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The Future of Sustainable Housing Solutions

Developing a Calamity-Proof Housing Design

 

The real estate business has seen a peak in growth in the 21st century. Currently, many real estate developers compete in a concentrated market, selling houses or properties to people who opt to scale up their quality of living and join the urbanization.


Market competition becomes tight, especially for emerging developers who want to jive into the business trend. Securing a name in the industry as a growing brand becomes a complex challenge; like any other business, business entities are innovating new ideas to set apart their brand. The challenge is to provide the market with identical products and services as the competitors (in this case, livable houses or properties) but attract loyalty from the clients or customers and for them to patronize your brand above anybody else’s. Most developers, especially the already established and the big ones, tend to focus on generating revenues rather than being concerned with customer satisfaction and care.


This gap paves the way for young brands to showcase their strengths and establish a reputation that closes these gaps and attracts customer or client loyalty and patronization. 


This study aims to provide clients and investors with comprehensive literature that explains the corporation’s innovative business approach and a thorough theoretical guide to business principles and practices. It also aims to strengthen Buerise’s aim to close the gap in product quality that the Philippines needs. The Philippines, a country prone to natural disasters such as typhoons, must adapt to these changes, not just mitigate risks, and incorporate international building standards, like those in Japan, severe flooding into housing projects.


The Philippines lies near the Pacific Ocean, making it prone to natural disasters such as typhoons. On average, 20 typhoons visit the country, causing heavy rains, severe flooding, and strong winds. The country experiences moderate events that induce these annual problems, like crop floods, flash floods, and storm surges, but can sometimes experience extremely disastrous events that threaten lives, properties, and the environment. 


Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the country’s most disruptive typhoons. It left Tacloban and its neighbors in a wreck, with damage estimated at 95.5 billion pesos and 6,300 deaths. Typhoons are among the natural disasters that damage land and sea properties in the country. 


This has been an agenda for government agencies like DPWH, NGOs, and public and private property developers to understand and mitigate such disasters' risks, physical vulnerabilities, damages, and economic loss.


As urbanization continues in the country, the damages and risks brought about by typhoons remain a great challenge and hindrance to its progress. This raises the focus of the works on risk reduction and mitigation of disasters by natural reasons, as it contributes to deaths and property damages, especially in developing countries such as the Philippines. The work for urbanization assesses and understands potential risks and hazards and incorporates these data into understanding the physical vulnerability of properties and settlements to natural disasters to help them evaluate the quality of the house and building materials and gauze the possible damage that may inflict these structures, and challenge developers in eliminating or mitigating them.


This study aims to explore the gaps in the existing housing material quality that are mainly affected and damaged by natural disasters, develop material innovations and systems that would resolve the dilemma, and integrate them into the development of their properties.


Environmental Factors 


Typhoons are the most destructive and frequent natural disasters in the Philippines. The country's location near the Pacific Ocean makes it most vulnerable to typhoons, which bring moderate to extreme weather conditions that disrupt life on land and at sea. On average, twenty typhoons visit the country annually, and each landfall puts everything in jeopardy and puts everything at risk of damage, loss, and trouble. 


Aside from death and casualties, one of the costly effects of typhoon visits is property damage that displaces families and individuals, disrupts essential services and slows down the economy. The burden of rebuilding and reconstructing damaged properties and buildings is a complex, challenging, and costly process. 


One of the most considerable typhoon damages ever recorded in the Philippines was Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda, which left Tacloban in ruins in 2013. An estimated 1.1 Million homes were destroyed or damaged, leaving 4 million individuals displaced. The coastal areas sustained the most damage, with up to 90% of infrastructures damaged or destroyed. The study emphasized that the damaged infrastructures were made from light materials such as wood and timber. However, houses located more internally in the city, such as those in residential areas or villages, sustained lesser damage. These houses are found to be made out of reinforced concrete and blocks.


Charlesworth, E., and Fien, J. (2022) explained that housing is critical in disaster mitigation and recovery. Housing damage causes the most significant physical, financial, social, and infrastructure loss during a natural disaster. Also, a safe and secure home promotes family stability, dignity, and security, aiding the community's psychological recovery when rebuilding is underway. 


However, there is an essential gap in properties and communities' building and rebuilding processes. According to Charlesworth, E., & Fien, J. (2022), the government and community agencies struggle to implement effective mitigation and risk reduction practices before another calamity occurs and fail to plan for long-term recovery afterward. 


The Importance of Design 


In designing houses for buildings and rebuilding properties, developers and community agencies often overlook risk assessment practices and mitigation, disregarding disaster risk reduction studies in property planning, ultimately perpetuating property loss and damages during calamities. Despite the growing studies on disaster risk to building communities, an essential gap is still left unclosed when community builders neglect the importance of a risk assessment-based plan and design.


Consequently, infrastructure designs continue to be vulnerable to damages and loss because there is a failure to recognize what causes the damages and vulnerabilities and to develop appropriate and practical solutions to the problem.


Charlesworth, E., & Fien, J. (2022) proposed that community builders must consider a ‘design’ which not only refers to aesthetics but a concept and a process that encompasses a holistic approach to creating and designing safe, resilient, and sustainable environments. In a broader sense, design looks at 1) architectural design, b)urban design, and c) built urban design. 


a) Architectural design is the creation of structures and spaces, such as physical houses and materials. 

b) Urban Design- considers the process of urbanization that encompasses the layout, utility roads, transportation systems, and public spaces. 

c) Built environment Design- “...can either exacerbate or mitigate disaster risk, depending on the design decisions made” refers to designing artificial buildings such as schools, hospitals, and other facilities. 


They propose that six design principles, such as Resilience, Sustainability, Adaptability, Community Engagement, Cultural sensitivity, and Environmental stewardship, will aid in the effective and efficient building of a disaster-resilient community design that can withstand the wicked effects of calamities, provide a solid foundation for rebuilding and rehabilitation process and the development of long-term mitigation plans. 



Material Science 


In a study by Lagmay, A. M. F., et al. (2021). The study assessed the resilience of residential buildings in the Philippines to typhoon-induced wind and flood hazards. It found that coastline areas are more prone to flood damage, and areas with denser building populations receive more wind damage. The age, design features, and quality of construction can determine the resilience of infrastructure, and the type of materials used to build a building is correlated to the intensity of damage received. 


Key Findings:

 

1. 54.6% of buildings received damages from typhoon winds. 

2. 23.1% of buildings received damages from floods 

3. Buildings with 

a. quality roof designs and materials are less vulnerable 

b. Older builders and poorly built buildings received more damage 

c. Buildings that have elevated foundations and with flood-proofing designs receive less risk of floods 

Based on the study, here are some suggested materials and design considerations for housing projects to enhance resilience to typhoon-induced wind and flood hazards: 

Wind-Resistant Features: 

1. Roofing: Galvanized iron or corrugated metal roofs with secure fastenings.

2. Walls: Reinforced concrete or masonry with sturdy connections. 

3. Windows: Impact-resistant or shuttered windows.

4. Doors: Secure, reinforced doors with robust hinges and locks. Flood-Resistant


Features: 


1. Elevated foundations (at least 1.5 meters above flood level).

2. Flood-proofing materials (e.g., ceramic tiles, waterproof paints).

3. Water-resistant doors and windows. 

4. Impermeable wall finishes (e.g., concrete, masonry). Durable Materials: 


1. Reinforced steel for structural framing. 

2. Durable wood species (e.g., hardwoods) for framing and roofing.

3. Long-lasting roofing materials (e.g., metal, clay tiles).

4. Water-resistant insulation and drywall. 


Sustainable and Locally Sourced Materials: 


1. Bamboo or other locally sourced, sustainable materials.

2. Recycled materials (e.g., reclaimed wood, recycled plastic). 


Design Considerations:


1. Aerodynamic design to reduce wind loads. 

2. Sloping roofs to facilitate water runoff. 

3. Secure anchorage systems for roofs and walls. 

4. Regular maintenance and inspection schedules. 


Additional Recommendations: 


1. Implement building codes and standards (e.g., Philippine Building Code).

2. Conduct regular risk assessments and vulnerability studies. 

3. Engage community participation in disaster risk reduction and management. 4. Incorporate green infrastructure and urban planning strategies. 


The Japanese Architecture 


Japan is no stranger to natural calamities. Japan is most prone to destructive earthquakes in a fault line, with up to 1500 yearly earthquakes; Japan receives 20% of solid earthquakes worldwide. (E-Housing Japan. "Japan's Earthquake-Resistant Buildings: An Overview & History." Accessed (2024),) However, Japanese infrastructures are engineered to withstand the destructive effects of earthquakes; they have developed earthquake-resistant construction called the new anti-seismic design standard of 18981 that changed how Japanese people approached their building construction, combined with advanced technology and strict standards.


In 2013, 82% of houses and 85% of public buildings were safer and more resistant to damage by seismic activities. 

Japanese architecture has developed systems and technologies that strengthen buildings, making them less vulnerable to earthquakes. 


1. Seismic Isolation Systems- this helps isolate vibrations coming from earthquakes, this reduces the transfer of energy from the earth to the building 

2. Damping Systems- the use of dampers (viscoelastic, hydraulic, friction dampers, etc.) to absorb seismic waves or energy, reducing stress in the building 

3. Base Isolation- a technique that decouples or separates the building foundation from the ground to reduce energy transmission. 

4. Advanced Materials- high-strength concrete, fiber-reinforced polymers, high-ductility steel, advanced composites, intelligent materials, nanomaterials, etc., essential in retrofitting, new building construction, and repairs. 

According to the article, Japan was able to build seismic-proof buildings by incorporating these safety features into the planning and construction of their infrastructures.


These features include: 


1)Flexible structures: Allow for deformation without collapse. 

2)Shock-absorbing foundations: Reduce transmission of seismic forces.

3) Reinforced walls and frames: Enhance structural integrity., and 

4)Secure connections: Ensure stability during earthquakes. 

Japanese architecture continues to develop, learning from the experiences of the seismic events that transpired. The reduction of damages and casualties has significantly dropped, and ongoing research and development continue to ensure improvement.



VI. Conclusion 


In conclusion, houses provide more than just shelter to individuals and families; they provide security, psychological stability, and a sense of belonging. However, housing infrastructures are most vulnerable to natural disasters. To address this, community agencies and private developers must prioritize: 


1. Prioritize risk assessment and mitigation practices. 

2. Incorporate learned design principles (resilience, sustainability, adaptability, community engagement, cultural sensitivity, and environmental stewardship)

3. Develop wind-resistant and flood-resistant features 

4. Use and integrate durable and sustainable materials 

5. Observe regular maintenance and inspection schedules 

6. Implement building codes and standards 

7. Participate in community disaster risk reduction and management 

8. Incorporate green infrastructure and urban planning strategies 

Adopting these strategies will allow BlueRise Holding Corp. to develop calamity-proof housing designs, enhance community resilience, and reduce the impact of natural disasters. 


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