The Quezon City government and sustainable housing startup BillionBricks unveiled the country’s first net-zero home on Wednesday as part of efforts to promote affordable and sustainable housing solutions.
Mayor Joy Belmonte witnessed the unveiling of the first net-zero home, dubbed Sienna Net-Zero Model House, at the BillionBricks Experience Center in Barangay Bagong Silangan.
“Kahanga-hanga ang ganitong teknolohiya na malaki ang maitutulong para mabawasan ang carbon footprint na nakakaapekto sa ating kalikasan,” Belmonte said.
The 49-square-meter model house will be given to the Quezon City government, which will use it as a daycare center for the local community.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa BillionBricks sa kanilang regalo sa ating komunidad. Bukod sa tipid ito sa kuryente, malaking tulong ito sa pag-aaral ng mga bata,” the Mayor said.
The net-zero house uses PowerShade Technology, an innovative solar roofing system that enables the architectural structure to generate all its electricity needs.
It is also engineered to withstand typhoons and earthquakes and designed with smart home integration to provide data, information, and relationship assistance to homeowners.
The model house showcases an aspirational aesthetic with large windows, high ceilings, and sustainable, quality materials never before seen in affordable housing.
The BillionBricks Experience Center will provide visitors with interactive tours that showcase the Sienna Net-Zero Model House’s sustainable features and educate them about sustainable housing practices.
“We’re excited about the completion of the first Sienna Net-Zero Home, made possible with the tremendous support of Mayor Joy Belmonte and Quezon City, a city at the forefront of building climate resilience alongside its citizens,” BillionBricks Co-Founder and CEO Prasoon Kumar said in a statement.
In November 2023, BillionBricks and Quezon City LGU forged a partnership to build the solar-powered, net-zero BillionBricks Experience Center.
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About BillionBricks
BillionBricks is a Singapore-based venture addressing two pressing issues: the demand for
affordable and adequate housing and the urgent need to mitigate the effects of climate change. In 2020, it became a for-profit company backed by ENGIE, one of the largest energy providers in the world. Founded by award-winning architect Prasoon Kumar and venture capitalist Anurag Srivastava, BillionBricks partnered with ENGIE to develop the world’s first net-zero, affordable homes and communities. BillionBricks is currently building its first 38 Sienna homes in the
Philippines before it scales to a 1,000-home community with 10MWp of rooftop solar capacity.
BillionBricks was founded in 2013 as a non-profit and, since its inception, has impacted over 15,900 homeless and vulnerable populations across Asia and North America. In 2020, it became a for-profit business, continuing with its original mission.