Message

Extreme typhoons, flooding and unusual

weather we are experiencing during
periods that traditionally were warm
and pleasant, are natures manifestations
of how people are harming the
environment. They are signals that
we must all work together to save our
environment, and lessen the impact of
climate change.
This is why, under my Administration, environmental protection is
a paramount concern. There are many ways we can be protectors of
our ecosystems. One way is by adopting green building practices.
Many of us may not be aware that the construction, maintenance
and demolition of buildings consume a tremendous amount of energy
and resources. Poor choice of materials and construction processes
also lead to more greenhouse gas emissions. The building itself may
compromise air and water quality.
In Quezon City, therefore, we must build green. Owners of green
buildings also benefit through lower electricity and water bills, and
healthier environments, aside from these buildings typically having a
higher appraisal value and enjoying tax incentives.
In 2009, the Quezon City Government pioneered by boldly passing
its Green Building Ordinance. Now, implementation is in full gear,
with the approval of its Implementing Rules and Regulations. These
will now institutionalize eco-friendly systems and technologies
which will inevitably reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions
from buildings and other structures in our city.
Let us work together for the progress of Quezon City, while
contributing to its overall good health, for our welfare and those of
the future generations of Quezon City residents.

HERBERT M. BAUTISTA
City Mayor
Quezon City

PURPOSE

This Primer is intended to help the general public understand the

basics of the Green Building Standards of Quezon City, as embodied
in Implementing Rules and Regulations (Part I) of the Green
Building Ordinance of 2009.
Specifically, it will serve as a guide to those who will be
constructing and/or retrofitting building structures in Quezon
City. The primer uses a question-and-answer format, for easier
understanding of the topics and requirements.
For those who would like to know more details, the primer
directs the reader to the specific provisions of the Green Building
Ordinances Implementing Rules and Regulations, Part I, which is
posted on the website of the QC Government, www.quezoncity.gov.
ph.
This program is a work in process, and guidelines will be
continuously reviewed and updated, to make sure that our Citys
rules and policies continue to conform with current practices of
Green Building technologies, which are also continuously evolving.

GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

cONTENTS

Quezon City

1. What is the
Green Building
Ordinance of
2009?

This is Quezon City Ordinance No. SP1917, which was enacted and approved
by the Quezon City Government in 2009.
It requires the design, construction or
retrofitting of buildings, other structures
and movable properties to meet minimum
standards of a green infrastructure,
providing incentives thereof and for other
purposes.

2. What is a green
building?

It refers to an integrated whole-building

approach to the planning, design,
construction, operation and maintenance
of buildings and their surrounding land
space that help mitigate the environmental,
economic and social impacts of buildings.
Emphasis is on site conservation and
sustainable planning, water conservation and
efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable
energy; conservation of materials and
resources and indoor environmental quality
and human health.

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GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

3. What types of
The type of buildings covered are whole
buildings are
buildings/structures classified by the National
covered by the
Building Code, as follows:
Green Building
Regulations, Part
I?

The total gross floor area of the building, both

for new and existing, as enumerated above,
shall be the total area of all buildings within
the compound to which the project belongs.
4. Who are
required to
comply with the
Implementing
Rules and
Regulations
(IRR) of the
Green Building
Ordinance?

Those who are planning to:

Construct new building within the above
coverage;
Retrofit / renovate existing structures.

5
Quezon City

5. What certifications The Department of Building Official (DBO)

will issue the following certifications:
are issued for the
Green Building

a Preliminary Certificate (PC), upon
infrastructure?
satisfaction of the mandatory and
elective green building requirements;

a Final Certificate (FC), after completion

of the project and once the appropriate
evaluation is completed by the Green
Building Inspection Unit (GBIU),
stating that the building complied with
the green building requirements.

6. How can one apply The proponent goes through the following
steps:
for a Preliminary
Certificate?
1. Obtain the Green Building application
form (see Exhibit A of this primer, for
a sample) from the DBO and fill up all
details.
2. Attach to the application form,
a description of the project plan
illustrating that the operation of the
facility will function according to the
purpose expressed in the application.
3. Submit the filled-up application form
and attachments, together with the
mandatory (page 7) and elective (page
9) requirements, to the DBO, 9th Floor,
Quezon City Hall Main Building.

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GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

7. What are the

The following items, with their specific
mandatory
documentation, are the mandatory
requirements
requirements:
for a
Preliminary
For Land/Site Sustainability
Certificate (PC)?
Inclusion of a Construction Activity Control
Pollution Prevention System which provides
for an erosion, sedimentation and air pollution
control plan to prevent erosion due to storm
water and construction wastewater run-off,
sedimentation of receiving watercourse and air
pollution due to dust and particulate matter
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.2.1 of the IRR..

For Energy Efficiency

Inclusion of an Energy Efficiency Plan, which
provides for efficient lighting fixtures to areas,
maintaining proper illumination levels such
that the percentage improvement in the total
power consumption is 50% or more
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.2.2 of the IRR..

For Water Efficiency

Use of a Water Use Reduction System
Involving Water Efficient Fixtures
which provides at least 50% of the total
requirements for every type of sanitary/
plumbing fixtures installed
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.2.3 of the IRR..

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Quezon City

 For Materials and Resources

Inclusion of a Waste Management Plan
which provides for the installation, operation
and maintenance of a material segregation
facility after the building is completed;
strict observance of Construction Waste
Management practices during the erection of
the building
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.2.4 of the IRR..

For Indoor Environment Quality

Inclusion of a Designated Smoking Area in
the building layout
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.2.5 of the IRR..

For Sewage Treatment Plant

Inclusion of a Sewage Treatment Plant
that complies with the operation and
maintenance of effluent discharge quality,
as prescribed in Section 12.1 of the Green
Building IRR
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.2.6 of the IRR..

8
GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

8. Are there
any optional
requirements in
the availment of
a preliminary
certificate, to
qualify the
project proponent
for a tax credit?

The following are the elective requirements

which DBO will evaluate, either for new
building construction or retrofitting:
For Land/Site Sustainability
For Site Selection
The Construction Plan should include
a flood mitigation study or reference, to
show that the building project will not
sustain any damage from floods due to
extreme weather disturbances.
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (a) of the IRR.

For Mixed-use Neighborhood Center

Inclusion of a Plan providing access of the
public from the building project to other
facilities in this mixed-use neighborhood
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (b) of the IRR..

For Community Connectivity

Inclusion of Plan that provides building
access to establishments or services such as
parks, groceries, medical facilities or food
centers within an approximate distance of 2
km. radius from the project site
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (c) of the IRR.

For transportation involving Bike

9
Quezon City

(Landscape)
The provision of a Plan and layout
showing landscape in open spaces, as
required by applicable laws such that
either of the following conditions is met:
landscape area covers more than 50% of
the open area or landscape area covers
20% to 50% of the open area
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (g) of the IRR..

For greenery involving light-colored

paving or open grid (Hardscape)
Inclusion of plans with specifications
for shade, light-colored paving or open
grid for water absorption by underlying
soil or percolation in open space, as
required by applicable laws. The use of
pavers with solar reflectance index of at
least 29 or use of open grid pavement
system for 50% of the site hardscape is
acceptable.
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (h) of the IRR..

For Green Roof

Inclusion in the plan of provisions for a

10
GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

Racks on Parking Lots

Provision of bicycles and attendant storage
cabinets on parking lots and a listing of the
identified 10 basic services
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (d) of the IRR..

For Transportation Involving Site

Proximity to Transport Hubs
The possibility of the building to be within
less than 500 meters to MRT/LRT stations,
jeepney and bus stops

For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,

item B.2.3.1 (e) of the IRR..

For transportation involving provision

of adequate parking capacity
The parking plan and layout should not
exceed the minimum requirement prescribed
by the National Building Code.

For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,

item B.2.3.1 (f) of the IRR..

For greenery involving open space

11
Quezon City

following conditions are met: airconditioning system is less than 50%

of the total applicable area or airconditioning system is 51% to 75% of the
total applicable area.
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.2 (b) of the IRR..

For natural ventilation

An architectural plan showing the units/
rooms with highlighted window openings
on the North-South direction, to obtain
good natural ventilation
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.2 (c) of the IRR..

For electric consumption reduction

A Plan which provides for the reduction of
energy consumption, in compliance with
the applicable codes for applicable areas
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.2 (d) of the IRR..

12
GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

Green Roof dedicated to plants and trees

and their care, as required by applicable
laws, or providing roofing materials with
heat insulation of at least 75% of the roof
surface
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (i) of the IRR..

For storm water management

Inclusion in the plan of a system that
manages volume of rainwater as measure
to control run-off during building
operation, maintains safe working
conditions and minimizes clogging,
flooding, and degradation of the
environment
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.1 (j) of the IRR..

For Energy Efficiency

For building envelope design
Adoption of Building Envelope Design
that enhances the overall thermal
performance of the building to minimize
heat gain, thus reducing the cooling load
requirement
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.2 (a) of the IRR..

For air-conditioning system

Provision of plans and calculations
adopting
13 the highest Energy Efficient
Ratio
Q u e z(EER),
o n Csuch
i t y that any of the

 For Renewable Energy

Provision of a Plan with complete
specifications and information on the
location of the renewable energy system
as an alternate power source. It should
also present the calculations of the
percentage of electricity replacement
and total annual electrical consumption
of the building, highlighting therein,
data on product and manufacturers
compliance with the renewable system
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.2 (e) of the IRR..

For Water Efficiency

For water use reduction
A Plan which provides reduction of
water consumption, in compliance with
the applicable codes
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex
B, item B.2.3.3 (a) of the IRR.

For water use reduction involving grey

water or rainwater
Plan showing how the grey water source
will be provided
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.3 (b) of the IRR..

14
GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

 For Materials and Resources

For construction waste management
A Plan on how the contractor will
implement an environment-friendly
program for the treatment of construction
waste, either by recycling, disposition of
hazardous construction, or demolition of
debris, by identifying the materials to be
diverted from disposal and whether the
materials will be sorted on-site or comingled
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.4 (a) of the IRR..

For materials reuse

An architectural and structural plan
providing layout, elevation, and sectional
views of the proposed building, showing
30% or more of the areas to be conserved
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.4 (b) of the IRR..

For rapidly renewable materials

Provision of the use of rapidly renewable
materials made from plants with 10-year
or shorter harvest cycle, consisting of at
least 5% of the total material cost
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.4 (c) of the IRR..

15
Quezon City

 For low-emitting materials involving

volatile organic compounds
Use of low-emission Volatile Organic
Compound paints that are certified
under an approved authority, for at least
90% of the internal wall areas.
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.5 (b) of the IRR..

For refrigerant management

involving low ODP and GWP
Use of refrigerants to have an Ozone
Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero or
Global Warming Potential (GWP) of
less than 100, and also data sheets of
product and manufacturers compliance
sheets for equipment with low ODP.
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.5 (c) of the IRR..

Refrigerant Management involving the

use of equipment with long service life
Incorporation of heavy duty
environment-friendly equipment
certified for EER compliance.
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.5 (d) of the IRR..

16

GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

 For waste diversion /reduction

A plan showing in percentage values, the
amount of waste that will be diverted or
reduced, in compliance with the applicable
code
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.4 (d) of the IRR..

For refuse disposal equipment

Provision of a sufficient refuse disposal
equipment storage area for the total
volume of refuse within the prescribed
collection period
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.4 (e) of the IRR..

Indoor Environment Quality

Indoor air quality performance
A plan providing for the elimination of
dampness, to include mold and other
microbial growth, through exhaust
& ionizer/air purifier systems and by
adequate natural ventilation.
For documentary requirements, refer to Annex B,
item B.2.3.5 (a) of the IRR..

17
Quezon City

 Green points for management (Bonus)

BERDE Professionals
The engagement of Professional with
BERDE Accreditation/ Certification.
For documentary requirements, refer
to Annex B, item B.2.3.6 of the IRR..

9. Where can the

application
forms and list
of requirements
for Preliminary
Certification be
obtained?

The application form (see Exhibit A), with

the list of all requirements, can be obtained
from the Department of Building Official
(DBO), 9th floor, Quezon City Hall Main
Building, or can be downloaded from the
Quezon City website, www.quezoncity.gov.
ph.

10. Where will

the completed
application and
all requirements
be submitted?

The application form, together with all

requirements, are to be submitted to the
Department of Building Official, 9th floor,
Quezon City Hall Main Building.

18
GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

11. How is an
application for
Preliminary
Certification
processed?

The DBO shall only accept applications

that are correctly filled up and with
complete mandatory and optional (elective)
requirements, as enumerated in pages 7 and 9
of this primer.
The DBO shall evaluate the features of
the project to verify their conformity with
mandatory requirements. If the project does
not, the DBO shall issue an order for the
applicant to comply with the Green Building
Ordinance
The DBO shall rate compliant projects, in
accordance with the prescribed rating system.
The DBO shall evaluate the optional features
of the projects by reviewing the submitted
elective requirements, and rate the project
The Green points score for the Green Building
Features are as follows:

19

Quezon City

Once DBO has established the

projectscompliance with the Green
Building standards, the Technical
Committee (as provided for by the Green
Building Ordinance) shall recommend
to the City Treasurer and City Assessor
the approval to issue the Preliminary
Certificate (PC). The PC reflects the
following:

12. How many green

points can a
project get, to
qualify for a tax
credit?

The first taxable year for which the credit

maybe applied;

The expiration date of the tax credit, which

can be extended upon the discretion of the
City Treasurer; and

The maximum amount of the total credit

allowed for the particular project, in any
single taxable year.

Following the Quezon City Green Building

Evaluation and Rating Table, the minimum
green points for which a project can qualify
for tax credit is 50, with a rating of silver,
viz:

20
GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

13. How is the

Green Building
Tax Credit
computed?

The formula to be used in arriving at the Tax

Credit is:
GBTC = RPT x Factor
Where:
GBTC = Maximum amount of Green
Building Tax Credit
RPT = Real Property Tax (on improvement/
structure)
Factor = the specific tax credit rate provided
for in the Quezon City Green Building
Evaluation and Rating table

14. What will be

the rating of
buildings with
points below
50?

A building project with points below 50 is not

qualified for any tax credit and shall only be
rated as Green Building compliant.

15. Can a
Preliminary
Certification
be modified or
amended, once
issued?

Yes, by project proponents submission to the

DBO, of a written request using the prescribed
form (Annex B).
The FC is issued upon completion of the

21
Quezon City

16. When is a Final project and after the evaluation by the Green
Certification (FC) Building Inspection Unit (GBIU) that the
project complied with the standards.
issued?

17. What

requirements
are needed to
qualify for Final
Certification?

18. Once the Final

Certificate is
issued, can it still
be revoked?

A prescribed application form (Annex C) for

FC is to be filled up by the project owner/
proponent, within the time frame of the
construction period.
In addition to the mandatory and elective
requirements submitted in the processing
of the PC, an inspection by the GBIU shall
be conducted, to confirm the projects
compliance with green building standards
and adherence to the submitted features of
the plan.
Yes, the DBO can revoke the FC under the
following situations:
The FC was obtained through fraud or
misrepresentation;
Upon inspection by the GBIU, the
owner failed to comply with the
construction plans and standards.
Note: All prior tax credits shall be forfeited
upon notification. The City Treasurer shall
immediately collect those taxes not paid as a
result of tax credits provided.

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GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

19. When shall the

implementation
of the Green
Building
Infrastructure
Standards, take
effect?

The IRR shall take effect thirty (30) days

following its complete publication in a
newspaper of general circulation, with the
following implementation schedules:

For New Buildings : April 2011

For Existing Bldg. or Retrofitting:
Retrofitting/alteration shall be facilitated
within a maximum period of three (3)
years

NOTE:
For more detailed information on the guidelines, procedures,
application forms and other relevant information of the Green
Building Regulations, please visit the Department of the
Building Official, Quezon City Government or visit the Quezon
City website: www.quezoncity.gov.ph.

23
Quezon City

EXHIBIT A
APPLICATION FORM
FOR
PRELIMINARY CERTIFICATION
FOR GREEN BUILDING

GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

EXHIBIT B
APPLICATION FORM
FOR
PRELIMINARY CERTIFICATION
FOR GREEN BUILDING
AMENDMENT

Quezon City

ANNEX C

EXHIBIT C
APPLICATION FORM
FOR
FINAL CERTIFICATION
FOR GREEN BUILDING

GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

RELEVANT REFERENCES
Green Building Ordinance
Ordinance No. SP-1917, series of 2009

An Ordinance Requiring the Design, Construction or Retrofitting

of Buildings, Other Structures and Movable Properties to Meet
Minimum Standards of a Green Infrastructure, Providing Incentives
thereof and for Other Purposes

Green Rooftop Ordinance

Ordinance No. SP-1940, series of 2009

An Ordinance Requiring All New Buildings and Housing

Construction to Plant and Maintain Vegetations in their Rooftops

Quezon City

Quezon City is working to attain international benchmarks for ecologically

compliant cities. The World Bank included the city in the eco2 Cities
(Ecological Cities as Economic Cities) Initiative, which promotes an
environmentally conscious approach to development. The city has
participated actively in Eco2 seminars in Singapore, Washington, Geneva,
and recently, in January 2011, at the Climate Summit for the Financing of
Sustainable Infrastructure for C40 cities in Basel, Switzerland. It was also
invited by the United Nations Center for Regional Development to present
its clean development mechanism program at the Zero Waste Conference
in Tokyo, Japan in February 2011.
The City government also participated in the Energy Sector Management
Assistance Program (ESMAP) Energy Summit, and obtained technical
assistance to develop an energy management agenda for Quezon City.
This gave rise to a collaboration between the citys Department of Building
Official and the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC), for
the adoption of the following programs under the Office of the Mayor:
Procurement guidelines for life cycle costing
Green schools retrofit program
Energy Efficiency program for offices and hospitals
Residential energy efficiency awareness program
Five-year capital planning for energy efficiency retrofits
Municipal fleet maintenance program
Development of implementing rule and guidelines for the citys Green
Building Ordinance, which was enacted in 2009
Creation of the Energy Management Council of Quezon City.
Moreover, Quezon City was chosen by the World Banks Energy Efficient
Cities Initiative as the site in the Philippines, for the field testing of the
Rapid Assessment Framework (RAF) project, under the ESMAP. This project
trains City building officials on the use of this assessment tool which
helps cities quickly assess their energy efficiency performance, identify
underperforming sectors, and define measures the city can take to make
improvements. The RAF was subsequently launched on the worldwide
web, and allows cities all over the world to compare their respective
energy efficiency profiles with other cities, and thus, be able to concentrate
their efforts on specific areas which need improvement. The comparison
shows Quezon City as among the top 15 energy efficient cities worldwide.

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GREEN BUILDING PRIMER

QUEZON CITYS CYCLE OF

PROTECTION & DEVELOPMENT

ENVIRONMENT
MANAGEMENT

DISASTER-RISK
REDUCTION
MANAGEMENT

URBAN
DEVELOPMENT
MANAGEMENT

The Quezon City Government

Quezon City Hall Compound
Elliptical Road, Diliman
Central 1100, Quezon City
Metro Manila, Philippines
Trunkline +63 2 444-7272
www.quezoncity.gov.ph

Department of the Building Official (DBO)

9th Floor Quezon City Hall Main Building
Telephone nos. +63 2 444-7272 extension 8905 & 8908

Quezon City