PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Bamboo Construction Inspired by Vernacular Techniques for Reducing Carbon Footprint: A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Sustainability (Switzerland), ISSN: 2071-1050, Vol: 15, Issue: 24
2023
  • 1
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 53
    Captures
  • 1
    Mentions
  • 22
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    1
  • Captures
    53
  • Mentions
    1
    • News Mentions
      1
      • 1
  • Social Media
    22
    • Shares, Likes & Comments
      22
      • Facebook
        22

Most Recent News

Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira Researchers Detail Findings in Technology [Bamboo Construction Inspired by Vernacular Techniques for Reducing Carbon Footprint: A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)]

2024 JAN 09 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Tech Daily News -- Data detailed on technology have been presented. According to

Article Description

Whilst upcoming innovations on digital technology and renewable energy can have a significant impact on the reduction of operational carbon emissions in the construction industry, readily available fast-growing building materials like bamboo are already proving reductions in the embodied carbon of dwellings above 60% when compared to traditional brickwork in Colombia. This paper presents a like-by-like comparison of the environmental impact of a conventional clay brick house (CBH) and a bamboo house for social housing in Colombia, which was built using adapted vernacular technologies. The bamboo house uses bamboo species Guadua angustifolia Kunth as the main structural support for the light cement bamboo frame (LCBF) system, a.k.a. ‘cemented bahareque’, whilst the CBH combines clay bricks and steel for the load-bearing walls. Traditionally built Guadua angustifolia Kunth bahareque (GaKB) houses are a key part of the vernacular architecture in the ‘coffee cultural landscape of Colombia’ (CCLC) recognised by UNESCO. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to calculate the carbon footprint of the houses following four phases: (1) definition of objective and scope; (2) inventory analysis; (3) impact assessment; and (4) interpretation of results. The results show that the carbon footprint of the GaKB house accounts for about 40% of the CBH, i.e., the GaKB generates a carbon footprint of 107.17 CO-eq/m whilst the CBH results in a carbon footprint of 298.44 kg CO-eq/m. Furthermore, from a carbon balance calculation, the carbon footprint of the GaKB house is further reduced to about 36% of the CSB house. LCA results for the built GaKB house demonstrate that vernacular housing projects that preserve cultural heritage can also be resilient and climate-neutral. This paper sets a precedent for the establishment of targeted government policies and industry practices that preserve the cultural heritage and vernacular technologies in the CCLC region and in other emergent economies worldwide whilst promoting future-proof and net-zero carbon construction.

Bibliographic Details

Carlos Eduardo Rincón; Jorge Augusto Montoya; Hector F. Archila

MDPI AG

Computer Science; Social Sciences; Energy; Environmental Science

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know