the 06/04/2008

Bamboo houses shelter Sichuan quake victims

He went to nearby Sichuan province on May 13 the day after theearthquake. He returned to the Chinese Ministry of Education KeyLaboratory at Hunan University, where he has been serving asdirector, and immediately went to work on a housing solution. The prototype bamboo quake relief house he built in less than twoweeks adopted a modular design that can be adjusted according tospecific family needs. "The modular units are connected by bolts and are easy tomanufacture and assemble," said Xiao. " Four to six workers canassemble a 22.3 square meter (240 square foot) house in about 4hours. The majority of the structural materials used are processedbamboo veneer sheets, a kind of bamboo fiber composite." Xiao said that interior detailing is similar to the Houses In Wood? in the North America, noting that the design conforms tocurrent U.S. building codes requirements for quake resistance. "The relief house contains two windows, fans, locations for LPGstove or bath unit, satisfying basic needs for shelter for a familyof up to four," he said. Xiao said a first batch of twenty units donated by Hunan Universitywill be sent to the affected area soon. A Chinese newspaper, the China Press , wrote a story about Xiao's work, leading to contributions forfurther units. Xiao said the cost per square meter of the units, as manufacturedin China based on local material costs, is about 350 to 500 RMB, or$50-70 U.S. Xiao ticked off the advantages of the structures: "Unlike tents,the bamboo quake relief house is insulated for heat and sound, isfireproof, allows residents to secure their possession, and is moredurable," Xiao said. "It is also inexpensive compared withtemporary houses using other traditional materials, such as lightgauged steel. Finally, bamboo is a green and sustainableconstruction material, widely available in China and other Asiancountries." The Chinese government estimates that more than one million relieftemporary housing units are needed in Sichuan.