By Emman Cena

At the Greenfield District, practically everything will be "hi-tech" and future-ready. Inside the mixed-use and residential community which boasts of state-of-the-art technology you can command your curtains through a remote control, snoop on your kids' movie playlist and monitor almost everything inside your homes with just a few clicks and taps on a gadget.

In a recent tour to its 10-hectare facility in Mandaluyong, Inquirer Property was given a sneak preview into how the country's first "smart and connected" community will operate once completed. Inside the Twin Oaks Place showroom an Internet-based remote control system practically rules every appliance unit; it can even monitor one's energy consumption.

According to Greenfield Development Corp. officials, the future of urban living is at the Greenfield District where the fusion of hi-tech living and natural serenity exists. True to its claim, the hi-tech community will be the first to use the so-called fiber-to-home wireless technology developed by Cisco and used in modern cities in the world like Seoul.

Through Internet Protocol connectivity, this writer learned how a mobile phone or computer will be configured and becomes the residents' instant remote control system to manipulate their appliances, doors and even curtains. A resident can also practically check which of his/her appliance is functioning or which lights are turned on even when he/she is outside his/her home.

"The technology allows all digital appliances to 'talk' to each other with you as master," said Duane Santos, Greenfield executive vice president and general manager.

Smart, connected district

The fiber technology will be first installed at the Twin Oaks Place, a 43-story residential condominium building. As a smart and connected district, every resident can also enjoy Internet connectivity and bandwidth comparable to first-rate cities in the world.

"The more bandwidth will allow the transfer of more data at greater, ultrafast speeds. The (fiber technology) will also replace the conventional copper wire systems we have," said Stephen Thomas Misa, country general manager of Cisco.

The whole district on Shaw Boulevard is Greenfield's reenvisioning of its prime property into a mixed-use smart and connected city, one which will enable its residents first-rate conveniences that are similarly enjoyed in developments in Korea and India.

Santos said the company's aggressive take will "set the bar higher for real estate development in the country" - one that showcases how nature and science can work hand in hand for a future-ready home.

Set to be completed in May 2014, Twin Oaks Place offers one-bedroom, two-bedroom, lofts and studio units. The residential condominium will also reserve three floors dedicated to commercial use and two floors for amenities.

Santos, who finished a law degree from the Ateneo Law School and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, said the Greenfield District as a first in the country, will completely revolutionize the lifestyle of dwellers.

To conform to its smart and connected blueprint, the company has also reserved up to 40 percent of the entire property for open spaces, featuring generous green areas, pocket parks and tree-lined roads and walkways. The whole site itself will be pedestrian-friendly with the help of its interconnected, above-ground walkways. An interconnected below-ground road network will also help ease the flow of traffic inside and for vehicles' convenience.

Santos revealed they will develop about 35 buildings within the community which will be developed in phases progressively. Part of the complex will be schools, a hospital and rapidly growing business process outsourcing offices (BPOs) which are among its target tenants. Greenfield is also looking to draw more retail locators such as apparel stores, service providers and specialty shops, which will make the area a veritable round-the-clock lifestyle center.