Uploaded on 2017-03-01 by Joseph

The assigned task objective is to share ideas on the topic below: "Construction used to be a localised activity, but with the advancement of construction processes and construction materials almost every building contains components of a globalized economy." I’ve attached a picture of a nearly completed high-rise condominium building in my home city, Manila, Philippines. Most of the construction materials used in such projects are either sourced outside of the country, or if manufactured from within, the material components are exported. Steel rebar used for high-rise construction while mostly manufactured locally, is roughly 80% sourced from exports, contributing a considerable bulk of the trade deficit. A big bulk of those exports come from China due to relatively low costs. In some cases, the steel coming into the country did not pass established standards or the manufacturers did not have the adequate knowledge and resources to produce the quality required. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan hit the central Philippines, killed thousands of people and levelled what were supposed to be durable concrete structures. It was discovered that some of these structures used steel that did not pass standard requirements. Cement and concrete, while available locally, is passed for exports of higher grade due to the requirements of higher quality construction. The tiles used for cladding and pools will most often come from China, but European options are available as well. Inside each unit, you will have a varied mix of fixtures, fittings and furnishings mostly from Europe and Asia. There used to be a time when materials were sourced from our natural territory hundreds of years ago. Native houses called “Bahay Kubo” were built with straw and wood from the land. However, like most countries in Southeast Asia, the demands and quick pace of development have pushed us to adopt advanced materials and techniques from the West rather than study and learn how materials that occur naturally in our habitat can evolve. The option to look back at our natural territory for innovation and evolution of construction materials, in my opinion, has not been explored exhaustively due to the economies of scale that have already been established with current ones. With the construction and property boom forecasted to continue in the Philippines, the sustainability challenge for the country is to develop local, cost effective and safe alternatives to reduce our dependency on exports.