Kathmandu: The government has approved design guidelines for structures to be built using bamboo.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and Urban Development, Kulman Ghising, has approved the Design Guidelines for Bamboo-based Structures, 2082.
The guidelines pave the way for institutionalizing the engineering design and construction of one- to two-story residential, small commercial, and industrial buildings using bamboo as a structural construction material. The guidelines approved by the Ministry of Urban Development will be implemented through a circular issued to local levels via the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration.
Construction technologies based on steel and concrete are expensive, have negative environmental impacts, and face limited access to materials in rural areas. As a result, the importance of affordable and eco-friendly structures is increasing. Considering this, the guidelines emphasize promoting and encouraging the use of bamboo—traditionally used and readily available at the rural level-as a construction material, Minister Ghising said.
He added that dependence on materials such as bricks, cement, and iron can be reduced by utilizing locally available bamboo for structural purposes. This will help construct affordable structures, enabling families below the poverty line and low-income groups to build sustainable housing.
Since bamboo is also a fast-growing plant, promoting its use could reduce the environmental impact caused by other construction materials, he added.
The guidelines have been prepared based on studies, research, facts, knowledge, and standards related to bamboo building design and construction technologies practiced internationally.
The guidelines specify clear standards regarding bamboo cutting, grading, chemical treatment, storage, and usage. They include simple and practical design methods, necessary detailing, and sample house designs that enable earthquake-resistant, eco-friendly, and cost-effective structures using bamboo.
During the formulation of the guidelines, necessary testing was carried out with the involvement of technical experts from the Urban Development and Building Construction sectors, Pulchowk and Thapathali campuses of the Engineering Institute, the Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology, and Madan Bhandari University.
Mayor Tirtharaj Bhattarai of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality, Khotang, had staged a sit-in protest at Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu, demanding policy arrangements for the promotion of bamboo-based construction materials.
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