Covid has not only turned our lives and living upside down. It has equally changed our perspective towards materials we use and get surrounded with.
There is a renewed focus on materails that are efficient in sequestering carbon and helps in climate change and sustainability.
Bamboo wins in both the cases.
There has been a series of good news that came in for Bamboo.
Recently Nagpur Public Works Department (PWD) has included Bamboo in the State Schedule Rates 2020-21. That means Bamboo is being considered as a serious mainstream building material.
The Government has directed Council of Architecture (COA) to include bamboo in Architecture curriculum and we know that Bamboo Society of India (BSI) and Council of Architecture (COA) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to mainstream bamboo in building sector.
Many of the distinguished speakers have shared about the goodness and possibilities with Bamboo. As part of the audience so far, I have gained deep insights.
The two big challenges Bamboo is facing today are about making Bamboo win as a construction material and how it can reach out to the contemporary audience. I would like to share some points regarding these.
- There is a need to work on guidelines and framework for building bamboo structures. Only when the implementation of bamboo will be right, the material will deliver its best.
- Specifications need to be set for different application areas and needs. Though work is being done in this segment, it is important for the work to reach out.
- I urge design startups and product designers to look at Bamboo as an opportunity and design businesses around it.
- Last but not the least, Market Places for Bamboo are a must in order to mainstream the products and to reach out to the contemporary audience. I urge those who are working with Bamboo as a material to register in Goverment e-Marketplace and get access to all Government departments. A great example is set by Tripura by placing their cane and bamboo products in GeM. Market access is a major concern for small scale industies. It is good to see how GeM is enabling global market access to entrepreneurs. Though most of the Bamboo rich states might be part of it already, it is important to see how small entrepreneur can benefit out of it.
- . Last but not the least, nothing will be offered in a plate. We all have to do our bit of work for making our products and services reach out. Collaboration can the game changer. And platforms like this definitely puts the good work on a pedestal - a much required initiative.
Read about the Bamboo Day Event where esteemed speakers have shared their views and initiatives for this segment.
Write to me at madhu@surfaces.in