Southlinks Estate has become the first development in Metro Manila to earn a 5-Star BERDE District rating, the highest rating under the country’s national green building certification program.
The milestone puts the 33.6-hectare residential community in South Metro at the forefront of district-scale sustainable development in the capital region.
A maiden development of Height Realty Inc. (HRI), Southlinks Estate and Southlinks Promenade earned the 5-Star rating under BERDE Districts Version 1, Stage 1 – Planning. The rating means the project’s sustainability plans have been independently assessed, audited and verified against standards set by the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC).
BERDE, or Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence, is the country’s voluntary green building rating system.
For district developments, BERDE looks beyond individual buildings. It examines how an entire community is planned, including its relationship with natural systems and local ecosystems, its resilience, and the quality of life it seeks to provide residents.
PhilGBC Chairman Raymond Rufino said independent verification is what gives the certification its value.
“At its core, certification is about verified performance,” Rufino said. “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.”
HRI President and CEO Kevin Kristopher Wong said sustainability has been built into Southlinks from the start.
“Southlinks is not simply about developing residential and commercial spaces,” Wong said. “It is about creating a district that is sustainable, resilient, and designed with the future in mind.”
The 5-Star rating followed extensive studies, documentation, audits and revisions. It covers the planning stage, with succeeding BERDE stages evaluating how the project carries its sustainability commitments through construction, delivery, operations and property management.
The certification also reinforces HRI’s concept of “Green Luxury Living,” which brings together sustainability, wellness, resilience, community and long-term value.
Southlinks Estate is a master-planned community offering residential lots alongside 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,” HRI Assistant Vice President Engr. Jay De Villa said.
