Since its inception in 1983, CitiHomes Builder and Development, Inc. (CBDI) has been providing affordable housing solutions on the outskirts of Metro Manila. Over the years, the company has grown and evolved, re-establishing itself as a full-fledged real estate developer in 2006.
Now, 18 years since, CBDI is looking to test its limits once more, pushing the boundaries of traditional housing development to embrace sustainability and innovation.
The turning point was the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world grappled with lockdowns, CBDI Executive Vice-President John Philip Wang and their officers contemplated the next chapter of the company’s journey.
He recalls in an interview, “What kind of a world will our next generation grow up in? How can we try to undo the damage that mankind has done because of such rapid and mass-scale urbanization, while still answering the government’s call to reduce our country’s housing backlog?”
Their studies gave birth to Liora Homes Naic, CBDI’s first sustainability-focused project. It also served another purpose; more than just a response to environmental concerns, it was a way for the company to differentiate itself from its peers and keep its mission exciting and challenging.
“It is a way to push the envelope, to keep ourselves thinking actively as an economic low-cost developer.” Mr. Wang mused.
Elements of sustainability
CBDI’s drive for and interpretation of Sustainability is evolving further, inspired by the core elements of the world: Fire, Water, Wood, Earth. Each element represents a facet of their sustainability initiatives.
Solar energy production, as energy or equivalently, fire, is a key part of Liora Homes Naic and shall continue to be a central component of CBDI’s projects moving forward. Solar panel systems, mounted on the rooftops of all of Liora’s townhouses, reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources by 30% or more.
Rainwater harvest tanks, also provided in all of Liora’s houses, conserve precious groundwater and help with flood mitigation.
For the element of wood, the Company has significantly reduced its use of lumber both in their housing products and in the construction processes. While for earth, CBDI is studying household-level composting and is expanding its network of recycling partners to manage waste more effectively.
Executive Vice-President John Philip Wang is the driving force behind CBDI’s visionary ‘Beyond Housing’ initiative.
“We aim to keep getting better, to improve on our tradecraft, over our current and upcoming projects,” Mr. Wang added.
All these initiatives are tracked by the company’s Go Green meter, which shows five metrics: total solar energy production capacity installed, total rainwater harvesting capacity, carbon dioxide emissions reduced annually, coal prevented from burning annually, and the number of trees saved.
CBDI keeps a close eye on these metrics with every housing unit built and development started, to ensure that they have a numerical representation of the impact of their initiatives. It is their belief that as a developer of low-cost housing, they need every edge possible to win over stakeholders.
“The economic low-cost mass housing development business is a numbers game. We need to get various stakeholders to believe in our case,” Mr. Wang said, adding that they had to use every metric and merit to convince both government and private entities to continue supporting CBDI as it incorporated these new measures into their projects.
Such are the challenges that CBDI has to face with each project. “There are price ceilings. You add these costs, but you cannot exceed the price ceiling. So, a very big challenge was also how to put in all these features and still keep it within a reasonable level of affordability,” he said.
So, how do they do it? Partly through economies of scale, but definitely with teamwork.
“The engagement with our industrial partners was borne from commitment-begets-commitment. We committed to them the whole project, and they committed their workable prices in return,” Mr. Wang explained.
And, despite admitting not being the cheapest choice in their segment, CBDI justifies its pricing with the long-term value of built-in sustainability. “You buy property for years and decades. Invest in your home because it’s where your children will grow up in, and where you might likely spend your golden years.”
CBDI looks forward to more challenges and innovations in the near future with their next and biggest development, Paseo de Lipa.
Building from the heart
Ultimately, CBDI’s mission is rooted in stewardship.
Since 2006, President Rosie Tsai has driven the company’s growth, fostering a corporate culture of excellence and attentively addressing the needs of homebuyers.
“We believe we are but stewards of God’s resources. In CBDI, we acknowledge that we are doing God’s business, so there’s no other way to do it except God’s way, according to His Word,” CBDI President and CEO Rosie Tsai said in an interview.
She recalled that the company is now a far cry from what it was when they evolved into mass housing development 18 years ago.
“The first few years were turbulent as we struggled to survive with only two small joint-venture projects and with mostly new employees,” Ms. Tsai shared. “At that time, we didn’t have any land banking and very limited cash.”
“Because of those difficult years, and with all we have learned through the trials and from each other, I am most proud of our CitiHomes organization, led by the core group of leaders, who, throughout the years, remain committed to uphold our core values of God-centeredness, Integrity, Passion for Excellence, Profitability, Teamwork, Innovation and Loyalty in strengthening our Company’s mission and vision.”
This philosophy translates into their approach to business as it pushes forward into developing more sustainable homes that are affordable and accessible for the Filipino people.
“We focus on inculcating a daily habit of working from a heart that cares, a heart that is fair and honest, and a heart willing to serve. That is the CBDI way of ‘Building from the heart.’”
CBDI has a 40-year track record in the home construction industry, but its reputation is built on 18 years of developing residential communities that enhance the quality of life for ordinary Filipino homeowners. As it continues to expand its portfolio, CBDI stands out as one of the pioneering companies delivering green and sustainable residential communities.
Learn more about the advantages of green and sustainable homes at www.cbdi.com.ph/communities/liora-homes-naic/.
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