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Sunday,
November 30th 2003 |
News Bulletin Volume I -
Issue # 3 |
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“70% of Brazilians live in
inadequate housing”
“40% cheaper than a
traditional home and more resistant”
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Alagoas is the recipient of the first Bamboo Social Housing Unit in Brazil : 13/11/2003 The first bamboo casa popular
constructed mostly utilizing Bambusa Vulgaris was constructed by INBAMBU
(Instituto do Bambu – Bamboo Institute), part of their project to spread the
use of bamboo in civil construction. The home was then donated to an
impoverished family that previously resided inside a tent city. At first glance, the
bamboo house looks like any other building. However, upon closer inspection,
it is evident that there are inherent advantages in using this renewable
non-wood resource combined with innovative technologies. It is 40% cheaper
than a traditional home and more resistant. According to Edson Sartori, the
civil engineer responsible for the construction, the bamboo utilized is
stronger than steel. In addition, the walls
of the structure have a pocket of air insulation which helps maintain the
internal temperature of the home 10 degrees cooler according to Rubens
Cardoso, the architect responsible for the casa popular de bambu. “This is a
technological advance which INBAMBU has created to facilitate the heat
exchange within the home, allowing better ventilation for the interior,”
affirms Sartori. Bamboo as a renewable
resource—ecologically sound and economically feasible, presents a tremendous
economic potential for Brazil. In Asia, bamboo is traditionally used in
construction for thousands of years. In South American countries like
Colombia and Ecuador, bamboo homes are already an exciting alternative to
expensive concrete homes. The cost of the home
was estimated at R$4,200 ($1,428 dollars) (2.94 reais is equal to $1)
-1428. According to Alejandro Pereira, the director of INBAMBU,
believes bamboo homes in civil construction could be an alternative way to
reduce housing costs in Brazil. “We would like to prove that bamboo, despite
being largely ignored in Brazil, could be a possible solution for our great
social problems in Brazil.” This home built in Maceió
was a joint venture developed with Lar Juvenópolis, a NGO designed for
poverty alleviation. Besides setting the example for the potential use of
bamboo in construction, this work involves a long-term project, which
includes training locals to fully use bamboo in solving social problems.
During the construction of the bamboo house, INBAMBU taught the residents of
this community how these different techniques could be utilized within their
community. “We would like to eventually improve their quality of life,” notes
Carlos Pincho, the director of Juvenópolis. Located in the
neighborhood of Bebedouro, the home was donated to families from that locale.
The state governor, Ronaldo Lessa, and the president of Sebrae/AL, Nilton
Moreira, participated in the inauguration of the historic home. For more
information please visit: http://www.inbambu.org/ |
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Links:
http://www.americanbamboo.org/ Association Européenne du Bambou PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY: Bamboo Brazil Foundation 2965 SW 22nd Avenue, apt 205 Delray Beach, FL 33445 Phone: (561) 243-8814 Fax: (561) 276-7327 |
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