In the last 2 years, Holcim Philippines, Inc. has stepped up partnerships with shelter organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Base Bahay Foundation, and Build Change to advance innovations to make resilient building more accessible in the Philippines as it expanded its portfolio of low-carbon blended cements to help mitigate impacts of climate change.
“Our expertise on building materials makes us uniquely positioned to make a positive impact in this area. We can make available locally, innovative solutions to build safer and more durable homes and structures. Along with our focus on decarbonization and circularity, we also promote resilient construction in the Philippines in line with our commitment to support progress by building greener, smarter, and for all,” said Holcim Philippines president and CEO Horia Adrian.
In 2021, the company backed The Habitat for Humanity Challenge to find cost-effective retrofitting solutions so houses can withstand a 6.5 Richter scale earthquake and a typhoon with 200-kph winds. Holcim Philippines also supports the Base Bahay Foundation in advocating its cement-bamboo frame technology for building affordable and resilient homes. The company is also set to have another run of its Sustainable Construction course with the University of the Philippines Institute of Civil Engineering to influence aspiring building professionals to embed resilience and sustainability in their projects.
Furthermore, Holcim Philippines inked a partnership with climate-resilient housing organization Build Change to enable vulnerable, low-income families to strengthen their homes using low-carbon Holcim products. The program also involves training construction workers on using the right product for the right application to reduce the carbon footprint in the construction process.
“Our company has regularly participated in relief and rehabilitation efforts for communities affected by natural disasters and conflict. We can further increase our impact by working with like-minded partners to advance newer and more resilient ways of building,” said company chief sustainability officer Zoe Sibala.