Building RPs future home design

By Charles E. Buban Philippine Daily Inquirer Posted date: September 17, 2010 WHEN PEOPLE ask architect Edgar Reformado about what sustainable house design should majority of Filipino families adopt in the near future, he always tell them it should be just like the bahay kubo (nipa hut) or the bahay na bato (stone house). The chair of Green Architecture Advocacy of the Philippines or Green AP, a non-profit civic organization that encourages the study and adoption of sustainable in design and construction, clarifies that his advice doesnt mean families to start building rickety bahay kubo or ancient-looking bahay na bato. Appropriate some of their unique elements, modernize or redefine their look. Dont disregard them just because bahay kubo has been associated with poverty or believe that bahay na bato already belongs to the past. Be imaginative and one would be surprised that these two types of houses have qualities that architects or interior designers could use in order to make any modern-day house, beautiful and best of all sustainable, Reformado explains. For those still not familiar, bahay kubo is still a popular house design in the provinces, where the structure is basically made of light and readily available materials such as bamboo and coconut, while the roof is made of cogon grass, nipa palm leaves or coconut. Popular choice On the other hand, bahay na bato is a popular choice of well-to-do families during the Spanish and American period and is characterized by a ground floor made of stones or bricks with the upper level made mostly of wood. Roofing is often made of clay tiles. There are so many reasons we should look back at these two classic Filipino house designs considering a number of their features may be considered green, meaning they have the qualities that could contribute in creating a healthier environment and help in lowering households energy bills, Reformado says. Here are some of the ideas forwarded: 1. High ceilings. A typical bahay kubo or bahay na bato features very high ceilings at least 3 meters high which allows tropical heat to rise up while keeping the lower part of the rooms relatively cool for the occupants. Remember that heat rises so high ceilings can make a huge difference. A lot of houses built nowadays forgot this fact so occupants are either forced to come to terms with the heat or turn their electric fans or air-con full blast and working for longer hours than necessary to survive the hot months, Reformado says. 2. Oversized windows. Ever wonder how Filipinos survived the heat during Spanish and American times? The secret lies in using oversized windows. Visit any surviving bahay na bato in Taal, Batangas, or in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and youll notice how wide and tall their windows are. Such windows enable the hot air to go out while letting the cooler breeze in. If one analyzes this design, it also allows natural light to come in. This also reduces the households need to turn their lights on during the day, architect Ma. Luisa Daya-Garcia explains.

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3. Wide roof overhang. If one would notice, majority of the bahay kubo have wide roof overhang. This is intentional as this design not only helps block direct sunlight but also prevents rain from entering the windows, Reformado says. 4. Adding a porch or balcony. A number of modern eco-houses designed by architect James Jao, an alumnus of London of School of Economics and Political Science where he obtained his Masters degree in City Design and Social Science, feature a covered porch or balcony, which is actually a design borrowed from the bahay kubo. The design reflects the traditional Filipino way of life as this is the place where the households spend lazy afternoons taking a nap, reading books or newspaper, receiving or entertaining guests or just cool off during a warm and humid weather, Jao says. 5. Readily available materials. Looking back at the bahay kubo, one should be reminded that it uses readily available building materials: bamboo. This material is, in fact, more sustainable considering less fuel was spent in transporting such products from where it was harvested (a bamboo is the largest grass in the world and grows almost anywhere here in the Philippines). Bamboo has been used as a building material for centuries because when constructed properly, it is flexible enough to withstand strong winds or even an earthquake. It is cheaper to plant, grows faster than wood (matures in just four to six years) and can be harvested using less fossil fuel. Come to think of it, this is one of the better materials that this country could utilize in designing future homes, Reformado says. He adds that the same goes with the bahay na bato as it similarly utilized the bricks or adobe stones that were manufactured within the area, thus helped the local industry to thrive for some time. 6. Poles that elevate the house. A typical bahay kubo structure uses thick bamboo or wooden poles, elevating the house one or 2 m from the ground so as to protect the occupants from snakes and other wild animals, and provide them a place for keeping livestock or offer additional ventilation especially if the flooring has space in between. This same idea is now being considered by noted urban planner Architect Felino Palafox Jr. who suggested that new houses on flood-prone area should employ posts that could keep the house dry and be protected from rising floodwater. 7. Surrounding garden. Green AP deputy chair Miguel Guerrero described a typical bahay kubo as being surrounded by different sorts of plants just like what was described in the folk song. There is truth in the song as the creation of gardens immediately around the house cools the air around, making the entire home cooler and more comfortable to live in even during hot months. One could even create a roof garden that not only will protect the roof from direct solar radiation but also have the ability to collect water (using a rain capture device) that could be used for washing, Guerrero explains. Reformado concludes: We dont need to discover a magic bullet or invest thousands or millions of pesos in new technologies to make our homes more sustainable. Everything we need is already here just look to our traditional houses for inspiration and get the help of responsible professionals and one could turn future homes of Filipinos into low carbon exemplars.

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