By supporting the Water for Tomorrow Campaign, SM Prime promotes sustainability

“As businesses face growing water challenges, we must take action to secure our Water for Tomorrow. Water stewardship is an investment in our future. We must move beyond conservation and prioritize resource protection, waste reduction and water security for future generations.” ~Hans T. Sy, SM Prime Executive Committee Chairman

SM Development Corporation (SMDC)’s Sea and Shore Residences donate their treated wastewater to green the landscape of the Estates in Mall of Asia Complex.

With freshwater resources being strained by rising urbanization and population increase, one of the most urgent issues of our day is access to clean and drinkable water.  Effective water management is essential for both the environment and civilization, according to the United Nations (UN)-Water.

Since the early 1990s, long before water stress and its connection to climate change were generally acknowledged, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), a prominent integrated property developer in Southeast Asia, has placed a high priority on water conservation and management.

In order to ensure responsible resource management and promote the welfare of the people it serves, SM Prime actively incorporates climate resilience into its initiatives through its water stewardship campaign, Water for Tomorrow.

Sustainable water management

SM Prime's building operations incorporate effective management systems and water conservation methods.  To lower freshwater consumption and the need for municipal water supplies, the corporation makes significant investments in sustainable water management technologies.  In order to address the growing problem of water security, it has identified innovative and realistic water usage practices. 

Sixty-one percent of SM Prime's reported 7.2 million cubic meters of water use in 2023 came from recycling. 

Mall operations typically use over 1 billion gallons of recycled water.  Recycled water is used by SM Supermalls for air conditioner tower cooling, plant and landscaping maintenance, and cleaning and sanitation. The mall's water usage is also controlled with low-flow fixtures and water-saving technologies with efficient plumbing. 

The group as a whole has scaled these practices.  Greywater is recycled by sewage treatment systems located in the Mall of Asia Complex's E-Com Centers for SM Offices.  In addition to rainfall collecting devices that support the upkeep of its urban gardens, the Sea and Shore Residences of SM Development Corporation (SMDC) provide their treated wastewater discharge to the greening of the MOA Complex's estates. 

The Pico Sands Hotel's freshwater usage was cut by 36% as part of SM Hotels and Convention Corporation's water conservation program, resulting in 52% water reuse and 41% for Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club. Since 2010, its water desalination plant, which serves all developments that call Hamilo home, has had a major impact on water management and sustainable eco-tourism in conjunction with Hamilo Coast, SM Prime's luxury and recreational estates in Nasugbu, Batangas. 

Protecting water resources 

SM Prime supports this year’s UN-Water World Water Day 2025 on March 22, which focuses on the theme “Glacier Preservation.” 

Glaciers, which are found halfway around the world, are essential to the global water cycle.   About 69% of the fresh water on Earth is stored in glacial ice, making it the greatest freshwater reserve.  The world faces a water crisis that will impact the most vulnerable due to accelerated glacial melting, changing rainfall patterns, droughts, and rising sea levels.

SM Prime keeps incorporating water-efficient solutions into its real estate projects since it understands these difficulties and the necessity of a consistent water supply.  This promotes appropriate water use among mall patrons, tenants, staff, and communities while also raising public awareness.  To lessen reliance on freshwater sources, SM Supermalls opened the SM City Baguio rainwater treatment facility (RTF) in 2023. It is still operational and providing services to its host community after turning 17,000 cubic meters of rainwater into drinkable water. 

SM Prime’s Water for Tomorrow program plays a key role in SM Prime’s sustainability strategy, along with Net Zero by 2040 and a Waste-Free Future.