company now manages 27,600 tons of refrigeration capacity, with its systems generating 120,000 megawatt-hours in energy savings and avoiding 84,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

PDDC is also opening its end-to-end cooling solutions to non-Filinvest property owners and developers without requiring upfront capital expenditure.

“Our current facilities are achieving efficiency levels of approximately 0.60 kilowatt per ton of refrigeration, resulting in energy savings of at least 40%. All businesses, not just Filinvest companies, can really benefit from adopting our cooling systems because they promote operational efficiency while supporting the companies’ ESG and sustainability goals,” Urbano added. —Princess Daisy C. Ominga | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma