SM Supermalls Leads the Way in Water Stewardship Efforts
When customers visit an SM mall, they enjoy clean facilities and cool spaces, which circle back to responsible water management. Because at SM Supermalls, water stewardship means using water wisely, recycling what we can, and protecting water sources for future generations.
The Cornerstone of Sustainability
“Our goal is to be sustainable with water, not just efficient,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan. “We design our developments to be climate-resilient and resource-conscious, ensuring long-term value for our stakeholders.”
In fact, SM Prime’s 2024 Integrated Report shows that water stewardship is at the heart of their sustainability efforts. For example, there are sewage treatment plants currently installed in 88 malls, which recycle water for flushing toilets, cleaning, cooling, and landscaping.
And in 2024 alone, 5.59 million cubic meters of water were recycled. That’s enough to fill 2,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
Rainwater Harvesting in Action
During the rainy season, the Philippines experiences intense downpours that can lead to flooding and water overflow. So SM malls don’t just recycle water; they also collect and treat rainwater.
SM City Baguio has built a Rainwater Treatment Facility (RTF) that turns rainwater into clean, potable water. The RTF has reused over 35 million liters of rainwater to support the mall’s kitchen operations; that’s enough to handwash over 17.5 million plates! This then lessens demand on the local water district, allowing more households to receive clean water.
READ: Rainwater Harvesting: How Does It Work?
Smart Designs for Flood Control
Water stewardship also entails coming up with ideas to prevent flooding. For example, SM City Masinag has a large underground catchment basin that collected over 8,600 cubic meters of water during Super Typhoon “Carina” in 2024.
Currently, there are 29 SM malls with rainwater catchment basins that can hold up to 85,400 cubic meters of rainwater, which helps manage storms and protect surrounding neighborhoods.
Inspiring Conservation Efforts
Beyond just infrastructure, SM malls also promote water-saving tips through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) sector, SM Cares. They’ve plastered “Save Water” signs in restrooms, as well as amplified the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s “Wag Pataksaya” campaign.
As SM Supermalls marks 40 Super Years, it continues to lead in sustainability by designing inclusive malls that conserve water, protect the environment, and support local communities. And with a total of 95 malls across the Philippines and China, SM remains committed to building greener spaces down the line.
