Bamboo: A Sustainable and Low-Cost Housing Material for India

Abstract

There has been a constant increase in the population of India. A large percent of the population is not able to afford their own homes owing to the increasing living costs. It is the need of the hour to adopt for cost effective housing solutions. The depletion in availability of natural resources and the climatic conditions has forced engineers to look for a more greener construction material. Thus a greener as well as an economical construction material is sought. Bamboo, because of its innumerable qualities may emerge as the necessary solution. Bamboo is available in abundance in the tropical and subtropical regions of India, China, Malaysia, Philippines, etc. and using it to its full potential may solve the housing needs of India. A review regarding the suitability of bamboo constructions so as to introduce a new low cost construction structural material to satisfy the housing needs of the poor has been presented here.