By Perla Lena
ILOILO CITY – Lambunao town in Iloilo province takes pride in its P67-million Government Center which aims to set the standard for municipal buildings for its “green” components at least in its province.
The building allows air through side openings, providing natural ventilation of its indoor spaces. Its clerestory windows help amplify the effect while allowing daylight to reflect on white-colored ceilings, bringing down energy costs through the natural diffusion of light across the spaces below.
Further, the louver sun shading fins attached to the side of arched windows and the wide V-shaped sun shading element used throughout the building and at the lobby facades block off direct sunlight in the southeast and northwest at critical times of the day.
The two-story building with a roof deck that allows for a majestic view of Lambunao town landscape was completed on February 22 and inaugurated on Friday.
The design was conceptualized in 2016 under the administration of then mayor and now board member Jason Gonzales.
Through online voting and physical ballots, stakeholders including barangay captains, students, and municipal employees were asked to choose their preferences from 14 designs submitted by as many architectural firms.
Gonzales said the people of Lambunao can claim they were part of the process in building the municipal hall. “It’s a building with green elements. Basically, it’s a building that reduces carbon footprint, whether on the use of electricity or the use of water, through its design.”
“The features and the prominent glass walls in the building’s interior signify transparency, a respect for the (residents’ hard-earned contributions to the community’s coffers and an understanding of inclusiveness as an imperative of governance,” Gonzales added. (PNA)