Final Writing Assessment: GED106

Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

Name of Members:

1.  Alarcon, Carla Mae G. 3. Feir, Earnold Alleson G.

2.  Andrade, Rachelle P. 4. Gaupo, Rinell Micjord O.
I.  Introduction: Statement of the Problem (Rachelle P. Andrade) 
Introduction

The global population continues to grow and with it the number of people who require housing. From
7 billion people in 2010, the population is projected to rise to 8.3 billion by 2030. Asia will account for
about half of that increase, with over 700 million more people requiring shelter by the end of the
century’s third decade. The region is currently home to 60% of the world’s population, which will fall
gradually to 58% by 2030 (UN 2010). 

Housing adjustments may be done by relocating to another unit, by modifying existing units or by
tenure changes. This decision depends on a number of factors, which stems from the peculiar
attributes of housing as a tradable good (e.g. location specificity, high costs viz. income), the
characteristic of the households and from the way the housing market operates. The attributes of
housing are inherent thus the adjustment process varies among households or across cities and
countries primarily due to changes in the characteristics of households and differences in the way the
housing and land markets operate within a city or country (Ballesteros, 2001).

1 The Philippine housing market reveals a tremendous gap between the demand and supply of housing.
According to Ballesteros (2001) the root of this housing shortage is the fact that the majority of
households are unable to pay for the cost of housing and land. More and more people are opting to
stay in smaller homes owing to easier maintenance, budget constraints, etc. If one is looking for a
home in a good neighborhood, it is likely to cost a lot. Under such circumstances, one often chooses to
buy a smaller space than compromising on the location. If it’s a small house, it can get really congested
if not planned well.

Another feature of the housing market in the country is the lack of long-term financing for housing,
which could provide a way to offset the high unit cost of housing relative to income. Like most
developing economies, the secondary financial market in the country is undeveloped.  Slum poverty
covers a wider segment of the urban population. It includes those who are poor due to inadequate
incomes and those non income poor but are environmentally deprived. In “Linking Poverty and the
Environment: Evidence from Slums in Philippine Cities” written by Marife M. Ballesteros (2010) about
32% of the slum population (or less than a million people) are poor based on national poverty lines of
P20,688 per capita (Table 1). The balance consists of the environmentally poor households living above
the poverty line who can spend between $2 and $4 per day but reside in poor living environments.
These are usually minimum wage earners and casual workers who continue living in slums because
there are no alternatives to slums and “they cannot afford the cost of traveling from distant less
expensive peri urban regions for work and income earning opportunities in urban centers”. These
families are exposed to high health risks and other environmental hazards thus are highly vulnerable
and can easily move to income poverty (Ballesteros, 2010).

 
 Final Writing Assessment: GED106
Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

Table 1.  Slum Poverty Incidence, Philippines, 2006 

National Poverty Line Subsistence Poor  Between $1.25 and Between $2.00
(below $1.25PPP) $2.00 PPP and $ 4.00 PPP

% to Number % to Number % to Number % to Number

Population of Poor Popul of Poor Population of Poor Popul of Poor
ation ation

Urban 32.48  953,728 11.88 348,872 20.69 607,403 41.66 1,223,12

Philippines 4

Large 35.25 344,86 13.83 135,313 27.32 267,348 37.66 368,436

Towns/Citie
s

Metro 20.66 279,361 3.26 44,127 11.40 154,076 49.00 662,472

Manila
Source: Family Income and Expenditure Survey (NSO) 

In 2050, two thirds of the World's population that is more than 6.5 billion people, will be living in towns
and cities (Floater et al., 2014). Asia is predicted to accommodate over half of the planet's population
2 in numerous megacities with more than 10 million inhabitants. Previous studies already highlighted the
adverse health risks due to urbanization in New Delhi (India), Beijing (China), Dhaka (Bangladesh) and
other cities (e.g. Gurjar et al., 2010). As the megacities grow, ranking of the urban areas in terms of
their population size, socio-economic, infrastructural and environment-related parameters become
increasingly important. It is believed that these rankings could help to develop the mitigation
strategies, which are expected to improve the sustainability of megacities worldwide (Gurjar et al.,
2008). Environment-related parameters often included ambient concentrations of criteria pollutants,
such as total suspended particulate matter (TSP), which became an important subject in air quality
legislation that has been implemented globally in the past few decades. The government should
develop a comprehensive environmental management strategy to address vehicular air pollution in
urban areas, which shows as one of the most pressing environmental problems in the country. 

Thus, the goal of this paper is to introduce a house design that can address problems such as: cost of
living, construction expenses, house space management and as well as environmental impacts. 
The proponents of this product innovation are students of architecture, civil engineering, mechanical
engineering and computer engineering. They believe that their product has the potential to lessen
poverty rate by introducing residential - commercial design, contribute to the environment by
incorporating sustainable design features, and establish space-saving techniques. 

 
 Final Writing Assessment: GED106
Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

II. Content (Information Structure: product / service description

o What is the product? Provide general description about the product or service. You
may start with a definition or the product, so the audience knows exactly what is
being discussed.  (Rachelle P. Andrade)

The proposed product name is called SURECOM- Sustainable Residential-Commercial

Design. This is a house design which made use of shipping containers as its main
component. Since shipping containers are low-cost and economical compared to steel
and concrete houses that are common nowadays. Aside from that, our design is space-
wise for an average earning family composed of four members and it is also designed
for commercial use. Our product could lessen the cost of living and be profitable
because of its commercial function, maximize space, and also contribute to the
environment most importantly in highly urbanized areas where pollution is severe and
threatening.

o What does it do? Give a brief description of the function and capabilities of the
product / service. (Carla Mae G. Alarcon)

SURECOM is a combination of residential and commercial space in one shipping

container. The container answers to the requirement of sustainable design, as it
“subsequently lowers the total embodied energetic cost associated with a home” in
3 constructing the structure. Additional to this, the presence of the sedum green roof
system corresponds to eco-friendly, as it improves the irrigation system, longer the
roof’s life span, and it boosts thermal performance - lowering the temperature inside
the house. 

o Who is the intended audience? Explain the intended audience and the target company
where you intend to sell your product. (Earnold Alleson G. Feir)

The intended audience will be the people or families with a minimum wage of salary or
earnings and wanted to start a small time business. Mainly because they are the ones
who have the capabilities to support the full or partial payment. Our innovation is not
only for families but also for the students or individuals who want to try and raise a
business because our product is located in an urban area and will surely give them daily
income. Our SURECOM innovation is a new thing and trendy looking that would fit in an
urban scape.

o General Description: Provide a short overall description of the product including

overall size and shape main materials. (Carla Mae G. Alarcon)

o SURECOM is a 45 ft dry shipping container, with 13.56 m length, 2.35 m width, and 2.70
m height. The roof and the flooring dimension is changed when the walls of the
container are expanded to maximize the space. This can be shown in the floorplan

 
 Final Writing Assessment: GED106
Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

below.  Additionally, the interior is also themed with local materials, such as bamboo for
the door and furnitures, and faux wood for the flooring and platform.

Major Parts:  

The appearance of SURECOM is in minimal characteristics with large bifold glass

windows and metallic white. attached to its front walls are plant walls, and on the right
is the cafe.
 
Additional to this, the presence of the sedum green roof system corresponds to eco-
friendly, as it improves the irrigation system, longers the roof’s life span, and it boosts
thermal performance - lowering the temperature inside the house (Roberts, 2020).

 Include graphic illustrations of your product or service, make sure to label parts or
references for better understanding. You can develop your own illustrations, or you
can use a “reference illustration”, which is a copy of a published image. If you use a
published image, cite the source.
(Carla Mae G. Alarcon)

The combination of the cafe and residential of the container is notably seen in the
facade together with its sedum roof. The cafe includes a balcony and is designed with
rustic industrial interior, while the residential interior is with white and wood minimalist.
4

See sample pictures

 
 Final Writing Assessment: GED106
Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

111. Operation (Carla Mae G. Alarcon)

The mechanism of  SURECOM’s intuitive design involves setting-up, constructing, and mounting.
In setting up the bare container, with its divided allocated spaces; cafe, living and bedroom, the
wall is cut to expand for the platform, ceiling and flooring. Once expanded, a bi-fold sliding glass
panel is slid along the walls to complete the exterior walls, both in the living area and
bedroom. 
In constructing the sedum roof system, the application of KEMPERGRO’s Green Roof System
Build up is used as reference. 

5 The First application of the sedum roof system is placing a substrate conservation - this is for
the purpose of liquid waterproofing, on top a recycled hard-top insulation board, covered with
80% KEMPEROL @K-PUR, which is a waterproofing solvent. 90% of Attenuation Layer - this
layer is the base for the landfill which is 100% made of recycled materials as well, on top is the
growing material or the soil, and lastly green sedum roof or vegetation is added (KEMPER
SYSTEM).

And Lastly, the mounting of foldable furniture was then implemented; two bunk beds in the
bedroom, a dining table and a study table.  

III. Conclusion (Rinell Micjord O. Gaupo)

The researchers concluded that a container house with a built-in feature of switching
your home into a commercial business is as easy as having to push only one button. The
project also promotes an ergonomic design which is a good way of creating space especially
here in the Philippines where you seldom locate a wide lot in urban areas. SURECOM container
houses can be a great help for those couples who are just starting a family because it is
practical in terms of money expenses compared to an ordinary house. It is an addition to one
of many innovations that comes along with time. Sustainability is as important as low cost. The
development of this project makes it easier for people who want to put up a business but are

 
 Final Writing Assessment: GED106
Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

having a hard time looking for a place to build one. It is hassle-free as you don’t have to think
about how to afford another lot and construct another infrastructure as it will only be at the
comfort of your own home.

 
 Final Writing Assessment: GED106
Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

References

Ballesteros, M. M. 2010. Linking poverty and the environment: Evidence from slums in
Philippine cities (No. 2010-33). PIDS Discussion Paper Series.

Ballesteros, M. M. 2001. The dynamics of housing demand in the Philippines: income and
lifecycle effects (No. 2001-15). PIDS Discussion Paper Series.

B.R. Gurjar, T.M. Butler, M.G. Lawrence, J. Lelieveld. 2008. Evaluation of emissions and air
quality in megacities. Atmos. Environ., 42 (7) (2008), pp. 1593-1606

G. Floater, P. Rode, R. Slavcheva, D. Hoornweg, C. Kennedy, A. Robert. 2014. Cities and the New
Climate Economy: the Transformative Role of Global Urban Growth—paper 1. NCE Cities LSE cities —
London School of Economics and Political Science, London

NSO. 2000, 2003 and 2006. Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES). Manila: National
Statistics Office

7 United Nations. 2010. World Urbanization Prospects. The 2009 Revision: Highlights. Department
of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York. 

T. Roberts. 2020. How to Build Sustainable Shipping Container Homes. Retrieved from
https://www.buildwithrise.com/stories/how-to-build-a-shipping-container-home-truly-
sustainable#:~:text=Shipping%20container%20architecture%20is%20usually,some%20port%20around
%20the%20world.

n.d. Container Specification. Retrieved from https://ph.one-line.com/standard-page/dry-

containers

n.d. Advantages and Disadvantages of Green Roof. Green Roofers. Retrieved from
https://www.greenroofers.co.uk/green-roofing-guides/advantages-disadvantages-green-roofs/

 
 Final Writing Assessment: GED106
Product Descriptions/Product Brochure

Appendix
Profile of Innovators

Carla Mae G. Alarcon

Mapúa University
School of Architecture, Interior Design, and Built Environment
Bachelor of Science in Architecture
cmgalarcon@mymail.mapua.edu.ph

Rachelle P. Andrade
Mapúa University
School of Civil, Environmental, and Geological Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
rpandrade@mymail.mapua.edu.ph

Earnold Alleson G. Feir

Mapúa University
School of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
eagfeir@mymail.mapua.edu.ph

Rinell Micjord O. Gaupo

Mapúa University
School of Mechanical, Manufacturing Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
mjgaupo12@gmail.com