Climate Adaptation Award Won by Bamboo House on Stilts

Moso bamboo plantation. Photo courtesy: INBAR

The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) won the $200,000 US grant award.

Their press release says:

INBAR Wins World Bank 2009 Global Development Marketplace Award on Climate Change Adaptation

WASHINGTON D.C., November 13, 2009 - World Bank and Partners awarded the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) a US $200,000 grant for the project "Elevated Bamboo Houses Designed to Lift Communities Above Flood Zones" through the 2009 Global Development Marketplace, a global competitive grant program to fund innovation in development.

Increased flooding in Ecuador's coastal regions often destroy peoples homes. INBAR joined the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil and the NGO Hogar de Cristo to develop a plan to build 500 elevated flood-resistant bamboo houses. With the Development Marketplace Grant the partnership will not only bring new and safer homes to those 500 families, but also link 1,000 farmers and 500 builders with an existing bamboo housing supply chain.

"We will use a local plant, which is bamboo, and through technical innovation, make a more durable house, a permanent house for poor people", said Alvaro Cabrera, INBAR's Regional Coordinator for Latin America.

The project was rated by the World Bank as one of three stand-out ideas from this year's contest on climate change adaptation. In addition to the grant money, the partnership will also receive guidance and technical support from the World Bank as the project moves into implementation.

"Agriculture is where climate change, food security and poverty reduction intersect" said Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). "The Development Marketplace is an excellent platform for scouting and collecting new ideas from diverse sources, fostering innovative solutions, and developing partnerships in support of climate change adaptation."

Stilted Ecuadorian bamboo esterilia house with concrete foundation. Note: in the pictured example, esterilla refers to 'woven matting' of bamboo slats which constitute the building envelope walls. Photo courtesy: INBAR

Have a look at their website. They are doing good work promoting bamboo and rattan as sustainable building materials. Bamboo and rattan are much stronger than most people expect and make sturdy homes capable of withstanding the elements amazingly well. They are also helping people out of poverty by supporting home industry in countries and circumstances where others wouldn't.

House by Hogar de Cristo, Guayaquil, Ecuador Photo courtesy: INBAR