Building greener homes through wilcon’s aid

Illustration by Steph Bravo

There are lessons to be learned from the onslaught of Supertyphoon Yolanda across Visayas in 2013.

Although the storm left a trail of destruction, with countless houses and buildings destroyed, it also provided the government and the private sector the opportunity to develop structures that are far greener, more resilient, and more sustainable. Rebuilding efforts in Tacloban and the rest of Visayas should also ensure that the whole island will be future- and climate-proof, well prepared for the future onslaught of strong typhoons like that of Yolanda.

Builders and developers must be mindful of the need to optimize building space and to choose  proper building materials.

Whether new or renovated, each construction project has several pointers to consider aside from the building cost. Optimizing the use of building space and materials, reducing waste at the source, using recycled content, and ensuring energy and water efficiency should be among the considerations during conceptual design and design-development stages.

Here are some tips to incorporate to build a greener home.

When new materials are used, maximize their recycled content, especially from a post-consumer perspective. Specify materials harvested on a sustained yield basis such as lumber from third-party certified forests. Encourage the separation of waste streams, and ensure that reuse and recycling is done in an environmentally acceptable manner during construction, renovation, and demolition processes.

Eliminate the use of materials that pollute or are toxic during their manufacture, use, or reuse. Give preference to locally produced products and other products with low embodied energy content. Encourage success of operational-waste recycling through planning in the design-development phase.

As our natural resources are critical, work to find ways to reduce potential sources of toxicity  and to improve energy and water efficiency. It is also possible to use materials and assemblies with the highest percentage available of post-consumer or post-industrial recycled content.

In addition to products with recycled content, optimize product durability by purchasing products with extended warranty, upgradeability, spare parts, service information, and mold resistance. Evaluate how materials selection influences the building’s overall life-cycle environmental performance and specify materials that can achieve the greatest environmental benefit. Specify rapidly renewable materials that can regenerate within 10 years or less (such as bamboo, cork, wool, and straw).

Consider using materials that age gracefully. Often traditional materials used in building construction are easily refinished, repaired, or are partially replaceable, to ensure that a building’s potential lifespan is measured in multiple human generations.

It is important that “green” products perform just as well as “standard” products over the course of their expected life cycle, therefore it is valuable to develop a durability plan, which informs material and systems decisions assessing potential risk factors and damage functions.

Whenever possible, give preference to purchasing products that openly disclose both the substances which are used in the manufacturing process for the product, and also disclose the full list of substances which are contained in the final product.

Evaluate carefully the materials you choose for the flooring and painting. Use timber products obtained from sustainably managed forests that are certified through third-party organizations. Select paints, coatings, plastics, rubbers, and seals that are free from flame-retardants / softeners containing short-chained chlorinated paraffins.

Wilcon Depot is a perfect partner for every homeowner and builder, as it yields for strong reputation to justify its continued existence as the most sought-after one-stop shop that provides great value and selection for your home building needs. Carrying its mission and commitment in delivering products and solutions of superior quality and providing excellent and reliable services, Wilcon also has several products to help build a “green” home.

It showcases various product showrooms, and displays Wilcon’s exclusive top-tier brands like Grohe and Kohler Sanitarywares, Franke Kitchen Systems, Pozzi Bathroom Solutions, Koller Bathtubs and Shower Accessories; while Spanish tiles like Alcalagres, Keratile, Rocersa, Cifre, Emigres, Keros and Oset alongside with Italian tiles such as Novabell, Energie Ker, Gardenia are made available in their Tile Studio.

Natuzzi Edition, Heim home interior and Heritage home furniture are exhibited at the Living, Kitchen, and Bath (LKB) showroom. Direct Hardware, Alphalux lighting solutions, Kasch bathroom accessories, PTech PVC mouldings, Forest wood products, Solutherm PPR pipes, and Sefa specialty bathroom faucets and showerheads are displayed in the DIY section.

Wilcon Depot constantly aspires to bring retail stores to more key cities to provide more and more Filipinos the comfort and fulfillment they truly deserve in their home building shopping needs. It continues to stay on, taking the higher road, thus allowing it to provide better service and ensure more innovative operations. For more details, visit its website at www.wilcon.com.ph