LG Electronics Philippines has opened an HVAC Academy and Business Innovation Center in Silver City, Pasig, combining technical training on heating, ventilation and air conditioning with demonstrations of its commercial products. The facility opened on October 9, as weather forecasters warn of a prolonged El Niño that will put more strain on cooling systems.
PAGASA expects a strong to very strong El Niño to last into the first half of 2027. Its October 7 advisory warned the event could intensify and bring below-normal rainfall, dry spells or drought to some areas. Under those conditions, the energy efficiency of large cooling systems matters more, and the choice of equipment, installation, maintenance and controls all shape how well they perform.
Sales manager Vanlee Budod said data centres are now the company’s priority. “LG Global’s main target right now are data centers,” she said. LG expects demand for commercial and industrial cooling to grow over the next one to two years, with semiconductor plants, healthcare, commercial property, hospitality and smart buildings also on its list. Budod said LG is watching the Philippines’ involvement in the US-led Pax Silica initiative but stressed the company is only preparing for possible opportunities, not announcing any project.
The academy’s courses cover engineering design and simulation, advanced HVAC equipment, smart building controls and cloud-based management. Hands-on sessions deal with variable refrigerant flow systems, heat pumps, chillers and centralised controls. LG is aiming for at least four sessions a week with 10 to 20 participants each, targeting mechanical contractors, consulting engineers, commissioning technicians, facilities managers and its own staff. Training is free, and some participants may earn an internal LG certification after an assessment.
The Pasig site follows a similar LG facility that opened in Cebu in 2025. The company is also considering a partnership with TESDA, the state technical education agency, though no formal agreement or timeline exists. The Business Innovation Center in the same building shows LG’s commercial and educational displays, hospitality screens, IT products and commercial laundry equipment, giving building owners and contractors one place to see the full range. By training the contractors and engineers who specify and install cooling systems, LG is also building familiarity with its own equipment among the people who recommend it to clients, at a time when it expects demand from large facilities to rise.
