Green Breakthroughs
Reymond S. Reteracion
Green building is not the exclusive domain of high-end commercial and residential developments. Socialized and economic homes can be green yet affordable for low-income families.
Homes in Grand Strikeville IV in Cavite received the EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Green Building Certification for meeting green building international standards set by the International Finance Corp. of the World Bank Group.
Grand Strikeville IV in Brgy. Mambog 2, Bacoor, Cavite is a joint project of PHINMA Properties, the City of Bacoor and Pag-IBIG Fund aimed at helping address the current housing backlog of 6.3 million homes for informal settler families. Through this project, Phinma brings hopes for Filipinos to live in green homes in a secure community.
Green homes offer economic, environmental and social benefits. This technology improves air and water quality, reduces waste streams, as well as conserves and restores natural resources. Its economic benefits include reduced operating costs, improved occupant productivity, optimized life-cycle economic performance and enhanced asset value and profits. It also improves indoor air quality, minimizes strain on local utility infrastructure, enhances occupant health and comfort, promotes healthy living and well-being.
There may be negative perception that green homes are expensive. In truth, when done at the design stage, green homes may even cost lower to construct. Even in cases where additional investments will be needed, operational cost savings could be generated in the long run.
The 4.5-hectare Grand Strikeville IV property has solar-powered streetlights. Fitting of solar panels has also begun on some of the 757 row houses and soon all 115 townhouses will have solar panels installed.
It is estimated that this green feature will save the community P40,000 each month in power costs and, more importantly, help reduce green house gas emissions.
The Strikeville Homes design received the EDGE Green Building Preliminary Certification, attesting to potential energy savings of 41.49% and 38.8% water savings. Energy efficiency features include reduced window-to-wall ratio, external shading devices, insulation of external walls and solar photovoltaics. Water efficiency features include a three-liter per minute flow showerhead and a 4.5-liter per flush water closet.
The project has 22.8% less embodied energy — the sum of energy used to build the houses — with the use of aluminum sheets on steel rafters, finished concrete flooring, as well as 3-D wire panels with shotcrete for external and internal walls in combination with in-situ reinforced walls.
Grand Strikeville IV is PHINMA Properties’ contribution to building sustainable communities and helping the government achieve climate change mitigation targets. PHINMA Properties and other developers are increasingly building green high-end, low-cost and socialized housing projects.
Architect Reymond S. Reteracion, is a UAP, RMP, EDGE Expert
