DHSUD Chief Emphasizes the Role of Environmental Planners in Housing Sector

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo del Rosario emphasized the significant role of environmental planners in improving the sustainability and resiliency of the country’s housing and urban development sector, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported. The government plans to strengthen collaboration with such stakeholders

Sustainable, Resilient Communities

In his keynote speech on the 51st founding anniversary of the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP), Del Rosario encouraged partner-environmental planners to offer inputs on the department’s 20-year National Housing Roadmap. 

He specifically identified their flagship program BALAI (Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable, and Inclusive Filipino communities). Launched in 2017, the program aims to provide adequate and affordable housing to low-income families.

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The key shelter agencies involved in the initiative include the National Housing Authority (NHA), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF/Pag-IBIG), Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC), Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC), and Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) under the supervision of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), as reported by NHA.

The name of the initiative comes from the Malay word “balay,” which means house.

Del Rosario likewise underscored PIEP’s anniversary theme, “Rethinking the PIEP Agenda Beyond its 50th and Engaging Environment Planners in the Context of Covid-19 as the Way Forward.”

While acknowledging the need for better collaboration and proactive planning in promoting inclusivity in the housing policy framework, he said that the sector must also tackle issues surrounding the pandemic, rapid urbanization, and climate change.

Green Building Day

Last month, President Duterte signed a law declaring September 8 of every year as the National Green Building Day, ABS-CBN News reported. 

Proclamation No. 1030 mentions the National Building Code Development Office Memorandum Circular No.1 (s. 2016), which outlines a framework of standards aimed to “reduce the country’s carbon emissions from buildings, and promote the health and well-being of building occupants.”

Promoting sustainable development in the construction sector, the law supports initiatives to “raise awareness on efficient and equitable use of resources, proper water and waste management, and integration of eco-friendly processes and systems.”

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The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be responsible for creating programs and projects for the celebration of National Green Building Day, coordinating with certain groups. Government corporations, state universities and colleges, and local government units are urged to support such initiatives.

Environment-Conscious Property Sector

The new normal brought by the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted further the need for environment-conscious initiatives in the real estate industry. The changes in people’s lifestyles, which altered the way they use their homes, resulted in new buyer demands geared towards sustainability. 

Experts talked about this key market preference shift in the recently concluded Lamudi roundtable discussion titled New Behaviors, New Demands: What Matters to Homebuyers Now.

In the first segment of the virtual event New Rules: Lifestyle Changes to Prepare for, May Lopez, Vice President and Business Unit Head of I-Land, said, “We’re seeing particularly in the period of the pandemic, based on the profile of our buyers, they’re prioritizing end-use properties. They’re finally recognizing the importance of health and wellness benefits made possible by a sustainable design.”

A number of property developers have already been prioritizing sustainability prior to the pandemic. For Lopez, it’s a “guiding principle” in their construction and property management initiatives. 

She pointed out, “We make sure that we get LEED certification for both our office and residential projects. The green building rating system [allows] us to have healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving building designs.”

Highlighting that sustainability entails a human-centered design, she said that their developments offer ample, flexible spaces, spacious balconies that can be urban gardens,  and low-emissivity window panels that reduce energy costs. Such features prove to be beneficial in the time of a crisis.

Meanwhile, in the second track of the virtual event, Jose Mari Banzon, SM Development Corporation’s (SMDC) President, shared that they’ve been following green standards as well to reduce carbon footprint in their developments.

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He pointed out that their projects feature rainwater-harvesting systems, as well as eco-friendly unit fixtures, such as LED lights.

The thought leaders in the virtual roundtable discussion emphasized the value of strategic location in developments, which form part of a more sustainable residence for dwellers. Easy access to key establishments translates to less need for the use of cars.

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Article and Photo originally posted by Lamudi last November 9, 2020 .

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