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Bamboo has been an
integral part of our culture and has host of traditional uses in many
regions in
India,
and in many other countries. Due to a large variety of traditional
uses bamboo has been aptly described as poor man’s timber, green gold,
friend of people, cradle to coffin timber and green gasoline.
During the recent
years bamboo has emerged as a major source of renewable fiber for
making high value added products as alternate to wood and other
materials. Use of bamboo in manufacturing such products not only
generates additional employment opportunities but also ensure better
earning to the people engaged in various bamboo crafts. Greater use of
bamboo products will help in reducing the depletion of forests through
wood substitution and also encourage bamboo cultivation and
thus benefit the environment.
Being very fast
growing woody grass bamboo produces considerable amount of biomass and
is very efficient for sequestering atmospheric carbon. It is stated
that one hectare of bamboo plantation can absorb about 17 metric tons
of carbon every year. The absorbed carbon returns to the atmosphere
only when bamboo is burnt. On the other hand when bamboo is used for
making durable products the absorbed carbon remains fixed as long as
the product lasts.
Realizing the
potentials of bamboo IPIRTI initiated development of technologies for
bamboo composites that are both environment and people friendly, under
a project sponsored by All India Handicraft Boards, and continued its
R&D efforts under projects sponsored by International Development
Research Centre, Canada, an organization that has played a vital role
in bringing bamboo composites on the forefront as a viable alternative
to wood in several applications. An
annotated bibliography on Bamboo Composites have also been published
by the Institute
(Click here for the
Website of IDRC)
http://www.idrc.org.sg/
Successful
technologies for making
Bamboo Mat Boards, also known as ply bamboo or bamboo ply;
Bamboo Mat Veneer Composite have already been developed
and adopted for industrial manufacturing. A Manual on Manufacture of BMB, A techno-economic feasibility of Bamboo Mat Board Manufacturing
has also been brought out. Institute has been instrumental in
formulation of two standards, namely BMB for general Purpose and BMVC
for General purpose by the Bureau of Indian Standards. BMB technology
developed by the Institute has obtained world recognition in the form
of registration as a Project around the World at EXPO-2000 “scheduled
to be held at
Hannover,
Germany
from June to October 2000 with the theme "Man, Environment and
Technology".
(Click here for the
Website of WorldEXPO-2000)
http://www.expo2000.de/
The Institute has
recently developed technology for
Bamboo Mat Corrugated Sheets [BMCS] as an environment friendly
roofing material in collaboration with and under initial funding from
the Building Materials Technology Promotion Council of
India.
BMCS Technology has now been up scaled for commercialization. A pre
feasibility report on BMCS has already been brought out.
(Click
here for the Website of BMTPC)
http://www.bmtpc.org/
Under a project
funded by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of
India, process parameters for manufacturing bamboo wood, known as
Bamboo laminates, from two species of bamboo have been evolved.
Preliminary tests on the material made at
the Institutes pilot plant has revealed that is has properties similar
to teak wood. Further work is in progress.
The
Institute is also working in application areas like
housing, construction, furniture, transport using bamboo composites to
demonstrate the use of same for several end uses. Working in
collaboration with TRADA Technology, U.K., under a DFID funded project
a cost effective housing system has been evolved using treated round
bamboo for columns, and rafter/trusses, split bamboo grid walling, BMB
for door/window shutters, and BMCS for roof cladding. A publication
titled Status of Bamboo Based Housing System and a VCD and information
brochures have been brought out.
(Click here for the
Website of TRADA)
http://www.tradatechnology.co.uk
Establishment of Center for Bamboo Development at IPIRTI has been
approved by the Board of Governors of IPIRTI, considering the
infrastructure/facilities available at IPIRTI, to meet the needs of
the people in housing transport and other sectors.
Working in
collaboration with INBAR a technology for making
Bamboo matchsticks has also been developed. The institute has also
prepared two TOTEMs (Transfer of
Technology Models) on (i) Slivering and
Splitting of Bamboo, and (ii) Bamboo Mat Board details of which are
available on INBAR website. Preparation of another TOTEM on Bamboo
matchsticks is in progress.
(Click here for the
Website of INBAR )
http://www.inbar.int/
The Institute is working in close
co-operation with various international and national organizations
associated with the development of bamboo sector. All bamboo related
activities are coordinated by the Center for Bamboo Development
(e-mail
contactus@ipirti.gov.in ) established at the Institute on
1st January 2001.
Dr. S.K.Nath Coordinator, CBD may be
contacted for any enquiries related to technology transfer and other
aspects.
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