Siam Piwat Group, Thailand's leading real estate and retail developer, is actively forging partnerships across diverse sectors to attain a positive impact with the ambitious goal of transitioning all its properties to run on 100% renewable energy by 2030.
Naratipe Ruttapradid, the group's chief operating officer, said the company is reinforcing its leadership in sustainable world-class destination development by collaborating with partners from various sectors to create meaningful connections between businesses, people, society and the environment.
"Siam Piwat has long earned recognition from numerous world-class brands for its steadfast commitment to sustainable principles and practices. Guided by our vision to enhance the well-being of society and elevate the quality of life, we are dedicated to leveraging our business as a platform of opportunities for nurturing individual capabilities," said Ms Naratipe.
"Our aim is to ensure all stakeholders prosper and thrive alongside us. Moreover, we place paramount importance on environmental preservation across all our operations, promoting resource efficiency and reutilisation."
She said Siam Piwat is deeply committed to utilising its extensive capabilities and robust business networks to establish a model for urban environmental revitalisation, while spearheading the adoption of renewable energy and comprehensive 360° waste management solutions.
The group is scheduled to enter into a memorandum of understanding with global brands focused on sustainability by early 2024, with the aim of achieving an ambitious goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
"Siam Piwat has long been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives. Having served as a consultant to Siam Piwat for over a decade, I can affirm it is a private enterprise committed to concrete and robust environmental practices, consistently aligning with or even exceeding internationally recognised standards," said Singh Intrachooto, a consultant and sustainability expert, and a driving force behind Siam Piwat's sustainability endeavours and eco-projects for more than a decade.
Noteworthy green initiatives cultivated in partnership between Siam Piwat and Assoc Prof Singh include eco-projects designed to transform shopping centres into learning centres on the subject of sustainability.
In addition, they collaborated on Kheo Siam, an insightful publication addressing environmental issues not only in Thailand, but also on a global scale.
The publication delves into eco-trends and outlines Siam Piwat's pioneering approaches to environmental management.
Clean power and waste management towards net zero
Siam Piwat seamlessly integrates environmental stewardship into its core business operations.
This commitment begins with a strong focus on energy conservation and heightened energy efficiency.
For example, the company adopted measures such as replacing conventional lighting with energy-efficient LED bulbs and deploying state-of-the-art artificial intelligence-powered environmental control systems within its properties.
Moreover, Siam Piwat embarked on a journey towards cleaner energy sources, installing rooftop solar panels at Iconsiam mall, generating an impressive annual output of more than 1 million kilowatt-hours (kWh).
This initiative contributes to a significant reduction of roughly 550 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in greenhouse gas emissions a year.
Siam Piwat also teamed up with Gunkul Engineering Plc to develop and install a sprawling rooftop solar panel system, covering more than 20,000 square metres at Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok.
This large project yields more than 4.8 kWh per year, which translates to a reduction of roughly 4,300 tCO2e in greenhouse gas emissions annually.
WORKING WITH PARTNERS
The company also collaborated with partners to establish electric vehicle charging stations within its shopping centres to serve its customers.
Siam Piwat is working with several clean energy organisations in Thailand, including SCG Cleanergy Co, a subsidiary of Siam Cement Group, and B.Grimm Power, to procure renewable energy with the objective to facilitate the seamless transition of every shopping centre within the Siam Piwat Group towards renewable energy sources.
The effort aims to significantly diminish dependence on electricity derived from fossil fuels.
The ambitious target is by 2026, Siam Piwat wants renewable energy to make up 30% of total electricity consumption across all properties under its direct management.
The ultimate goal is 100% usage of renewable energy across all properties under its direct management by 2030. Meeting that goal would make it a member of RE100, a global renewable energy pact among corporations that commit to full usage of renewable energy.
In addition to its energy-focused endeavours, Siam Piwat is deeply committed to addressing Thailand's pressing waste management challenges.
The company's approach revolves around promoting resource efficiency through the principles of a circular economy, epitomised by the Siam Piwat "360° Waste Journey to Zero Waste" initiative.
This programme established a recycling collection center in collaboration with various partners to collect and sort cleaned waste for recycling to be repurposed or upcycled to enhance its value.
Select upcycled products are available for sale on Ecotopia, the group's environmentally conscious retail platform.
In its efforts to build a sustainable future, Siam Piwat set a target to divert 50% of its waste away from landfills by 2030.
Another growing challenge is electronic waste (e-waste), where Siam Piwat partnered with Synnex for the "Trusted by Synnex E-Waste" project.
This collaboration helped establish designated collection points for e-waste within the premises of Siam Paragon.
Strategy for Developing Pathumwan as a Smart Model
In addition to its commitment to the sustainable development of world-class destinations, Siam Piwat is dedicated to advancing its business in a manner that fosters mutual benefits for all stakeholders within its ecosystem.
This effort encompasses the diverse communities residing in Pathumwan, a district nestled in the heart of Bangkok and home to various Siam Piwat projects.
Today marks the beginning of Siam Piwat's role in spearheading the transformation of this district into a pioneering smart ecosystem.
To realise this vision, the company embarked on a collaborative journey with Assoc Prof Niramon Serisakul, director of the Urban Design and Development Center at the Center of Excellence in Urban Strategies in the Faculty of Architecture at Chulalongkorn University.
Assoc Prof Niramon provided insights on the transformative initiative aimed at turning Pathumwan into an exemplar for smart ecosystems.
"Pathumwan stands as the bustling epicentre of shopping destinations, drawing Thai and international visitors of all age groups. This vibrant district boasts a diverse array of shopping centres, department stores and community malls, seamlessly blending both vertical and horizontal structures to cater to the unique lifestyle preferences of every individual," said Ms Naratipe, the chief operating officer.
"Moreover, Pathumwan hosts a rich tapestry of educational institutions, tutoring schools, offices, mixed-use buildings and more."