TOWARDS A CABINET CLUSTER FOR GREEN HOUSING AND BIO-HOMES
TOWARDS A CABINET CLUSTER FOR GREEN HOUSING AND BIO-HOMES
What if we could solve three major problems in one move—affordable
housing, plastic and glass waste, and sustainable living? The answer may lie in
a game-changing idea: Bio-Homes, housing units made with recycled and
renewable materials, designed for energy and food efficiency, and built with
the climate in mind.
Forty years ago, the development buzzword was "appropriate
technologies." Today, the more fitting term is "sustainable
technologies"—which, to me, is not just a trend but a survival
strategy. What’s the use of building something appropriate for now if it can’t
last for the future?
Why Bio-Homes?
Bio-Homes are not just about construction—they represent a whole new
way of living. These homes are made with materials like bamboo, recycled
plastic, used tires, and glass bottles. They can include solar panels, biogas
digesters, aquaponics systems, and even vertical gardens. They bring together
housing, energy, water, waste management, and food production in one integrated
structure.
And it’s not just theory. Around the world, the movement is real:
- Sweden is building
entire communities using timber.
- Burj Zanzibar in Africa is
set to become the tallest timber building in the world.
- The UN
Environment Programme is pushing for bio-based construction in
developing countries.
Why not the Philippines?
We already have the raw materials. We have bamboo growing across
provinces. We have communities collecting bottles and old tires. We have
plastic waste in massive supply. But what we lack is a unified policy push,
the kind that only a dedicated Cabinet Cluster on Sustainable Housing and
Green Communities can provide.
Why a Cabinet Cluster?
Because this is more than a housing issue. Bio-Homes touch multiple
departments and sectors. If we truly want to scale this, we need more than a
Technical Working Group (TWG) —we need a higher-level coordination.
A proposed Cabinet Cluster for Sustainable Housing and Green
Communities should include:
- Department of
Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) – to lead the
policy framework and housing models
- Department of
Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – to standardize construction
protocols and green building codes
- Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – for environmental compliance
and waste-to-material conversion
- Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI) – to support eco-materials
enterprises
- Department of
Science and Technology (DOST) – to fund research and
innovation
- Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – to train
workers in green construction methods
- Department of
Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) – to integrate sustainable architecture into the
curriculum
This Cabinet Cluster would institutionalize sustainability in housing
policy—coordinating funding, setting targets, and incentivizing innovation from
both government and the private sector.
Working Models Are Already Here
We already have local companies doing incredible work:
- Envirotech
Waste Recycling turns plastic waste into building blocks and furniture.
- Restore Company repurposes
materials for modular housing.
- Trident, Vantastic,
Smarthouse Philippines, and Vazbuilt are rethinking
prefabricated homes using upcycled containers and panels.
Let’s support these pioneers, not with red tape but with red carpets.
Innovation, Education, and Empowerment
Top architecture schools—like UST, UP, Adamson, Enderun, UE—should
be tapped to develop and showcase prototype Bio-Homes. These should become part
of the living laboratory of sustainable urban design.
Communities should be trained in modular construction techniques, using
materials like:
- Bamboo –
fast-growing, strong, flexible, and climate-smart.
- Recycled glass – perfect for
walls that offer insulation and natural lighting.
- Rubber tires – ideal for
insulation, drainage, and waterproofing.
- Plastic waste – increasingly
usable in composite panels, bricks, and furniture.
Workshops, volunteer build-days, and crowdfunding platforms can rally
support at the grassroots level.
Benefits You Can Measure
Bio-Homes cut energy and water bills. They collect rainwater. They use
biogas from animal waste. They produce food in their backyards and rooftops.
They use solar cookers or renewable fuel. They reduce landfill demand and boost
livelihoods in waste-to-wealth ventures.
They are not just homes. They are green jobs, education hubs,
eco-tourism attractions, and disaster-resilient shelters all
rolled into one.
The Bigger Picture
With climate change, rising costs, and the housing backlog colliding, we
can’t afford to delay. A Cabinet Cluster for Sustainable Housing would
drive the national roadmap we need—from regulatory reform and tax incentives to
technology transfer and pilot townships.
Let’s not wait until our landfills overflow or typhoons destroy more
substandard homes. Let’s act while we still have the opportunity to shape the
housing future—not just for today, but for the next generation.
Let’s build more Bio-Homes—because the future of housing must be clean,
green, and inclusive.
Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282,
senseneres.blogspot.com
09-13-2025
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