The guiding principles are the same the world over:

 Simple. Habitat houses are modestly sized -- large enough for the homeowner family's needs, but small enough to keep construction and maintenance costs to affordable.

  Decent. Habitat uses quality, locally available building materials. Trained staff supervise Habitat house construction and educate volunteers and partner families.

 Affordable. The labor of volunteers and partner families, efficient building methods, modest house sizes and no-profit , inflation-adjusted , no-interest loans make it affordable for low-income people around the world to purchase a Habitat for Humanity house.

There are real construction challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, reflecting the myriad of geographies and climates. In Mongolia, for example, homes must withstand temperatures that fall 35°celsius below freezing (-31°Fahrenheit), yet at an affordable cost. In the Solomon Islands, the threat is from wind, rain and flooding brought in by tropical cyclones.

Commonly, Habitat houses in Asia-Pacific are made from block, often made by homeowners, and timber. Roofing may be corrugated metal sheets or tiling.

Habitat's house designs reflect the fact that people from different countries use their houses in different ways. In the Philippine countryside, for example, laundry and other chores traditionally are done on a small outdoor utility porch. Filipino Habitat house designs reflect this custom.

Habitat for Humanity International is committed to resource- and energy-efficient building practices. Staff and volunteers are taught to use sustainable construction techniques that conserve natural resources and reduce long-term costs for Habitat homeowners.

Examples of Habitat houses www.habitat.org/how/whatlikeintl.html
and www.habitat.org/how/naexamples.html