STANDARDS FOR BUILDINGS OF THE FUTURE

STANDARDS FOR BUILDINGS OF THE FUTURE

Nearly half a century ago, the Philippines laid down the foundation for its construction industry through the National Building Code of the Philippines, officially known as Presidential Decree No. 1096. Signed into law in February 1977, the Code was groundbreaking for its time, offering standardized guidelines to ensure the safety and welfare of people inside buildings.

Yet, 47 years later, it remains virtually untouched—except for an update to its Implementing Rules and Regulations in 2004. That’s right: while the world has charged ahead with green buildings, smart technologies, and climate-conscious design, our code has stood still. The question is: will the Philippines ever catch up?

In a world where skyscrapers now harvest solar energy and office buildings use artificial intelligence to optimize everything from lighting to air quality, the Philippine building code still doesn’t mention what most modern developers now see as essential: sustainability, connectivity, and security.

Yes, the current Code addresses structural safety, especially against natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes—a commendable and critical focus. But safety is no longer enough. Today, we need security: surveillance systems, automated access controls, and smart technologies that protect not just the integrity of buildings, but the people and assets within them.

To be fair, security wasn’t top of mind in 1977. It’s understandable that the Code would be silent on biometric scanners or programmable logic controllers (PLCs). But we don’t live in 1977 anymore.

Now, buildings must be green, smart, safe, and secure. And that means catching up to global benchmarks. For green construction, standards like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) are already widely accepted. When it comes to smart buildings, however, global standards are still emerging—though the standards for smart cities are clearer and more robust. Perhaps we can argue that a smart city can’t be smart if its buildings aren’t smart too. And a smart building can’t be called “smart” without fast and stable internet, integrated systems, and intelligent automation.

In this context, we must also talk about technology. Smart buildings should be equipped with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Building Management Systems (BMS), Local Area Networks (LANs) and Internet of Things (IoT). They should automate HVAC systems, manage lighting intelligently, and monitor energy consumption in real time. Entry and exit points should use biometric systems—facial recognition, voice recognition, and Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS). These technologies also aid in contact tracing, a lesson we've learned the hard way during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than that, the buildings of the future must produce and manage their own energy and waste. Think solar panels, wind turbines, biogas digesters, sewage treatment plants (STPs), and materials recovery facilities (MRFs). Sustainability isn’t a buzzword—it’s a necessity.

Which brings us to what must happen next. Revising the National Building Code should be a national priority. Our risks—earthquakes, floods, and tsunamis—are real and growing. But so are our opportunities to build better.

We need a multi-agency task force to take this on, comprising the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), among others.

But it can’t stop there. Major internet service providers—PLDT, Globe, Smart, Dito, Now Telecom, Starlink—must be at the table. So should architects’ groups like the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), NGOs, tech firms, and anyone with expertise in smart, clean, and secure buildings.

The bottom line is this: The buildings of the future are already here—but not in the Philippines. Until we update our outdated code, we are building on borrowed time.

So let us not ask if the Philippines will catch up. Let’s ask: When?
And more importantly: Why not now?

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

06-03-2025

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES?

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES? When we talk about the crime rate in the Philippines, we often assume that the figures we see are accurate reflections of reality. But have we ever paused to ask—how exactly is the crime rate computed? Where does this data come from, and how reliable is it? The computation of the crime rate in the Philippines is officially handled by the Philippine National Police (PNP). The formula itself is straightforward: Crime Rate = (Total Reported Crimes / Total Population) x 100,000 This simple equation gives us the number of crimes per 100,000 people, allowing for fair comparison across regions and time periods. However, the reality behind these numbers is more complex than it appears. Data from the Ground The foundation of our national crime rate is empirical data collected at the grassroots level—from individual police stations scattered across the country. Every reported crime is logged in local police blotters, forming the buil...
Read more

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS Dear Mr. President: May I ask who is going to be the arbiter or referee whenever there are overlaps in functions between two or more government agencies? I imagine that there would be no problem if these agencies would just cooperate and collaborate with each other, but what if they are unable to settle their differences and they would just end up throwing blame at each other or finger pointing at each other? Allow me to cite some examples. Who is supposed to take the lead in waste to energy projects? Is it supposed to be the DENR that is supposed to handle waste? Or is it supposed to be the DOE that is supposed to handle energy generation? Or is it supposed to be the DILG since it is the one that could direct or influence the waste to energy projects of LGUs? Who is supposed to take the lead in producing and promoting the use of biofuels? Is it supposed to be the DA, since the production of biofuels is supposed to be all about planting biofuel ...
Read more

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES As it is supposed to be, anyone in the Philippines should be able to dial 911, and a telephone operator should be able to dispatch fire, rescue, ambulance and police (FRAP) units as soon as possible, based on acceptable response times. I invented the FRAP acronym for easy recall, and I hope it sticks, if there is no other alternative. Unfortunately, due to a mixture of technical and political reasons, the Philippines has not adopted 911 as a national number, because some LGUs would rather use their own three-digit numbers such as 117 and 168. I actually proposed a technical solution to that problem, but it was not adopted either. For whatever it is worth, my solution is to install a call forwarding system that could route all calls to a central operator, regardless of what number is dialed. It is very sad for me to know that up to now, even if our country is already over one hundred years old, there are still many LGUs that do not have fire trucks. it ...
Read more