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

A life cycle assessment (LCA) reveals that vernacular bamboo houses in Colombia's UNESCO-listed Coffee Cultural Landscape emit 60% less carbon than conventional clay brick homes, with a footprint of just 107.17 kg CO2-eq/m² compared to 298.44 kg CO2-eq/m² for brick structures. The study highlights the potential of Guadua angustifolia Kunth bamboo, used in adapted traditional techniques like 'cemented bahareque,' to achieve climate-neutral housing while preserving cultural heritage. The research compares a bamboo house (GaKB) with a clay brick house (CBH), demonstrating that vernacular construction methods can significantly reduce embodied carbon emissions without sacrificing resilience or cultural significance.

Rincón, C. E., Montoya, J. A., & Archila, H. F. (2023). Bamboo Construction Inspired by Vernacular Techniques for Reducing Carbon Footprint: A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Sustainability, 15(24), 16893. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416893