TECHNOLOGIES USED IN GREEN CONSTRUCTION IN THE PHILIPPINES

by Wesley Fenlon

What exactly is green construction technology? Its a wide category, covering everything from energy-
efficient appliances to geothermal heating. The 10 on this list strike a balance between eco-friendly
building materials everyone can use when building a new home and more advanced green technologies
that bring cool advancements in science to the construction industry think bio-degradable paint (did
you know its made using milk?) and glass that tints on command. These may be the materials and
technologies used in green construction, but why wait? Theyre available right now.

1. COOL ROOFS

Cool roofs are specially designed to offer increased solar reflectance and decreased thermal emittance.
In other words, they reflect more of the suns rays than your average shingle roof, and prevent the
warm or cool air inside from escaping through the top of a building. Under the intense heat of the
summer sun, dark shingle roofs can reach temperatures of 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65.5 degrees
Celsius). The reflectance of a cool roof can cut that down by more than 50 degrees [source:
EnergySavers].

Lowering the temperature of the roof itself is an advantage, of course, but the real savings are inside. A
cool roof improves the interior temperature of a building, either by reflecting intense heat or trapping
the air inside. That reduces the strain placed on air conditioning systems, thereby reducing the
emissions that result from powering our heating and cooling. Cool roofs can be constructed with a
number of materials, including special reflective paint and cool roof shingles and tiles. If you need an
environmental reason to believe in the cool roof, look no further: Their reflectance can help lower the
heat island effect of urban and suburban areas, which causes dramatically higher temperatures under
harsh sunlight compared to surrounding rural areas [source: EPA].

2. GREEN INSULATION

Insulation is some of the nastiest stuff in construction, as anyone whos gotten fiberglass shards stuck in
their skin can attest. The stuff doesnt need to be pretty or pleasant, since its essentially wall filler. If its
going to stay out of sight, why not make insulation out of any old junk? Thats the basic gist of green
insulation, which uses recycled materials to line our walls. Cotton insulation is a great example: The soft
blue insulation is primarily composed of recycled denim aka old jean scraps [source: GreenYour]. Did
you ever imagine the material that makes up your favorite pair of pants could also be used to insulate
your house?

Cellulose insulation takes an equally common product and recycles it. Any guesses as to the identity of
the mystery material? Its the humble newspaper. Recycled paper insulation comes in several forms, but
one of the most common is blow-in cellulose, which can be sprayed into walls or attics rather than being
laid out in sheets [source: GreenFiber]. Even fiberglass insulation can include recycled glass, but theres
a downside: Melting down the glass and forming fiberglass insulation is far more energy-intensive than
producing cellulose insulation from paper. Cellulose insulation often consists of 75 to 85 percent
recycled material, higher than fiberglass 30 to 40 percent, and cellulose is even better at preventing
airflow than fiberglass [source: HouleInsulation]. Cellulose and cotton are definitely better choices when
it comes to green insulation, and neither poses the discomfort or health concerns of fiberglass [source:
Bonded Logic].

3. BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS

Since construction is all about building something new, we sometimes forget about the flip side of the
coin: tearing something down and disposing of building materials. Biodegradable materials can change
that disposal process into something more eco-friendly: Instead of a giant scrap heap of waste products
and chemicals, they result in products that degrade naturally without contaminating the soil. An
excellent example is biodegradable paint, which mimics the old practice of creating paint from a milk-
based recipe. The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co. uses milk protein, lime and mineral pigments to create
an organic paint mixture [source: MilkPaint].

Using recycled products like recycled fiberglass insulation, for example is a good start toward being
eco-friendly, but products that naturally break down without releasing toxins into the Earth are even
better. Outside of the United States, hempis used in construction for everything from building
foundations to insulation [source: Hemphasis]. United States laws forbid the growth of industrial hemp
a low-THC cousin of marijuana but at least one company is importing the hemp to create Hemcrete,
a hemp and lime mixture similar to concrete [source: BuildingGreen].

Hemp isnt the only biodegradable structural material on the block in fact, our next green building
technology has been in use for thousands of years.

4. RAMMED EARTH BRICK

Rammed earth is an ancient construction technique similar to adobe that uses the raw materials of the
Earth to form sturdy buildings through a simple process. Rammed earth has been around for thousands
of years portions of the Great Wall of China were constructed using the rammed-earth technique.
Today, the process of forming a rammed-earth structure isnt so different than it was centuries ago. A
moist mixture of earth and hard substances such as clay or gravel are combined with a stabilizing
element like concrete and compressed to form dense, hard walls. After forming, rammed earth must
cure for months or as long as two years in a humid climate to fully cure and completely harden
[source: USC].

The density of rammed earth makes it an ideal material for regulating the temperature of a building. It
will stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and constructing rammed earth produces fewer
emissions than the typical building process [source: USC]. Modern rammed-earth equipment makes the
compacting process a bit easier than it was thousands of years ago, but there are still tools out there
specially designed to compress the walls by hand.

Rammed-earth construction isnt exactly the norm for the 21st century, but it still exists, and there are
contractors out there who specialize in designing homes with the Earths minerals. Rammed-earth
construction does have to take special care to properly regulate water to prevent damage, which is
much like our next green technology, a system designed to harness water runoff.

5.STORM WATER MANAGEMENT

rural areas, water runoff from heavy rains and snowfall can carve out large swaths of land and wash
away plant life. Erosion can be a seriously damaging phenomenon, and the power of storm water in
urban areas is similarly dangerous; overflowing sewer systems can flood streets and buildings, creating
hazardous driving conditions and millions in property damage. Thats where storm water management
comes in: it involves landscaping and designing systems to properly manage large volumes of water. The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is dedicated to managing storm water with a green infrastructure,
which involves using plants and soil in urban areas to control absorption and purify storm water.

The EPAs green infrastructure offers a wide range of benefits: By encouraging the growth of greenery in
urban areas, the infrastructure helps lower the heat island effect produced by heat-absorbing pavement
and metal, reduces sewer overflow by absorbing water, and simultaneously reduces the pollution of
storm water as it passes through plants and soil. An increase in green coverage reduces overall runoff,
and the plants improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide [source: EPA]. The EPA employs a
number of techniques to build a green infrastructure. Plant boxes, small installations of dirt and
greenery along the street, are among the most basic solutions. Some of its other green technologies,
including green roofs that are entirely covered in plant life and permeable pavements, which allow
water to flow down to the sediment layer, demonstrate the powerful potential of green storm water
technology [source: EPA].

6. GEOTHERMAL HEATING

Where storm water management uses plant life to control water, geothermal heating taps into the
Earths natural energy to generate power. Like wind power or solar power, geothermal is an efficient
renewable energy resource thats far more environmentally friendly than coal-powered electricity or
natural gas. You might think that cold weather would make geothermal heating ineffective, but thats
not the case. Pipes buried a few feet underground escape the effects of freezing temperatures. The
ground there stays close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius), making it a warm source of
energy in winter and a cool source of energy in summer [source:GreenSolarCafe].

A water/antifreeze mixture is pumped through pipes buried underground to collect thermal energy,
then routed to a heat pump and takes that energy and puts it to use to heat or cool your house. While it
does take electricity to power the heat pump, the efficiency of the geothermal system means that youll
get far more energy from the pump than you pour into it [source:GreenSolarCafe].

Geothermal heating does have its disadvantages digging up ground space to lay the energy-collecting
piping is a large undertaking. But our next classic renewable resource, solar

7. SOLAR POWER

What do you think of when you picture solar power? Massive fields of gigantic solar panels? Solar power
doesnt necessarily require tons of equipment. In fact, some solar power doesnt require any equipment
at all. Theres a difference between active solar power what you probably picture when you think of
solar energy and passive solar power, which is based on smart home design rather than advanced
technology. Passive solar home design simply uses the suns rays to heat a home through strategic
placement of windows in a home. Large sets of windows let in solar energy, and a heat-absorbing
surface like a dark wall retains the heat to warm the home [source:EnergySavers]. Fans and air vents can
help spread that air around the house.
Active solar systems obviously provide more heat than passive solar design. Solar panels absorb the
suns radiation and use the heat to warm air or water, cutting down on gas or electricity consumption in
the process. The more we rely on solar energy, the fewer greenhouse gases we produce from using
nonrenewable energy sources [source: EnergySavers]. The efficiency of solar panels varies based on the
size of the system and the local climate. However, given the right conditions, a solar system will make up
for the up-front costs of installation over the long term with years of free energy.

8. ELECTROCHROMIC SMART GLASS

Passive solar energy relies on windows to let in beams of sunlight to use for heat. But what happens in
the summer months when you want to keep all that solar radiation out? Awnings, shades and roof
overhangs can cut down on that incoming light, but theres a much cooler solution coming that promises
to cut down on HVAC costs and change the way we look at sunlight from indoors. Its called smart glass.

Smart glass, or electrochromic glass, uses a tiny burst of electricity to charge ions on a window layer and
change the amount of light it reflects. While low-emittance windows that block some of the suns
radiation already exist, smart glass gives you the ability to choose how much light you want to block.
Tied into smart building control systems, skyscrapers could have thousands of windows tint
automatically during peak hours and return to complete transparency in the evenings. Smart glass
developers expect a 25 percent reduction in HVAC costs thanks to the dynamic windows [source:
Tested]. Electrochromic glass is still being perfected for commercial use, but expect to see more of the
glass in the coming years as competing developers bring this smart energy-saving technology to the
market.

EARTH-FRIENDLY. Eco-friendly or 'green' buildings take advantage of natural light and feature plenty of
vegetation

MANILA, Philippines How do you build structures with Mother Earth in mind?

Conventional buildings consume a lot of electricity and water and release greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere, contributing to global warming and air pollution.

If buildings are made eco-friendly starting 2015, the Philippines can save up to P35.2 billion ($800
million) in electricity and water costs by 2030. It can also prevent the release of 1.90 million tons of
carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is crafting a Green Building Code requiring all new
buildings in the country to follow ecologically-sound standards.

Here are the features of a green building based on Mandaluyong City's new Green Building Ordinance,
which was passed last February.

These features were explained to Rappler by architect Emelito Punsalan of the Philippine Green Building
Initiative.

1. Air tightness and vapor barrier in building walls and surfaces

Walls that are able to keep out moisture and humidity from outside will make the building naturally
cooler. Because of this, air-conditioning systems will not have to work so hard to cool down the building.
This lowers electricity costs.
2. Low solar heat gain coefficient of glass (SHGC)

Solar heat gain coefficient is the amount of solar radiation that enters through glass and is released as
heat inside a building. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits, the cooler the building. This
also lowers electricity cost because air-conditioning systems don't have to do all the work.

3. Enthalpy recovery of exhaust air

A device called an enthalpy wheel recovers cooled air from the inside and uses the coolness of this
"spent" air to cool fresh air from outside. The process also dehumidifies the air from outside. This is a
cost-efficient way to improve indoor air quality and lessen energy consumed by airconditioning systems.

4. Daylight-controlled lighting systems

This type of lighting system has sensors that can detect daylight. During the day, the sensor switches off
the lights since there is enough light from the sun. When the sun sets, the system will switch the lights
on.

This way, the use of artificial lighting during the daytime is reduced. It prevents cases when occupants
are too lazy or forget to turn off the lights when they aren't needed.

5. Occupancy sensors

This lighting system only turns on when it senses people in the room. This technology can also be found
in escalators that activate only when there are people to ride on them.

6. Water-efficient fittings

The latest faucets and flush mechanisms use less water to do the same thing.

7. Rain-water harvesting

A structure catches rainwater and then stores it in big containers. The water can then be used to water
plants, flush toilets, or supply cooling towers.

8. Materials recovery facility (MRF)

An MRF is where the building's garbage is segregated into biodegradable, recyclable, non-recyclable,
and special or hazardous waste.

Biodegradable waste can be composted and used as fertilizer for the building's plants. Here is an
example of a successful MRF in San Fernando, Pampanga.

9. Vegetation

A significant portion of the building's unpaved area should be devoted to vegetation. This helps reduce
the heat urban island effect when concrete surfaces so common in urban areas absorbs heat from the
sun and radiates it to the surroundings.

Plants also help absorb some rainwater which would otherwise go to sewers and drainage, later on
contributing to flooding.
Mandaluyong's ordinance requires that at least 50% of a building's unpaved area be planted with
indigenous flora.

10. Site sustainability

The building's design, construction. and operation practices should have minimum impact on
ecosystems and water resources.

The Mandaluyong ordinance covers only the following kinds of buildings:

Residential buildings with total floor area greater than 20,000 square meters

Office buildings with total floor area greater than 10,000 square meters

Mixed-use buildings with total floor area greater than 10,000 square meters

Educational buildings with total floor area greater than 5,000 square meters

Retail buildings with total floor area greater than 15,000 square meters

Hotel buildings

Hospital buildings

Government buildings

Because of the high investment cost for green buildings, standards can't be made to apply to all kinds of
buildings yet.

However, the savings in operational cost because of reduced energy and water consumption may help
endear Filipinos to the idea of building green. Rappler.com

Environment-friendly measures

He added that aside from following LEED standards of pollution prevention during construction, the
following environment-friendly measures are also taken:

Easy access to public transportation, maximization of open space, and the reduction of heat islands by
the use of extensive landscaping;

Installation of CO2 sensors that modulate outside airflow according to the estimated number of
occupants to bring superior indoor air quality at all times;

Setting up of variable speed drives for chilled water pumps to reduce energy consumption during off-
peak hours;

Water is conserved by capturing rain and condensate water;

The building also has premium drainage and irrigation systems;

Daylight dimming system that reduces the output of electric lighting based on the intensity of daylight;

Centralized paper recycling facility that will be available to all tenants.