billionBricks and GYP Properties launch new programme that addresses homelessness
Singapore, 2 December 2019 – As part of GYP Properties’ ‘Gift of Home’ programme, the Singapore-listed property developer is working with Singapore non-profit organisation billionBricks to support homeless or displaced families in the region. For every home sold, the Group will donate a weatherHYDE all season life-saving shelter, developed by billionBricks to a family in need.
As the business environment moves towards increased sustainability in social, governance and impact areas, companies like GYP Properties Limited (“GYPP”) are looking for genuine solutions that embed social causes into their business operations. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”) were set by the United Nations as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all with the aim of achieving these by 2030. Right at the top as SDG 1 is the goal of ‘No Poverty’.
According to The UN Refugee Agency and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 25 million people lose their home every year. Unsheltered and exposed, many also lose their lives with women and children being among the most vulnerable. With a shared belief that housing is the first step of empowerment towards emerging from poverty, billionBricks’ Co-Founder Prasoon Kumar, and humanitarian and GYPP CEO Stanley Tan took action within their own lives and amongst their communities. Prasoon left his former job as an architect to start the non-profit that innovates high-quality solutions for the homeless and Stanley has been volunteering to help Singaporean families living in rental flats to own their own homes. Both believe that the ‘Gift of Home’ programme is a great way to transition GYPP into a business with a pronounced social core.
“We believe that having a soul is just as important as generating profit, and a programme like ‘Gift of Home’ allows us to align our economic and societal goals.’ says Stanley.
Developed by billionBricks, weatherHYDE is an all season life-saving shelter that takes the form of a tent. It protects the homeless and vulnerable from extreme weather conditions and offers women and children privacy and a safe space. It has been deployed as part of disaster relief efforts and used as shelters for refugees. To date, weatherHYDE has rehabilitated 3,465 people.
“This partnership between GYP Properties and billionBricks will see one weatherHYDE donated to a displaced or homeless family for every home GYPP sells. It is an exciting partnership that shows how corporate business and non-profit organisations can work together for the greater good.” says Prasoon. “We hope to see a growing movement of businesses getting involved.”
For GYPP’s FY19, 64 weatherHYDEs are being donated to beneficiaries. When asked why they approached billionBricks to be a partner under their ‘Gift of Home’ programme, Stanley responded, “Under GYPP, we develop new homes for people so we knew we wanted to give back in the area of homelessness. We also wanted to work with a Singapore-based charity that is committed to the cause. Working with billionBricks is a component of a larger strategy for GYPP to incorporate social values within our organisation.”
In a collaboration with partner Rina Lopez Bautista, President and Founder of the Knowledge Channel Foundation in the Philippines who is also active in providing humanitarian and disaster response relief in her home country, the first deployment of shelters are being gifted to families affected by the earthquakes in Mindanao, Philippines.
billionBricks’ weatherHYDE protects the vulnerable from extreme weather conditions and has been deployed as part of disaster relief efforts and used as shelters for refugees.
Visiting a billionBricks project in Tacloban, the Philippines. From left: Prasoon Kumar, Co-Founder of billionBricks; Rina Lopez Bautista, President and Founder of the Knowledge Channel Foundation; Stanley Tan, CEO of GYP Properties Limited.
About billionBricks
bllionBricks is a non-profit innovation studio that uses design and technology as its tools to solve one of the most pressing global problems: homelessness. Founded in 2013 by a dedicated team of architects, designers, engineers and urban planners, we design and provide shelter solutions for those who need it most. To date, we have impacted 5,055 people from 9 countries.
We built a community for homeless families in Cambodia, shelters for vulnerable youth in Mumbai and a school for stateless children in Sabah, amongst others. Our first innovation, weatherHYDE, is a life-saving emergency shelter that won the 2018 Singapore President’s Design Award and was described by Ashton Kutcher as “innovation at its finest.” Our latest innovation is powerHYDE, a solar-powered, self-sustaining community concept that allows the homeless to become home owners, with opportunities to emerge from poverty. For more information and to give a gift of home, please visit www.billionbricks.org.
About GYP Properties Limited
GYP Properties Limited is a public-listed real estate company. With our mission of being a trusted property company that delivers projects that owners and users value, our focus is on driving financial performance and growth for our stakeholders, while contributing to sustainable development. We aim to do this via a robust and diversified portfolio in which we combine Singapore’s experience in multi-layered hubs and community living, with New Zealand’s strong consideration for materials and the environment.
Headquartered in Singapore, the Group also has offices in New Zealand and has a portfolio consisting 303,051 sqm of land, comprising commercial, retail and residential assets. Current projects include Remarkables Residences in Queenstown, Bellfield Estate in Auckland and Pakuranga Town Centre in Auckland. With urgent action needed to decarbonise, the Group offsets 100% of operational carbon emissions from buildings, making Braddell House and Pakuranga Plaza net zero carbon. For further information, please visit www.gypproperties.com.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Prasoon Kumar Billion Bricks Ltd.
prasoon@billionbricks.org Tel: 8322 2265
Kathlyn Tan
GYP Properties Limited kathlyn.tan@gypproperties.com Tel: 6351 1511