A mockup unit of the an-eco budget bamboo chalet: design and cost estimation analysis

Abstract

To succeed by 2050, Malaysia visions would need to be ecologically sustainable. To align with this strategy, a mock-up unit of an-eco budget bamboo chalet is proposed and designed with the aim to provide an affordable and sustainable chalet using local sustainability features and expand the use of natural resources. A sustainable bamboo chalet requires proper initial treatments and preservation in maintaining its esthetic appearance and strength. Otherwise, it can be less durable and under certain circumstances would incur high maintenance cost to the owner. In this study, the proposed unit of an eco-budget bamboo chalet is designed and analyzed using the Staad Pro V8i software. The projection cost of the bamboo chalet in the next 25 years is studied comparatively in which involves a comparison of using a different material, i.e. concrete with the same built-up area. The bamboo chalet had a built-up land area of approximately 7.5 m x 7 m (53 m2) and is made of 95% bamboo which comprises of two different species, i.e. Bambusa Vulgaris and Dendrocalamus Asper Bamboo. The results showed that construction material of the chalet saves up to 18% more when using bamboo compared to concrete. However, the total projected cost of the chalet for the next 25 years by using bamboo was 14% higher compared to concrete. Therefore, emphasis on the usage of bamboo for long-term strategy is required to maintain and control the gradual trend cost incurred if green building is to be built in Malaysia.

Implementation of Green Materials in Construction Management System in Malaysia

“…Bamboo is a type of grass that grows rapidly and can be harvested within three to five years, making it a highly sustainable and renewable resource for construction. In addition, bamboo has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than traditional building materials such as wood and concrete, making it an ideal material for building lightweight structures [51]. Bamboo has been used in various construction projects in Malaysia, such as the Bamboo Playhouse in Kuala Lumpur, which was built using bamboo as the primary construction material.…”

“…Bamboo has also been used in the construction of low-cost housing projects, such as the Rumah Aspirasi Rakyat (RAR) in Sabah, which used bamboo as a substitute for traditional building materials [52]. A previous study compared the estimated construction cost, projected maintenance cost, and overall life cycle cost of an eco-budget chalet built with two types of Malaysian bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper and Bambusa vulgaris) as the main construction material with the same chalet design built with reinforced concrete as the main construction material [51,53]. Despite the advantages of bamboo as a green material, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider.…”

Mechanical characterization of bamboo pole for building engineering: A review

“…Bamboo is a natural fiber composite used for household application, furniture, and food (Azmy et al 1991;Yap et al 2017). This natural fiber could substitute the synthetic fiber reinforced plastic because it is more durable, economical, and sustainable for green building (Mansor et al 2019). An et al (2020) found out that the mechanical strength of material bamboo (bamboo fiber) is an excellent fit for paper products.…”