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The Economics of Bamboo Construction: Cost-Effectiveness Vs. Traditional Materials
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Architecture
Abstract
As the global construction sector seeks sustainable alternatives to environmentally intensive materials like concrete, steel, and timber, bamboo has emerged as a renewable, low-carbon option with growing interest. This study investigates the economic viability of bamboo construction by comparing cost-related perceptions and performance against conventional materials, while capturing real-world insights from key stakeholders. A structured questionnaire was administered to 60 respondents, including architects, engineers, builders, contractors, developers, and homeowners, all of whom had prior experience using bamboo in construction. Quantitative analysis revealed that 55% of respondents viewed bamboo as having lower long-term costs, while 70% considered it more durable than traditional materials. However, over 90% rated market acceptance as low, citing major barriers such as lack of awareness (70%), regulatory constraints (63%), and perceived durability issues (57%). Despite these challenges, 60% expressed willingness to reuse bamboo, underscoring a gap between personal confidence and broader industry skepticism. The study concludes that bamboo is economically promising, especially over the lifecycle of a building, but its widespread adoption hinges on policy reform, awareness-building, technical training, and investment in supply chain infrastructure. These findings contribute to bridging the gap between bamboo's environmental potential and its real-world economic competitiveness.
Keywords
Adoption Barriers, Bamboo Construction, Cost-Effectiveness, Durability, Sustainable Materials
How to cite this paper
@article{1709433,
author = {Adedokun A. ROBERTS, Adekunle O. OGUNNAIKE},
title = {The Economics of Bamboo Construction: Cost-Effectiveness Vs. Traditional Materials},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {8},
number = {12},
pages = {1798-1808},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1709433.pdf},
abstract = {As the global construction sector seeks sustainable alternatives to environmentally intensive materials like concrete, steel, and timber, bamboo has emerged as a renewable, low-carbon option with growing interest. This study investigates the economic viability of bamboo construction by comparing cost-related perceptions and performance against conventional materials, while capturing real-world insights from key stakeholders. A structured questionnaire was administered to 60 respondents, including architects, engineers, builders, contractors, developers, and homeowners, all of whom had prior experience using bamboo in construction. Quantitative analysis revealed that 55% of respondents viewed bamboo as having lower long-term costs, while 70% considered it more durable than traditional materials. However, over 90% rated market acceptance as low, citing major barriers such as lack of awareness (70%), regulatory constraints (63%), and perceived durability issues (57%). Despite these challenges, 60% expressed willingness to reuse bamboo, underscoring a gap between personal confidence and broader industry skepticism. The study concludes that bamboo is economically promising, especially over the lifecycle of a building, but its widespread adoption hinges on policy reform, awareness-building, technical training, and investment in supply chain infrastructure. These findings contribute to bridging the gap between bamboo's environmental potential and its real-world economic competitiveness.},
keywords = {Adoption Barriers, Bamboo Construction, Cost-Effectiveness, Durability, Sustainable Materials},
month = {June},
}