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Holcim for affordable housing

Holcim has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to accelerate access to affordable housing using an online affordable housing portal.

Holcim has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to accelerate access to affordable housing.

The companies will deploy an online affordable housing portal to enable low-income families to access finance, building materials, solutions in a safe and seamless way.

The project was first piloted in Mexico in the Bajio and Veracruz regions using online affordable housing platform iBUILD.

iBUILD allows families to apply for loans from microfinance institutions; reach building suppliers for quotes and services; and order high-quality construction materials, including from Holcim’s 25 Disensa retail stores and distributors around Veracruz and Bajio.

iBUILD is among the most recent start-ups to join Holcim’s open innovation ecosystem, consisting of over 800 start-ups globally striving to accelerate innovation in the construction industry.

So far, 600 homes have been renovated in Mexico and Holcim and Habitat for Humanity intend to expand the project across South America, North America, and Asia Pacific.

Habitat for Humanity International chief executive Jonathan Reckford pointed out that “it will require an estimated $16 trillion to close the global affordable housing deficit, only $3 trillion of which is estimated to come from governments and non-profits.

“Closing this gap becomes possible when the private sector steps into new markets to provide affordable housing products and services,” he stated.

“This partnership will highlight the critical role that private sector partners like Holcim can play in increasing access to affordable housing for low-income families.”

The end goal is to create a sustainable and healthy built environment where everyone has a decent place to live.

“A key pillar of Holcim’s positive social impact is to accelerate access to affordable housing,” Holcim chief executive Jan Jenisch said.

“With today’s rapid urbanisation, we have a key role to play to build more with less to improve living standards for all in a sustainable manner.

“With over three billion people expected to need affordable housing by 2030, I’m excited to be partnering with Habitat for Humanity to deploy innovative and digital solutions to address this societal need at scale.”

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