BAMBOO - A SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIAL.

A Seminar and Technical Writing Report

By
Jezniah Anwesh Kerketta
116AR0008

Department of Planning and Architecture,

National Institute of Technology, Rourkela
Table of Contents.
1. Background…………………………………………………….3
2. Introduction…………………………………………………….4
3. Why Bamboo as a Construction Material……………………...5
3.1 Environmental Aspects
A. Renewability
B. Carbon Sequestration
C. Embodied Energy
D. Environmental Pollution
3.2 Social Aspects
A. Disaster resilience
B. Social Cohesion Opportunities
C. Income Generation and Food
3.3 Economical Aspects
A. Cost of Material
4. Successful Implementations……………………………………7
4.1 Nocenco Café by Vo Trong Nghia Architects
4.2 Kasaragod Bamboo Model, Kerala
5. Case Studies……………………………………………………8
5.1 Green Village, Bali
6. Conclusion…………………………………………………….10
7. Bibliography…………………………………………………..11

List of Figures
Figure 1: The Gobkeli Tepe Temple, [a]
Figure 2: The Home Insurance Building[b]
Figure 3: The Taj Mahal [c]
Figure 4: Bamboo Shoot [d]
Figure 5: Bamboo Growing Regions [e]
Figure 6: Interiors Nocenco Café [g]
Figure 7: Interiors Nocenco Café [h]
Figure 8: Section Nocenco Café [i]
Figure 9: Heart of Green School [j]
Figure 10: Interiors, Green School [k]
Figure 11: Furniture [l]
Figure 12: interiors [m]

List of Tables
Table 1: Embodied Energy Comparison [f]

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Abstract
The advent of civilization and development has led to use of excess of building materials which
has caused the depletion of natural resources also adding to it the ever-growing pollution levels
caused by the manufacturing process of building materials and their reaction to the
environment. Certain paradigms were set up to avoid the adverse effects on the environment
and preserve the natural resources for the future generations. One of those paradigms is use of
Sustainable Building Materials with Bamboo being the flag bearer of it.
Bamboo has various features like resilience, adaptability, aesthetics, environmental
friendliness etc which makes it an optimum solution to the ever-growing building materials
demand with negative carbon footprint. Utilization of bamboo has been blooming with the
spread of awareness of its features and uses with various implementations around the world for
construction, goods, food and prevention of natural calamities disastrous after effects by
checking soil erosions and holding it together to stop landslides.

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1. Background
Through the ages, mankind has constructed majestic wonders to live in, show power or
development and create landmarks for history to remember and adore. With the
discovery of new materials and their capabilities, the construction and architectural
industry started growing exponentially. Materials like steel, concrete and glass became
mass produced and utilized construction materials (Fig. 1,2). The quarrying of stones
for their aesthetics and easy availability became a booming trade and style statement
(Fig. 3), and are still in demand even in the current scenario.

Figure 1: The Gobkeli Tepe Temple, [a] Figure 2: The Home Insurance Building[b]

Most of these materials are taken from the Earth either directly or require usage of
fossil fuels for their production. This has been going on for centuries and has been
having a negative impact on the environment due to the high embodied energy
required for the production and the emission of green house gases leading to global
warming. Nearly 70% of the global greenhouse gases are from the cities and about

Figure 3: The Taj Mahal [c]

90% of the urban population is situated near coasts which make them more vulnerable
to global warming [1]. The boundaries that must never be crossed so that Earth is not
affected and human Growth and development stays in the mutual safe zone between
the surrounding and man has been often ignored and violated and the natural
resources are continuously depleting. To protect the Earth from further damage due to
human growth and development new paradigms were set to accommodate
development without harming the environment [2].

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 One of those paradigms is use of Sustainable Building Materials. Sustainable
Building Materials are those materials which are economic, environment friendly and
socially adaptable [3]. Sustainable materials must be either carbon negative or shouldn’t
add up to global emissions of green house gases or must have very low embodied
energy. There are various Sustainable Materials that are being used in the construction
industry with the advent of Sustainable Development. Prominent materials that are
being used would be Bamboo, Mud, Lime, Industrial Wastes, timber, pozzolan etc.
Among the sustainable materials, bamboo is considered by researchers as the most eco
friendly construction material due to its carbon negative nature and high tensile and
compressive strength with unmatched lightness [4].

2. Introduction
The word bamboo was introduced by Carl Von Linne in 1753. Bamboo is a part of the
grass family but as it grows its lignin becomes as hard as the highest quality wood but
more flexible and lighter. Bamboo naturally grows in all the continents except Europe
and Antarctica (Fig. 4). There are tropical and subtropical bamboos that grow in the
forests of Columbia and also in the arid zones of India [5]. Bamboo has about 1575
species of Bamboo out of 20 – 38 species are used in construction with Moso bamboo
(Phyllostachys edulis), Guadua (Guadua angustifolia Kunth) and Giant bamboo
(Dendrocalamus asper) being the most important, being the strongest and largest of
them all. Bamboo could be used to make all parts of the house from structural walls and
columns, to woven roofs to doors and windows. In the olden times, bamboo was used
in combination with other natural construction materials like wood, clay, lime and
grass. Recently, it is used in combination with cement or adhesives to produce much
stronger and aesthetically pleasing materials that are compatible with modern
lifestyle.

Figure 4: Bamboo Shoot [d]

Figure 5: Bamboo Growing Regions [e]

3. Why Bamboo as a Construction Material?

Bamboo is a material that is very versatile and adaptable in the construction industry.
Bamboo is strong and lightweight and can sometimes be used without proper
processing or finishing in its raw form [6]. Various aspects of study that lead to bamboo
being a suitable choice for sustainable construction material are: -

3.1 Environmental Aspect

A. Renewability
It is a material that has positive effect on the environment when it is harvested.
It grows in 4 to 5 years to maturity and can be harvested for use yearly.
Harvesting of bamboo yearly has a positive impact on the clump and keeps the
forest healthy. It can be grown in flood plains and deforested lands [7].

B. Carbon Sequestration
Bamboo can take in more carbon dioxide than a tree due to its rapid growth.
Guadua bamboo takes in about 149.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare during
its growth period of about 7 years [5].

C. Embodied Energy
Bamboo can be used as a solid wood substitute; its embodied energy is half of
the energy used for timber excluding the manufacturing process of timber. It can
reduce about 70% of timber plantations if used majorly in the construction
industry [6].

BUILDING DENSITY (kg/m3) ENERGY FOR

MATERIALS PRODUCTION (MJ/kg)
Concrete 2400 0.8
Steel 7800 30
Wood 600 1
Bamboo 600 0.5

Table 1: Embodied Energy Comparison [f]

D. Environmental Pollution
Bamboo is called environment friendly because it’s a rapidly renewable
resource. Its usage could improve wastelands, mitigation of flood disasters. Is
has negative green house effect and also reduces the carbon content of air and
soil [6].

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3.2 Social Aspects

A. Disaster Resilience
The roots of Bamboo spread in all directions making the land below very solid,
which prevents soil erosion during floods and also reduces the scale of landslides
[9]
. Buildings build with bamboo are more resistant to earthquakes as compared
other building build with concrete and adobe bricks or concrete blocks.

B. Social Cohesion Opportunities

Building with Bamboo is comparatively easy and can be taken up as a
community activity after a devastating flood or Earthquake. A study states that
bamboo houses were widely accepted by people after floods as they offered
better living conditions as they were better suited to the native climatic
conditions [8].

C. Income Generation and Food

Bamboo shoot is edible and is used by most the south Asian countries as an
important ingredient of their traditional food dishes. Bamboo in its different
growth stages is used for products like furniture, weaved mats etc. Building with
bamboo requires traditional manual tools so it can be easily taught and practised,
also if its farming and harvest is taken up with the proper guidelines, it could
serve as a sustainable and profitable source of income.

3.3 Economical Aspects

A. Cost of Material
In places where it is easily available it is a very economical and environment
friendly option instead of other harmful materials like concrete and steel that
have high embodied energy. Engineered bamboo and bamboo bio composites
are better and cheaper alternative to timber products.

3.4 Strength Comparisons

Bamboo is a strong tensile member and can be used horizontally without
support to about 3.6 m. Bamboo can withstand up to 358.53 MPa of pressure as
compared to 70MPa of Concrete and tensile strength of 0.028 MPa which has
similar properties of steel [6].

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 4. Successful implementations

4.1 Nocenco Café by Vo Trong Nghia Architects

Sustainable Interior design protects the environment and has minimal impact on it [4].
By using Bamboo as an alternate to the common paints, claddings and decorative
interior additions, the interiors of this café have zero carbon footprint and at the same
time have an enriching one with nature feel associated with it.

Figure 6: Interiors Nocenco Café [g]

Figure 7: Interiors Nocenco Café [h]

Figure 8: Section Nocenco Café [i]

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 4.2 Kasaragod Bamboo Model, Kerala

“It is scientifically proven that bamboo can prevent soil erosion and landslide apart
from retaining groundwater, thus enhancing its level.”, said district collector,
Kasaragod, D Sajith Babu [10]

“If effectively cultivated in risk prone areas, we would be able to prevent natural
calamities considerably as it is a time-tested method.”, said Kasaragod Divisional
Forest Officer, AnoopKumar P.K [10]

Bamboo has effectively decreased the effects of flood wherever it was planted in
Kerala. Its withstood flood water levels as high as 3 to 4 meters as per initial post
survey. “In Trissur, we found places which had bamboo didn’t experience events like
soil piping. Those that experienced soil piping were in areas that had trees like Acacia.”
Said M. A. Sudheer Babu, Soil Conservation Officer Trissur [11]

Bamboo plantations can also serve as a source of regular income if taken care of and
harvested annually and improve the economy of the area without having any negative
impact on the environment.

5. Case Studies

5.1 Green Village, Bali

The Green Village in Bali, Indonesia by John and Cynthia Hardy with PT Bamboo pure
is a marvelling example of a complete bamboo-based design implementation. The
school’s design was aimed at making an atmosphere that educates towards a
sustainable, community integrated, wall less natural environment. This project used
bamboo throughout the structure for all its elements including, columns, roofing,
flooring, furniture etc [12].

Figure 9: Heart of Green School [j] 8

 Figure 10: Interiors, Green School [k]

Every part of the building is made with bamboo. The use of the natural aesthetics of
bamboo and its structure has been cleverly used in the design.
.

Figure 11: Furniture [l]

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 Figure 12: interiors [m]

6. Conclusion

The ever growing and demanding consumption of material resources and the resulting
pollutions are an obstacle to sustainable development. The studies carried out so far
have proven that the use of bamboo and its derivatives in construction will promote
sustainable construction because bamboo has many environmental benefits and is a
carbon negative material. Bamboo’s surprising compressive and tensile strength and its
effective renewability make it even more enticing as a suitable option as a sustainable
building material. Adapting bamboo into buildings as structural component and also as
a versatile material that can serve as furniture, mats, ornamental installations would
reduce the usage of timber, steel, concrete etc wherever possible leading to a sustainable
and carbon negative future.

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Bibliography
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7. S Minae, 1989. Socio Economic Issues in Bamboo Production and Utilization in Kenya
8. F Lisa, 2010. Green rehabilitation MA Thesis: Oxford Brooklyn University
9. J L Acousta, 2001. Use of Bamboo in the Control of Mountainous Areas

a. Nick Van Mead, Guardian News and Media Limited

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/feb/25/a-brief-history-of-concrete-from-10000bc-to-3d-
printed-houses
b. Nick Van Mead, Guardian News and Media Limited
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/feb/25/a-brief-history-of-concrete-from-10000bc-to-3d-
printed-houses
c. Official Website of Taj Mahal - Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India
https://www.tajmahal.gov.in/
d. Sabine Tropa, The Happy Bamboo https://thehappybamboo.com/is-bamboo-perennial/
e. Rashmi Manandhar, Jin hee Kim, Jun Tae Kim (26 March,2019)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13467581.2019.1595629
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g. Allyn Griffiths ( 6 October, 2018 ) https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/06/vo-trong-nghias-architects-
nocenco-cafe-bamboo-vinh-vietnam-architecture/?li_source=LI&li_medium=bottom_block_1
h. Allyn Griffiths ( 6 October, 2018 ) https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/06/vo-trong-nghias-architects-
nocenco-cafe-bamboo-vinh-vietnam-architecture/?li_source=LI&li_medium=bottom_block_1
i. Allyn Griffiths ( 6 October, 2018 ) https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/06/vo-trong-nghias-architects-
nocenco-cafe-bamboo-vinh-vietnam-architecture/?li_source=LI&li_medium=bottom_block_1
j. Danny Hudson ( August 24, 2012 ) Designboom https://www.designboom.com/architecture/pt-
bamboo-pure-green-school-bali/
k. Danny Hudson ( August 24, 2012 ) Designboom https://www.designboom.com/architecture/pt-
bamboo-pure-green-school-bali/
l. Danny Hudson ( August 24, 2012 ) Designboom https://www.designboom.com/architecture/pt-
bamboo-pure-green-school-bali/
m. Danny Hudson ( August 24, 2012 ) Designboom https://www.designboom.com/architecture/pt-
bamboo-pure-green-school-bali/

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