|
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
This house rules!
By Zac Faelnar Camara
We’re building a house! We’re giving up luxurious condo-living in the center of Makati City, the urban jungle we used to call home. Despite the rise in construction costs, we’ve decided to build a house further south where the air is known to be fresh. The question is, “What type of house should we build?”
For some reason, I’m recalling the story of the Three Little Pigs who built three different house styles to protect them from their adversary – the Big Bad Wolf. He huffed and he puffed and he blew two houses down. The third house proved indestructible and despite his efforts, the house ruled!
Construction activities in Metro Manila and its surroundings is a non-stop phenomenon. This includes the numerous residential communities sprouting in the far ends. The trend is to offer families a chance to own a place of escape; a home where they can enjoy clean air, natural surroundings, and the tranquility of being sheltered from the bustling city.
Given that sort of environment, the newly-built homes are still often fitted with high-powered air-conditioning systems and all the energy-consuming appliances that complete a modern home. Many houses are built to withstand the beatings of weather – this modern day’s adversary.
In the next two or three months, most of us will do all to protect ourselves from our current Big Bad Wolf - the sweltering heat of summer. And although the Philippines celebrated Earth Day 2006 on April 22, many of us will forget the causes of this sort of unbearable weather in exchange for some temporary relief and comfort. Our household air-conditioners will be pushed to maximum so we can enjoy a cool 21 degrees Celsius all day long.
Never mind that this soothing temperature will be 10 to 15 degrees higher once we step outside our doors.
It’s a catch 22. But some things have got to give. In contemplating the construction of a house, I wonder how difficult it will be not to give in. I had a recent conversation with sister-in-law who is a staunch environmentalist.
They’re going to build an “environmental home” and their architect, a very prominent one based in Manila, has agreed exclaiming that he has been wanting to do that and explore the possibilities!
What is an environmental home? Well, to put it in the context of the Three Little Pigs, it is a house that is built to help ease up the aggression of the Big Bad Wolf rather than provoke him. The conditions of our natural environment – the huffing and puffing wind, the intense heat, the heavy rains – are factors we have to work with simply because as a house has and always will be a source of shelter and protection, the natural environment has and always will be that way until the earth finally crumbles on account of our own misdeeds.
We’re building a house. And among many things, we’ve decided on an open-to-sky design that allows the funneling breeze to blow through; with solar panels to take care of necessary heating, high ceilings to assist much needed cooling, gutters to catch water when the rains come, and a garden filled with plants that naturally ward off mosquitoes and trees for that God-given shade. I hope when it’s done, I will be able to dare say, “This house rules!”
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 2, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
