By Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter

Филиппинская инженер продвигает более широкое использование устойчивых строительных материалов на Филиппинах после разработки органических пустотелых блоков из местных материалов как альтернативы традиционному бетону.

“Cement is the most popular construction material, but it accounts for about 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions,” Po Lite Technology, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Ria Liza Centeno-Canlas said in a Zoom interview.

She said the broader construction industry contributes more than 10% of global carbon emissions, highlighting the need for greener building technologies in a sector that remains heavily dependent on concrete.

Po-Lite Hollow Blocks are prefabricated eco-couture panel wall systems with high-strength biocomposite shells designed to reduce the use of concrete in traditional construction.

The blocks use a liquid binder derived from locally sourced natural resins and fillers made from geomaterials, such as soil- and rock-based materials, as well as agricultural by-products.

“It’s a hollow block, but basically, you call it an eco-couture panel wall,” Ms. Canlas said. “I can customize its geometry and size, so while it can be produced in the standard hollow block dimensions, it can also be made in other sizes.”

She said the blocks can also be customized with different colors, textures and graphics to match a range of architectural designs, allowing the material to serve both functional and aesthetic requirements.

“I just have to add dyes to the formula to generate different colors,” she said. “It is inherently beautiful because of the combination of various aggregates.”

Ms. Canlas said the product could cut construction time by as much as 60% by removing finishing work such as plastering, painting and waterproofing.

She added that curing time is reduced from the conventional 28 days required for concrete to as little as three days.

“This is best for fast construction and post-disaster rebuilding because it is an all-in-one product,” she said. “It has various features that you cannot see in a single product available in the market.”

Po-Lite blocks are about 64% lighter than conventional concrete hollow blocks, but are five times stronger under heavy pressure and 30% stronger against bending, Ms. Canlas said, making them suitable for disaster-prone areas.

“It is generally very good in places that are frequently hit by typhoons and earthquakes,” she said. “I have published several Scopus-indexed journal studies that simulate the structural integrity of the material.”

“Not only is it aesthetically appealing, but it is also very strong,” she added.

Since its launch in 2017, Po-Lite has been used in 10 construction projects, including residential developments. The company plans to expand into government-led mass housing projects in Luzon before the end of the year.

“It’s very slow moving, and I suppose it has to start with government projects because they should set the example so the rest will follow,” Ms. Canlas said.

“My direction is actually to apply it to mass housing because the core principle of Po-Lite is to give dignity to every family,” she added.

Despite growing interest in sustainable construction, demand for green building materials in the Philippines remains limited. A 2025 study by the International Labour Organization attributed this to the slow adoption of green building practices despite the implementation of the Philippine Green Building Code.

Real estate consultancy JCV & Associates Project Management and Development, Inc. reported more than 1,000 green building projects in the Philippines in 2023 that were certified under various local and international green building rating systems.