Fortunately, many real estate developers have caught on and have seen the importance of building projects that are sustainable. Thus, their emphasis on green building designs and construction.

In spite of these, though, there is one important environmental issue that no local developer has yet to address.

I would like to see the day when developers include among their amenities the provision of tap water that is so clean that one can drink it straight from the faucet, thereby eliminating, or at least reduce, the need for individuals or households to buy bottled water.

Bottled water not only burns a hole in your pocket, they’re one of the most environmentally-damaging commodities that we have become so used to.

The price of tap water versus the price of bottled water

I calculated the cost of tap water (we’re being served by Maynilad or the MWSI). The minimum monthly payment is 106 pesos for 10 cubic meters (cbm) of water.

1 cbm = 1,000 liters
10 cbm’s x 1,000 liters = 10,000 liters
Therefore, 106 pesos / 10,000 liters = 0.0106 peso per liter

A well-known brand of bottled water costs 65 pesos per 6 liter bottle or 10.83 pesos per liter (note that the smaller the bottle, the pricier the water becomes).

Ergo, bottled water is at least more than 1,000 times more expensive than tap water.

The environmental cost of bottled water

According to a 2007 report of the Worldwatch Institute, a US-based environmental research organization, massive production of bottled water results to excessive withdrawal of natural mineral or spring water thereby threatening local streams and ground water.

Equally disturbing is the environmental impact resulting from the production of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic to make the water bottles.

• Being plastic, PET’s are petroleum-derived materials that worsen the already dwindling supply of non-renewable fossil fuel.

• “Producing one kilogram of virgin resin PET requires 17.5 kilograms of water and results in air emission of 40 grams of hydrocarbons, 25 grams of sulfur oxides, 18 grams of carbon monoxide, 20 grams of nitrogen oxides, and 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide.” That’s just for the production of the raw material, not the bottles themselves.

• According to the same report, this means that… “in terms of water use alone, much more is consumed in making the bottles than will ever go into them.”

• Bottled water is also distributed in a very inefficient manner. From the factory, they are delivered by trucks to their various destinations. Even neighborhood water refilling stations deliver water to their costumers mostly using tricyles thereby increasing fossil fuel consumption and carbon monoxide emissions.

• I don’t have to delve into the amount of plastic waste resulting from our consumption of bottled water, we already know that.

The health hazard of PET bottles

PET bottles are meant for single use and should never be reused for an extended period of time. If used repeatedly they, can leach carcinogens to the water. The chance of this happening increases if the PET bottle is placed in a refrigerator’s freezer.

What real estate developers can do

Consumers in industrial countries choose to drink bottled water for convenience, while in developing countries like the Philippines, unreliable and unsafe municipal or city water supplies have driven the growth in consumption of bottled water. And here’s where real estate developers can help a lot if they are sincere in practicing green development.

Here are some examples

Let’s take for example the approximately 240-hectare Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

There, utilities like electricity and even liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are distributed through an underground system. Large water reservoirs assure strong water pressure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Given these amenities and the owners’ (Ayala Land, Inc, Evergreen Holdings of the Campos Group and the Bases Conversion Development Authority) concern to protect the value and attractiveness of this township, can’t they come up with a system that will provide safe and clean drinking water straight from the faucet for all the office, commercial and residential developments there?

Is it too costly or too difficult to install drinking fountains in these establishments considering the alternative? By the way, I very seldom see drinking fountains nowadays. I think the bottled water industry killed them off.

Another example is Ayala Land’s Nuvali in Laguna. I honestly think that Ayala Land has outdone itself in making this project truly sustainable. Their system to conserve, recycle and reuse water is admirable. But there is no mention in their master plan about safe and clean drinking water from the tap.

The willingness to deliver clean drinking water should not be limited to developers of large projects like Bonifacio Global City and Nuvali. Even condominium developers can pursue this idea.

If they can boast of several modern and even futuristic amenities that cost several millions of pesos to construct, can’t they at least provide their unit buyers access to one of man’s most basic needs and help ensure a more healthy and sustainable environment at the same time?

Just thinking out loud; what do you think?

Thank you so much

image from www.waterfiltrationblog.com

As a boy, I experienced the devastation wrought by the 1968 earthquake that destroyed the Ruby Tower, a residential building in Manila, killing hundreds. Years later came the 1990 Luzon earthquake that badly hit Baguio City. I witnessed the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 and the fury of typhoon Uring in the same year; remember the Ormoc tragedy? Typhoon Milenyo in 2006 was also scary. But for me, nothing beats Ondoy!

What’s alarming is because of the worsening global warming, a Filipino official of the United Nations said that the likes of Ondoy will get worse in the near future.

He cited the deadly trio that worsens natural disasters:

poor urban government, unstable rural livelihood, and ecosystem decline.

All Filipinos, not just our government, should take responsibility for the worsening effects of natural disasters. We may not be able to predict when another Ondoy will occur but we can do so much to mitigate or lessen its effects. Ondoy would not have hit us as hard had we lived sensibly.

Use plastic bags only when absolutely necessary

If there’s one thing that should be blamed for the deadly effects of Ondoy, it’s plastic bags! Kim Atienza, in the Oct 10, 2009 Matanglawin episode “Delubyo” said the same thing. Below are pictures that may convince you that we have become a society so dependent on plastic bags. They are pictures I took when I surveyed Smokey Mountain last December 30.

Smokey Mountain is no longer a dump site; it now has a top soil; it’s green, lush and full of vegetation… on the surface. But its underbelly is pure trash!

Smokey Mountain has been rid of all recyclable trash and what’s left are a mountain-full of plastic bags that will not decompose.

So much plastic bags and wrappers clogged our canals, creeks and rivers when Ondoy hit. According to our City Administrator, Engr. Benjamin N. Villacorta, since these waterways were clogged, excess water that were released from La Mesa Dam took a long time to reach their natural destinations: Manila Bay to the west and Laguna Lake to the south-east. There was a large amount and “long queue” of excess rain water going to these two bodies of water. This largely caused the severe flooding in Metro Manila that is situated on an isthmus.

Since after Ondoy, I have encouraged my family not to accept plastic bags whenever we buy things, not even small ones from Mercury Drug; I put the medicines in my pocket. We always bring a small bayong and inside it is my favorite Adidas backpack that can be folded into a small pouch when not in use. Of course we also bring a few old plastic bags that have been reused and cleaned several times for “wet” items.

Below is my daughter, Ariel Marie, with her bayong.

Reduce dependence on non-renewable energy when travelling

I’ve been an avid cyclist for almost two years. Standing 5’6”, I’m so skinny at 115 pounds but I’m fit. I can easily bike from where I live in Malabon City to SM Mall of Asia. I also play freestyle sepak takraw. Sadly, I still smoke : (

I own a lightweight and very fast folding bike that, thanks to the administrator of LRTA and other environmentalist groups, is now allowed inside LRT 1 and 2.

If it were not for my family and work, I can live car-less. Biking is very cheap, much more fun than driving and very healthy. If we are to mitigate the decline of our ecosystem, we should lessen our dependence on modes of transport that require a lot of non-renewable energy. The hastened improvement of our mass transport system will soon make this easy to do.

Below are pictures of my folding bike and how I take advantage of the LRT as I move around Metro Manila. I call my bike Bumblebee : )

These pictures were taken when I met up with a group of people to survey the rehabilitation efforts of the Philippine National Railways

Not enough waste cans in the streets and not enough political will to enforce ordinances regarding solid waste

I’m the type who will look around and walk an extra 10 meters or so to dispose of my trash properly. Problem is there’s not enough waste cans in many streets. Try walking on any street in Metro Manila, except perhaps in Marikina and Las Pinas, and chances are you will not see enough waste cans.

There are more than enough city ordinances regarding solid waste; it’s the political will to enforce them that’s lacking. I cannot do anything about elected officials’ political will, but I hope they realize that many people litter the streets simply because there are not enough waste cans to throw them into.

Minimize “concreting” of the land

The problem with urbanization is we have poured so much concrete on our land. The National Capital Region, hardest hit by Ondoy, is so small but its population comprises 12.5% of the country’s total projected of 92.23 million for 2009 (latest official figure is from 2007). This has resulted in too many houses and buildings built. Each structure that is built is one less parcel of land that can no longer absorb rain water.

I don’t mind houses, buildings, roads and highways being constructed. It’s the way open spaces were built that I am against. These include sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, low-traffic roads and sometimes even parks.

This is one mistake that even the Ayala’s committed in the Makati Central Business District – they have poured concrete in almost every available open space.

The solution is to use water-permeable paving blocks as much as possible.

Below are images of how the Ayalas have corrected this mistake in their Nuvali project in Laguna:

In Nuvali, only high-traffic roads are paved with concrete. It’s a 1,840 hectare development, 50% of which is allotted to open spaces. Its bike lanes alone will be more than 50 kilometers long, each around 3 meters wide or a total of 150,000 square meters or 15 hectares. Imagine if these bike lanes were to be paved with concrete. That’s 15 hectares of land that will no longer absorb thousands of gallons of rain water.

Here’s how Mr. Henry Sy did it at SM Mall of Asia.

Use “green roofs” instead of traditional roofing materials

This offers tremendous benefits but a bit costlier than the most expensive traditional roofs and is, therefore, not for everyone. Consider the following image for a moment; it’s a satellite image of Valle Verde in Pasig:

So many houses and, therefore, so many parcels of land that can no longer absorb rain water. But what if each house used the so-called green roofs?

Green roofs or live roofs are engineered roof covers with plants and growing media (or engineered soil) taking the place of traditional roofing materials. It’s a low-impact development that mitigates the negative effects of a house’s or building’s footprint by somewhat recreating lost green spaces at the roof level.

Here’s a video showing how beautiful and beneficial green roofs are.

Their benefits are as follows:

• They’re a strong water management system since the soil and plants act like sponges that can absorb up to 60 to 70 percent of rainfall thereby producing less and cleaner water runoff. It’s a flood abatement system.

• They create a healthier environment by filtering air, binding dust particles, absorbing carbon dioxide and other pollutants and lowering ambient temperature which, in turn, lowers urban heat island effect with living and breathing plants.

• Since green roofs are covered with engineered soil and plants, they keep the areas under them cool in the summer thereby reducing cooling energy consumption and cost.

• Since the roof’s structural elements are buried underneath the engineered soil and plants, they are protected from UV rays and wind and temperature fluctuations which, in turn, help double even triple the life of the roof. So maintenance and even replacement costs are avoided. They also suppress outside noise.

• Since plants (flora) are introduced into the concrete jungle, fauna will start to return. Green roofs will provide nesting and habitat for displaced birds and wildlife. When was the last time your kids saw dragonflies, bees and butterflies?

• They create new real estate by taking advantage of that part of the house or building that is usually ignored and forgotten, the roof.

• Did I say that green roofs are beautiful and mitigate flooding?

I hope everyone, rich and poor alike, victims or not, learned from Ondoy. Only by understanding the power of nature and protecting the environment can we transcend every calamity that will hit us in the future. Understand that the likes of Ondoy can come at the most unexpected time but we can lessen their impact if we live sensibly by respecting nature the way we respect our own mothers.

Here’s a website that shows some of the most dramatic images of the havoc wrought by Ondoy.

Thank you so much. Mabuhay ang Pinoy, hindi tayo kaya ni Ondoy!!

His name is Mr. Paul James, National Awareness Coordinator for the Mesothelioma Center with office in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Author: Mr. Paul James (click on the image of the house to enlarge it)
Owning a home is regarded as one of the great moments of your life. It is a time that will bring many joyous memories for you and your family, but is also one that can create additional responsibilities.

With many older buildings, there is the potential for hazardous materials that may be present.

Newly bought homes are often remodeled and repairs are always needed. This is often the case with older homes, which still run with old, corrosive methods that were once used to build structures.

If you believe that your home contains asbestos, a home inspection could be extremely important for safety, health and investment reasons.

Real estate experts should make sure that potential home buyers receive all the information they need before the latter make the most important step – buying.

Characteristics of asbestos

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that gained popularity throughout the 20th century. Its qualities as flame and heat resistant made it perfect for use in construction and building applications. Asbestos that is disturbed or damaged due to age is known as “friable” asbestos. This is a serious concern because its toxic fibers can easily circulate and become inhaled.

Parts of your house where asbestos may be found

Homes and buildings constructed prior to 1980 still hold the potential of containing asbestos materials. In most situations, asbestos appears in

• roof shingles
• dry wall
• attic insulation
• popcorn ceilings
• joint compounds and
• electrical wires.

It is not always an easy process to determine whether or not a particular insulation contains asbestos. Anyone who is unsure about the insulation in their home should have the materials in question inspected and tested.

Risks in asbestos exposure

If exposed to airborne asbestos fibers for a prolonged period of time, it can lead to the development of related lung ailments such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Treatment has varied effects on victims. The age of diagnosis and latency period typically have a direct impact on patients.

Health tips when dealing with asbestos

If asbestos materials are present, most contractors will advise home owners to leave it alone. A home inspector can determine the toxicity levels present. Sometimes the best action is no action at all.

A general contractor will usually be responsible for providing materials, equipment and labor for a remodeling project. Consultants will identify material defects in structures and components of the home, in adherence to or exceeding national or local building codes and industry regulations and standards.

Asbestos insulation should be left undisturbed in your attic. Limit the amount of accessories and items stored. Do not allow children’s access. If you plan to remodel or conduct renovations, hire professionals to handle asbestos to safely remove the material. Removing asbestos by yourself can potentially spread fibers throughout your home and your family will be at risk of inhaling asbestos dust.

If an inspector deems the substance harmful, the removal of asbestos in public facilities, workplaces and homes must be performed by licensed abatement contractors who are trained in handling toxic substances. Depending on the condition of the asbestos, many experts feel it is better to seal it off than remove it.

Environment and human-friendly alternatives to asbestos

Green insulation alternatives to asbestos include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose.

Cotton fiber is quickly becoming a favorite for home builders and renovators. Cotton fiber is also becoming a favorite insulation method. Made from recycled batted material, it is then treated to be fireproof. Water-based spray polyurethane foam, lcynene, is a healthy insulation material which contains no toxic components.

Research has demonstrated that eco-friendly methods of building and insulation can result in decreased annual energy costs by 25%, along with an environmentally sustainable home, free of health damaging materials.
__________________________

Thanks a lot, Paul; that was a great post!

If you have any comment, question or suggestion, you may post them below in the comment section.

You may contact Paul via paul@asbestos.com

You may also contact Mr. Joe Lederman via joe@asbestos.com

Visit their website for the most up-to-date information on the harmful effects of asbestos.

Thank you so much