DESIGN CONSIDERATION

Some of the design consideration which will be applied apply to the airbnb residential unit:

(1) Shading the sun and protecting the building from the rain using eaves, roof overhangs, verandas etc.;
(2) Using a double roof system to limit heat gain and to allow hot air to escape;
(3) Making sure that high thermal mass materials (materials that retain heat and release it slowly) are
properly shaded;
(4) Limiting exposure to the sun on the east and west sides, so that the rising/setting sun does not
penetrate and heat up the house;
(5) Opening the house to the prevailing breezes to facilitate the passage of cooling breezes;
(6) Placing openings in the ceiling to allow hot air to rise;
(7) Raising the structure above ground to avoid invasions by insect, pests, and floods.

DESIGN STRATEGIES

 Light-colored exteriors. The first thing about our tropical-inspired house is that the exterior
walls come in pale colors like white or gray. That’s because colors on the lighter end of the
spectrum cause heat waves to bounce away from a house’s walls. In contrast, dark-colored walls
absorb heat, giving way to rising temperatures within a building. 

 External shading. Another distinctive feature of our tropical architectural design is the shading
outside the house. In the form of the brise-soleil (sunshades), overhangs, plants and trees.
External shading helps to lower internal temperatures. Also, the brise-soleil, in particular, adds a
nice aesthetic touch to even the simplest-looking residence.   

 Long, wide eaves. “Eave” refers to the part of the roof that sticks out beyond the wall and over
the house. The longer and wider it is, the more easily it can protect a house from the elements.

 Open plan layout. Our Airbnb house is characterized by open-plan layouts, the openings should
be positioned in a way that optimal airflow is achieved.   

 Optimal ventilation. The house is designed home that lets airflow in such a way that, rain or
shine, its interior would remain comfortable. This is achieved through strategically placed
openings and partitions that allow air to move throughout the house at just the right velocity
and temperature. 

 Green (or Green-inspired) surroundings.  If the house isn’t already in an area filled with lush,
native vegetation, it should at least have trees and plants within its radius that facilitate the
exceptional cooling properties of a tropical home.          
GENERAL CONCEPTS IN VENTILATION
Ventilation moves outdoor air into a building or a room and distributes the air within the
building or room. The general purpose of ventilation in buildings is to provide healthy air for breathing
by both diluting the pollutants originating in the building and removing the pollutants from it. There are
several ways to bring fresh air into our homes. Ventilation systems can be natural, mechanical or hybrid
(a combination of the two).

Type of ventilation system to be used in the project: HYBRID

Hybrid ventilation is a system that combines

natural and mechanical ventilation. Hybrid
ventilation is a relevant solution for new
residential buildings, especially if roof windows
are available to facilitate stack effect.

Combined natural and mechanical ventilation

Mechanical ventilation is used in the heating period and natural ventilation in the rest of the
year. This principle provides a good energy performance for newbuilt houses and works well in
combination with roof windows.

What is natural ventilation?

Natural forces drive outdoor air through purpose-built, building envelope openings. Purpose-built
openings include windows, doors, solar chimneys, wind towers and trickle ventilators. This natural
ventilation of buildings depends on climate, building design and human behaviour.
 Brises Soleil or sun breakers are excellent
mechanisms to guarantee natural ventilation,
which in addition to light and solar control if
properly designed and positioned in conjunction
with solar and local wind conditions, can guarantee
excellent internal thermal quality. 

SINGLE SIDED VENTILATION, CROSS VENTILATION, & STACK VENTILATION

 SINGLE SIDED VENTILATION

Single sided ventilation involves the use of windows or vents at one side of a building. The purpose of
this is to manipulate air pressure, to naturally ventilate the premises. This type of ventilation is popular
in flats, due to size limitations. Also, it is particularly useful in areas where cross ventilation cannot be
provided. However, because cross ventilation involves ventilating a structure at two opposing sides,
cross ventilation is, generally, a better solution for natural ventilation.

 CROSS VENTILATION
Cross ventilation is a form of natural ventilation that happens in places where there are pressure
differences between one side of a building and another. Ventilation is provided at either side of the
building, in the form of windows or vents, with the high-pressure side drawing air in and the low-
pressure side drawing air out. Cross ventilation is generally suited to buildings that are narrow but not
too deep.

 STACK VENTILATION
Stack ventilation works by drawing cooler outside air into the building at a lower level, which becomes
warmer as it’s exposed to heat sources within the building, causing it to rise before it is vented out at a
higher level. Stack ventilation is more effective when used on taller buildings with central atriums.
However, it can also be useful in deeper buildings, where cross ventilation is not able to penetrate
deeply enough.

GENERAL CONCEPTS IN NATURAL LIGHTING

Natural lighting, also known as daylighting, is a technique that efficiently brings natural light into your
home using exterior glazing (windows, skylights, etc.), thereby reducing artificial lighting requirements
and saving energy. Natural lighting has been proven to increase health and comfort levels for building
occupants.  

What is Passive Daylighting?

Passive daylighting strategies promote the quantity and even distribution of daylight throughout a
building by collecting natural light and reflecting it into darker areas of the building. What makes this a
“passive” strategy is that the design elements do not require any special mechanical equipment or
energy sources. As soon as the sun rises, the passive daylighting strategies collect and reflect light
throughout the building.

Architects will make use of windows, skylights, clear doors, light tubes, mirrors, light shelves and other
reflective surfaces to collect and direct light to key areas in the room.

This type of system is incredibly beneficial both for building owners and for visitors. Less energy will be
used to keep the building lit during the day. This, in turn, could save money and help reach  sustainability
and renewability goals of the individual.

There are also a number of health and wellness benefits when you allow more natural light into your
building. Exposure to natural light improves:

 Mood
 Employee and visitor satisfaction
 Student performance and learning
 Healing (especially in hospital environments)
 Productivity
 Cognitive function
 Circadian rhythms

Passive Daylighting Strategies

Here are a few design elements that will be used to bring in as much natural daylight as possible in the
building:

Building orientation.
 Light direction is important. Light that comes from the south is usually best for
daylighting as sunlight is consistent throughout the day and year. This
orientation can also be used for solar heat gain. Light that comes from the north
is the next best, as the sunlight is as consistent as the south, just in a lower
quantity.  Light that comes from the east and west should be avoided if
possible .Architects design buildings so that the rooms that require the most
daylight (like front entrances) face north or south, while rooms that require less
daylight (like storage rooms) face east or west.

Windows. 
 To bring as much light into the building as possible, windows
with tall head heights will be used. Uniform windows (horizontal ribbon
windows) will also be used across the entire façade to light the space
evenly.

Skylights. Skylights allow daylight to enter from above, which is useful in

spaces at the center of the building where light from windows can’t
reach. As with windows, uniform skylight spacing results in uniform
lighting. Architects can also place skylights high above the floor, allowing
the light to diffuse before it reaches the ground.

Clerestories. 
Windows that are high above eye level, or clerestories, can light up an entire room. The architects of the
airbnb type house combine clerestories with a reflective roof material and paint. The light enters
through the clerestories and reflects off the roof, spreading very diffuse light around the room below.  

External Shading Systems. 

At certain times of the day at each orientation, the light will be too bright and may produce a strong
glare inside the building. To prevent this, architects design custom external shading systems to protect
windows and other transparent openings. These systems usually include a combination of horizontal
and vertical elements.

Light shelves. 
A reflective horizontal shelf placed above windows reduces glare and directs light deeper into the space.

Solar tubes. 
These channel sunlight from the roof through a narrow opening. During the day, they look like ordinary
ceiling lamps, but they are powered by the sun rather than electricity. These work well when placed
directly above desks, where people need plenty of light.

Light wall colors. 

Light, reflective paint helps light to bounce around the room and makes the space feel brighter.  

THREE PASSIVE DAYLIGHTING STRATEGIES

The building features a central atrium that connects

the interior and exterior spaces. We lined the atrium
with the open roof and clerestories to draw daylight
in. We also installed floor-to-ceiling windows on
interior walls. Light enters through the clerestories
windows and eventually reflects through the interior
windows, lighting the rooms inside.

We maximized exterior windows on the north and

south orientation.
On the east and west orientation, we created a custom external shading system. This prevents glare and
unwanted solar heat gain while still allowing plenty of diffuse light into the space.

As a result, the building is bright and well-ventilated. The owner can relax and enjoy the views of
nature through the many windows and skylights.

GENERAL CONCEPTS IN NOISE CONTROL

Noise control is a set of strategies to reduce noise pollution or to reduce impact, whether outdoors or
indoors.

Common sources of neighbourhood noise include:

 road, rail and aircraft traffic
 air conditioners, evaporative coolers and refrigeration units
 pool pumps
 TVs and sound systems
 burglar and car alarms
 household appliances
 dogs and other animals
 industrial premises and backyard workshops
 music from houses, commercial premises and concerts
 road and building maintenance and construction.

Options to reduce noise

Recognising these subjective factors helps the architects determine when others are creating noise
unfairly and how to respond. If neighbourhood noise is a genuine problem here are some actions that
can take:
 Choose a quiet neighbourhood.
 Block the noise with barriers, sound absorbent materials and appropriate home design.
 Select a home that is well designed to limit noise transfer.
Barrier Concept

ROOM ACOUSTICS

Laminated Glass

Floor Construction

Floor construction and assemblies perform two functions. Like walls, they provide and acoustical
between adjacent spaces (airborne sound insulation), but they also reduce the sound of footfalls around
and other impact sounds from the upper floor (impact insulation).

Space can be the most cost-effective noise control technique.

SUN PROTECTION
The use of sun control and shading devices is an important aspect of many energy-efficient building
design strategies. In particular, buildings that employ passive solar heating or day lighting often depend
on well-designed sun control and shading devices.

During cooling seasons, external window shading is an excellent way to prevent unwanted solar heat
gain from entering a conditioned space. Shading can be provided by natural landscaping or by building
elements such as awnings, overhangs, and trellises. Some shading devices can also function as
reflectors, called light shelves, which bounce natural light for day lighting deep into building interiors.

The design of effective shading devices depend on the solar orientation of the building facade.

Exterior shading devices are particularly effective in conjunction with clear glass facades. Thus, solar
control and shading can be provided by a wide range of building components including:

 Landscape features such as mature trees or hedge rows;

 Exterior elements such as overhangs or vertical fins;
 Horizontal reflecting surfaces called light shelves;
 Low shading coefficient (SC) glass; and,
 Interior glare control devices such as Venetian blinds or adjustable louvers.

THE SITE AND THE BUILDING

THE SITE
The Site: Barangay Macarascas, Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan
Estimated lot area: 29593 m2
Estimated lot area used for the project: 2288 m 2
Coordinates: 10.01859 , 118.80641

LOT TITLE
 VICINITY MAP

THE SITE

2288 m2 lot area used for

the project
Constructed driveway
for road accessibility
 29593 m2 lot area

NOTE: No street view is available for the site Barangay

road
The site is in Barangay Macarascas, Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan. It is a 29593 m 2 or 2.95-hectare private
own land and is currently a vacant land. The site is not surrounded by housing sector and is in the
mountain part of Barangay Macarascas, Puerto Prinsesa. Currently there is no available road access from
the site to the barangay road. For the planning and construction of the Airbnb type residence building
the architects will only use 2288 m 2 portion of the lot.

Macarascas is a barangay in the city of Puerto Princesa, province of Palawan. Its population as
determined by the 2015 census was 1,609. This represented 0.63% of the total population of Puerto
Princesa. Macarascas is situated at approximately 10.0284, 118.8139 coordinates in the island of
Palawan.
Adjacent Barangays:
 Bahile, Puerto Princesa City
 Buenavista, Puerto Princesa City
 Maryugon, Puerto Princesa City

TOPOGRAPHY

N 10° 02’ 27’’ E 118°48’ 39’’

Lat: 10.0406973 Lng: 118.8109589
Elevation on map -12.28km/7.6mmi
Macarascas on map elevation: 35m/114ft.
Elevation at these coordinates is estimated at 11.2m or 36.7ft
above mean sea level.
GEOLOGIC SURVEY
Land Features

Based on the data generated by the Mapping Team of the ECAN Zoning Project using 2005 SPOT5
satellite imageries, about 73% of the total land area Puerto Princesa is still forested with primary forest
(7%), secondary forest (52%), limestone forest (1%), and ultramafic forest (13%). Its remaining mangrove
forest covers a total area of 5,737 hectares. Brushlands and grasslands, which can be developed into
forest plantations, orchards, upland agriculture and even settlements, comprise 14% of the total land
area of the city. Lands cultivated to agriculture are substantial covering a total area of 19,549 hectares
or about 10% of the total land area of the City.

Built-up areas were measured to be about 3,993 hectares or 1.85% of the City’ total land area from the
2,376 hectares under the Land Use Survey conducted in 1999.  This means that the built-up areas have
increased by 1,617 hectares or 68% in five years posting an average annual increase of about 323
hectares. The Land/Sea Cover map of Puerto Princesa City. It depicts the spatial distribution of the
different types of vegetation cover, land uses and coastal habitats’ cover.

Petrology

In the southern portion particularly in the Irawan area, metamorphic rocks of the Inagawan Formation
can be found. The area is also partly composed of sedimentary Iwahig Formation, alluvium of
unconsolidated gravel, sand, pebbles and silt. Some ultramafic rocks of the Palawan Ophiolite Complex
also characterize the area.

The northern part of the City is comprised of ultramafic rocks. In particular, the Langogan area is
characterized by metamorphic rocks consisting of quartz-feldspathic and mica schists, phyllites, slate
and quartzites. The ultramafic rocks consist of unaltered sepertenized pridotite, dunite and pyrexomite.

Babuyan area is made up of Irahuan Metavolcanics which resemble the quartz-hematite schist in
appearance and are also friable and weather into dark reddish gray platy fragments which are usually
scattered near outcrops of riverbeds. St. Paul limestone outcrops as small patches are found in the south
and midwestern part of the catchment. It is comprised of a very thick, massive, marbleized limestone
with very well-developed karst. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park has karsts
limestone formation and is popular tourist
destination among local and international tourists.

Soil Type

Lowland soils found in the City are mostly alluvial in

formation and are usually fertile soils; hence they
are classified as prime agricultural lands. This type of
soil formation is suitable for irrigation and has potential for good yields of rice. Upland soils are usually
formed in place from underlying bedrocks. They are usually thin compared to alluvial deposits and are
also prone to erosion in the absence of vegetation cover.

In terms of soil types, there are nine kinds found distributed in City: Bolinao Clay, Tagburos Clay, Tapul
Clay Loam, Guimbalaon Clay, Bay Clay Loam, Babuyan Silt Clay Loam, Babuyan Clay, Malaglag Clay, and
Hydrosol.

HYDROLOGIC SURVEY

Water Features

The City has a total of 115,610 hectares of watershed areas of which five watersheds have major river
basins and six have medium-sized river basins. The five river basins with the largest area include
Babuyan River (25% of the total catchment area) Montible River (20%), Langogan River (14%), Inagawan
River (12%) and Bacungan River (10%). Irawan watershed, which is the main source of water supply in
the City, has a small catchment area comprising only 3% of the total catchment area.

Development of groundwater in the City proper to supply part of its water requirements has limited
potential because of low yield and partly salt-water intrusion into the freshwater aquifers. However,
groundwater abstraction has a better potential in Sta. Monica, Irawan and Iwahig.

The groundwater quality of the City is relatively poor with a pH higher than 7.2, which is the benchmark
for good quality groundwater. The groundwater also has high content level of calcium and magnesium
making it hard and produces crust deposits when used in boilers.

Tsunami Hazard Map

Note: Barangay Macarascas, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan is

an earthquake free place
WATER QUALITY

The water quality in river monitoring stations located Cabayugan and Irawan Upstream in Puerto
Princesa City were in good condition suitable for Public Water Supply Class II or fit as sources of water
supply that would require complete treatment (coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection)
in order to meet the National Standards for Drinking Water (NSDW) – Class A.

Flood Hazard Map of Puerto Princesa

CLIMATE DATA
Solar Angle
Temperature

The warmest month (with the highest average high

temperature) is April (32.9°C). Months with the
lowest average high temperature
are January and December (30.7°C). The month with
the highest average low temperature
is May (24.5°C). The coldest month (with the lowest
average low temperature) is February (22.6°C).

Humidity

The month with the highest relative humidity

is October (87%). The month with the lowest relative
humidity is March (79%).

Rainfall
The wettest month (with the highest rainfall)
is October (210mm). The driest month (with the lowest rainfall)
is February (16.7mm).

Rainfall Days
The month with the highest number of rainy days is August (17 days). The month with the lowest
number of rainy days is February (2 days).

Sea Temperature

B e s t m o n t h s f o
are May and June (29.9°C). The coldest month (with
the lowest average sea temperature)
is February (27.4°C).

Daylight

The month with the longest days

is June (Average daylight: 12.7h). The month with
shortest days is December (Average daylight: 11.5h). The
month with most sunshine is April (Average sunshine:
9h). Months with least sunshine
are June, July, August, September and October (Average
sunshine: 6).

UV Index

Months with the highest UV index are February, March,

April, May, June, July, August, September and October (UV
index 12). The month with the lowest UV index
is December (UV index 10).

ANALYSIS
Temperature
 Even though the hot season last only for two months, the design of the building should make
the user comfortable. And to moderate the temperature in the building proper ventilation should be
design for the building. Proper ventilation provides a means by which moisture arising from users and
activities can be expelled and replaced by fresh outside air, while also removing or diluting the odors
and pollutants that can accumulate in a building, so that the indoor environment remains healthy for
the users.

Another solution is to install proper insulation for the building. Insulation acts as a barrier
to heat flow, reducing heat loss in winter to keep the building warm and reducing heat gain in summer
to keep the building cool. Insulation is therefore used in walls, ceiling and floors to keep the
temperature of the building cool. One type of insulating that may be used is the insulating concrete
forms (ICF), in which foam board or foam blocks may be used as materials.

Precipitation and Rainfall

Since little rainfalls are expected most of the months, to design a flood proof building,
considering the durability of building materials is key to ensure resistance to flooding and seepage. The
architect may consider using materials that are water resistant such as concrete or durable/treated
wood. It is also important to consider elevating the building above the flood level in the area.

FLORA AND FAUNA

FLORA ASSESSMENT

Mangrove Forest- They grow in

brackish wetlands between land and sea
where other plants can’t grow. They are
those who are tasked to protect the
coastlines and to prevent erosion by
collecting sediments from rivers and
streams which slows down the flow of
water. The coastline of Barangay
Macarascas is covered by mangrove.
 Eleusine indica
Bungang-ipot
Axonopus
compressus

Panicum maxicum Cenchrus purpureus

Cogon grass

FAUNA ASSESSMENT
Puerto Princesa has 33% of the total count of Palawan endemics. Amphibians have the
highest endemicity at 45% (5 species); birds registered 34% (32 species) and mammals posted
35% (8 species). The level of endemism by barangay is as follows starting from the highest:
Napsan - 47% (30 species); Irawan - 43% (26 species); Langogan – 35% (24 species); Simpukan
-38% (18 species); Montible – 38% (13 species); and Bahile – 29% (20 species).  About 45% of
the number of threatened species in Palawan (i.e., 38 species) is found in Puerto Princesa (i.e.,
17 species). Of the total number of threatened species in Puerto Princesa City, mammals
registered the highest with 30% or 7 species, followed by reptiles with 14% or one species, birds
with 9% or 8 species, and amphibians with 9% or one species.  Table II.10 shows the ranking of
barangays in terms of the number of threatened species.

Palawan hornbill  Polyplectron

napoleonis

Ficedula
platenae
 Hylopetes nigripes
TRANSPORTATION

Public Vehicles around Brgy.

UTILITIES

GLOBE Signal Tower (Left), PALECO Post (Right)

The electric supply of Brgy. Macarascas come from Palawan Electric Cooperative and only GLOBE has the
coverage for the project area. The barangay practices waste segregation management collected by the
city garbage collector.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS, INFRASTRACTURE, AND FACILITIES

Brgy. Hall Health Center

Naval Station Mini-city hall

Tanod outpost Macarascas NHS

POPULATION

According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Macarascas is 10 to 14, with
201 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 75 to 79, with 14 individuals.

Census date Population Growth rate

1990 May 1 879 –

1995 Sep 1 1,134 4.89%

2000 May 1 1,275 2.54%

2007 Aug 1 1,335 0.64%

2010 May 1 1,472 3.62%

2015 Aug 1 1,609 1.71%

The population of Macarascas grew from 879 in 1990 to 1,609 in 2015, an increase of 730 people. The
latest census figures in 2015 denote a positive growth rate of 1.71%, or an increase of 137 people, from
the previous population of 1,472 in 2010.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

In year 1958, the first election happened in Barangay Macarascas. The barangay started with a
population of 98 people. Mr. Matias Licerio was chosen to be the first Barrio Lt. with three councilmen
named Marina Cajilo assigned for livelihood, Catalina Cajilig assigned for education also serve as
secretary, and Quintin Coching in terms of health. In every 27th day of April, Barangay Macarascas
celebrated their foundation day where seven purok are gathered to show their talent, skills and
products. There are several competition like basketball league, volleyball tournament, dance
competition, beauty pageant and others. The barangay celebrates the feast of Sto. Niño in every 16th
day of January. It is the day where people are giving thanks to the Lord for all the blessing they received
from abundant marine products and agricultural harvest.
DREAMS AND AMBITION

Vision

“We envision the Barangay Macarascas to be a God fearing, well-educated and environmentally friendly
community to a peaceful and progressive barangay”.

Mission

“We commit to deliver the basic services to our community, through effective, efficient, transparent,
accountable and good governance, to strengthen the capabilities and promote the general welfare of
our Barangay”.

SITE ANALYSIS

Site analysis helps to understand the characteristics of a site before deciding on a

design. Physical constraints like site area, boundary configuration, slope, site access for both
pedestrian and vehicle, significant landscape features particular to the site, issues relating to
possible flooding and storm water overland flow, favorable and not so favorable views and the
buildings and vegetation surrounding the site all need to be properly recorded and properly
assessed. In addition, the direction of north, and climatic factors such as the potential for solar
access, prevailing breezes, temperature range and humidity all need to be identified and
analyzed. It allows designers to measure the accessibility of the site such as the location of
services and easements as well as specific regulations regarding the type of development that is
permissible, building site cover, building setbacks from the site boundaries, building height and
fencing all need to be understood. The data collected will serve as a guide to create design that
is most appropriate site location, optimal orientation and configuration for a building, and can
be factor to increase the possibility of design success.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Strength
 The site is located far from hazard prone area (eg. flood, tsunami) and earthquake free.
 The area is secluded which is good for a quiet and peaceful site for a rest house.

Weakness
 There is no access from the barangay road to the site.
 Site is low susceptible to landslide

Solution:
 The architects will provide a road plan and driveway that is connected to the barangay
road for accessibility.
  Since the site is prone to landslide, the architects shall follow the provisions and
regulations of the National Building Code of the Philippines in designing the building.

Opportunities
 The design can use natural lighting and ventilation.
 The total lot area is 2.95 hectares

Threats
 The barangay is located far from city proper the distance is about 50km.
 The area where site is located still cannot access good internet connection.

Solution:
 Since the area doesn’t have good internet connection, the architects provided a
basketball court and swimming pool for the owner to have an activity and enjoy their
vacation there.

ARCHITECTURAL PROGRRAMING
THE SITE:

The site plan with driveway to the barangay road.

THE BUILDING

The building orientation was designed to be zigzagged to allow sunlight to every room and maximize the
use of daylighting.