Southlinks earns Metro Manila’s first 5-Star BERDE district rating

Insider Spotlight

• Southlinks Estate is the first Metro Manila development to secure a 5-Star BERDE District rating, the program’s highest level
• The 33.6-hectare community was independently assessed against Philippine Green Building Council sustainability standards
• The certification covers the planning stage, with future assessments set to evaluate construction, operations and property management
  
  
  
  

Southlinks Estate has secured a 5-Star BERDE District rating, making it the first development in Metro Manila to achieve the highest rating under the Philippines’ national green building certification program.

The 33.6-hectare residential community in South Metro, together with Southlinks Promenade, earned the certification under BERDE Districts Version 1, Stage 1 – Planning. Both are developments of Height Realty Inc.

Why it matters

The recognition puts Southlinks among developments adopting sustainability standards at the district level, where environmental performance extends beyond individual buildings to the planning of an entire community.

BERDE, or Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence, is a voluntary green building rating system administered by the Philippine Green Building Council. For districts, it assesses areas including natural systems, local ecosystems, resilience and residents’ quality of life.

“At its core, certification is about verified performance,” Philippine Green Building Council chair Raymond Rufino said in a statement on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.

“It is one thing to have a marketing tagline or a beautiful brochure. It is another to have your project independently assessed, audited, and verified against recognized standards,” he added.

The big picture

HRI said sustainability considerations have been incorporated into Southlinks from the development’s planning stages, supporting its positioning around “Green Luxury Living,” which combines sustainability, wellness, resilience, community and long-term value.

“Southlinks is not simply about developing residential and commercial spaces,” Height Realty president and CEO Kevin Kristopher Wong said. “It is about creating a district that is sustainable, resilient, and designed with the future in mind.”

The rating followed studies, documentation, audits and revisions. Later BERDE stages will assess whether Southlinks carries its sustainability commitments through construction, project delivery, operations and property management.

What’s next

Southlinks Estate is planned as a community combining residential lots with open spaces, lifestyle amenities and future-ready infrastructure.

“This 5-Star BERDE recognition is not the end of our journey, it is only the beginning,” Height Realty assistant vice president Jay De Villa said. —Daxim L. Lucas | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma