A Powerhouse Development for the better
Establishing a ‘point of difference’ in a city filled with good developers is viewed by June Bernard, the CEO of Powerhouse Development Co Ltd, as one key way for her business to stand out from the crowd.
Bernard accepts that Pattaya is blessed with some very good development companies, so, for her, the best way to make Powerhouse Developments stand out is to ‘go green’.
Thankfully, rather than just utter the phrase, for June Bernard this really does mean she is focusing on making all Powerhouse Development projects adhere to a genuinely ‘green’ standard.
By operating in an eco-friendly way in what she terms ‘Living Green’ she believes this immediately confers on Powerhouse Development Co Ltd a significant ‘point of difference’ from the rest of the Pattaya field.
Bernard also believes establishing a definite green philosophy will be beneficial in the longer term for her company. As she notes, the Living Green concept will allow her to give something back to the community and the Powerhouse projects will potentially become the benchmark by which others can be judged when it comes to being environmentally friendly.
Two current Powerhouse Development projects which will incorporate a series of Living Green measures into their construction are Skylight and Habitus.
Both buildings will have UV coatings on all windows, a measure that can reduce heat by half; an underground reservoir which will hold rain water which will then be recycled for use on the landscaped gardens; solar panel cells which will be used to light up the common areas; and air-conditioning units that will be energy saving but also produce hot water.
The solar panels will help to offset overall electricity usage, which will result in lower maintenance fees; it also means the common areas will remain lit if there happens to be a power outage.
LED lighting is being installed in all units which will help reduce the monthly electric bill. The UV-coated windows will help in this regard as well. After all, reduced external heat levels mean less of a need to keep the air-conditioning pumping out for the whole day.
The air-conditioning units are also designed to supply hot water for the units, thereby serving a dual purpose. As well, the air-con units have no compressor, so unit owners can happily sit on their balconies and not be subjected to the heat from the compressor. June Bernard also says the air-conditioning units are less noisy, meaning they could even be installed inside should someone prefer this, rather than have them in the usual balcony spot.
Overall, these Living Green energy initiatives are expected to produce a 40 to 50 percent greater energy efficiency than most places currently in existence in Pattaya.
This is a massive potential saving and Bernard believes this is one way Powerhouse Developments can give something back to the whole Pattaya community.
This leading by example, if it proves as successful and popular as is highly likely, could eventually see the Powerhouse Development model become the norm for much future building in and around Pattaya.
Powerhouse Developments are committed to building good quality accommodation in sought-after locations. June Bernard stresses that the costs of Living Green are not as prohibitive as many seem to believe and while she is prepared to sacrifice a small percentage of profit to achieve the desired Living Green-style build, over the longer term the company is almost certain to see a strong result in its end-of-year bottom line while leaving a lasting positive legacy in the Eastern Seaboard.
