When ‘West Is Best’ for Housing

Abstract

How we build homes, communities and cities is a critical area in terms of future energy consumption and environmental impact, related to the depletion of fossil fuels and climate change. To contextualize current housing trends in the Philippines, the history of architecture will be presented in this chapter, looking back at vernacular architecture then moving towards more contemporary trends. Policies, standards and practices towards more efficient buildings in the region will be uncovered, with a focus on efforts to achieve ‘green’ buildings in the Philippines. Environmental factors are not the sole consideration: ‘sustainable’ housing also involves a sensitivity to different socio-economic groups, in terms of planning, design and usage, a perspective which is currently lacking in Metro Manila. The chapter concludes with a discussion around competing interests for building ‘sustainably’ in the Philippines, and the challenges this represents.