ONE of the lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns mandated in some jurisdictions is the introduction of the use of a biophilic environment that creates good space for better mental health. Singapore led the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) in introducing biophilic design in recently constructed buildings. It was done by incorporating plots of land greenery by planting trees in addition to infrastructures and utilities like appropriate waste disposal systems.
Biophilic design combines components like lighting, ventilation, natural landscape features and other elements in the building design. It actually connects our human nature of longing for greenery. A pioneer biologist describes biophilic design as an attempt to "replace walls, windows, neon signs with leaves, barks, birds and insects."
As early as 2020, the World Economic Forum had considered real estate development mindful of the environmental impact and practices in incorporating ecological features in its structure giving rise to a healthy environment for everyone by, among others, shielding people from the impacts of global heating.
In the Philippines, the population census revealed that 12.37 percent of the population are concentrated in the National Capital Region. The housing backlog stands at 6.5 million, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which includes the majority of the 3.7 million informal settlers.
Vertical villages can be one of the multiple ways to solve the housing problem while providing a quality of living away from processes of modern technology and modern life which brought about polluted air and water. New subdivisions of house and lot could move away from Metro Manila with options available in Cavite and Rizal.

Green buildings
Green building is the practice of creating structures using means that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This style expands and complements the traditional building design concerns of security, utility, sustainability and comfort. For the US Environmental Protection Agency, green building is also known as a sustainable or high performance building.

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Green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: 1) effectively using energy, water and other resources; 2) protecting occupants' health thus improving their productivity; and 3) reducing waste pollution by providing self-sustaining environmental features such as recycling of rain water or harvesting energy through solar panels integrated into the structure.
For a developing country like the Philippines, this would entail reforms in Building Code provisions, e.g., better typhoon- and natural disaster-resilient houses, insurance programs against disasters or acts of nature that will effectively implement green buildings for a generational environmental sustainability.
As new concepts, biophilic architecture and green buildings fit well into Philippine laws on property ownership that encourage the use of the environment for a better quality of generational lives. Related laws are those on the Environmental Impact Assessment System as well as on zoning and building requirements.
In connection therewith, mention should be made of Republic Act (RA) 11469 of 2020, otherwise known as the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act," declaring a national emergency and granting greater flexibility to the chief executive in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Aside from community quarantine and incentives to health workers, the president embarked on a social amelioration package (e.g., emergency monthly subsidy, availability of health services, provision of personal protection equipment, etc.).

RA 11469 law proved that countries are not powerless against the health impacts of climate change. It showed that a health-related law could be the basis of people's "personalization" of the individual's right to a safe climate.

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