SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) has strengthened its commitment to responsible resource management through water circularity programs, rolling out water conservation initiatives across its network of SM Supermalls nationwide since the late 1990s. Integrated into its day-to-day operations, SM Malls employs innovative water management solutions that help reduce consumption and minimize waste, lessening reliance on the national water supply while delivering long-term value amid growing climate and resource challenges.
Since its implementation, SM has achieved a 59% decrease in water wastage, equivalent to saving one 1.5-liter bottle of water every time a user operates a faucet for just seven seconds.
Macro to Micro: SM’s approach to water conservation
Against the looming possibility of an extended drought caused by El Niño, saving every drop of water finds greater importance for SM Supermalls. Designed with sustainability in mind, SM Malls use innovative water management systems that not only promote saving water from wastage but also significantly reduce consumption. This helps lessen the use of fresh water resources from national water systems and leave more water for its surrounding communities to use.
SM ensures sustainable water use through advanced recycling and rainwater harvesting systems. In 2025, sewage treatment plants in its 89 malls recycle an estimated 6.6 million cubic meters of property wastewater for non-potable use. The rainwater treatment facility in SM Baguio innovatively harvests and treats rainwater collected during the wet season and transforms it into water for kitchen and tenant use.
As a key customer touchpoint in water management, faucets also regulate the outflow of water for every use. SM’s investments in “push delay” faucets create sustainable operations to strengthen water conservation. These faucets save water by preventing it from being left running by restricting water flow through a certain window of time.
Technology then paved the way for enhanced conservation, and SM started using no-touch, sensor type faucets in 2015, far before the sanitary restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sensor type faucets help save water by automatically shutting outflow of water once the sensor does not detect a user. Additionally, these types of faucets typically require less water pressure, which also reduces water waste. Significant investments in systems such as sensor faucets also reduce wear and tear on fixtures and equipment, resulting in long-term savings and improved water conservation.
With its implementation, SM saw a 59% reduction in water waste, translating to saving the equivalent of a 1.5-liter bottle of water per user using the faucet over just 7 seconds.
By installing water-efficient fixtures equipped with advanced technology across its most visited malls, SM is helping safeguard vital water resources for both its operations and the communities it serves. Guided by the Water for Tomorrow pillar of the SM Green Movement, the company continues to promote responsible water consumption, minimize its environmental footprint, and help ensure water availability for future generations.
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