Page 22 - Plastics News June 2018

FeAtures

The House of Bamboo & Recycled Plastic

- Lekshmi Priya S

An office made of part bamboo fixtures and recycled plastic in a public park located near the KPHB colony
in Kukatpally Hyderabad was inaugurated on June 5, World Environment Day. The structure Costs Just Rs 8
Lakh!

id you know that bamboo is the fastest growing
Dplant on the planet and can grow up to a height of 3 bags, PET bottles and Tetra Pak waste. Having worked
feet within 24 hours under suitable climatic conditions? for over a decade in making houses out of bamboo, we
The wonders of this remarkable woody grass do not end realised that the scope of utilising recycled plastic in
here—bamboo also releases 30 percent more oxygen into construction along with bamboo could be an excellent
the atmosphere and absorbs more carbon dioxide when way of tackling our plastic burden,” says Prashant
compared to an equivalent mass of trees. Here’s a breakup of the materials used to
Studies have also suggested that bamboo has greater make the office:
tensile strength than steel, and it withstands compression 1. Recycled plastic roofing sheets: 800kg plastic used
better than concrete, making it an excellent option as
a construction material for buildings, especially in the 2. Recycled Tetra Pak walling boards: 450kg Tetra Paks
current scenario where millions of trees are felled used
every day without being replaced. Bamboo House 3. Recycled plastic false ceiling boards: 60kg plastic used
India, a social enterprise based in Hyderabad has been 4. Recycled plastic floor tiles: 4.5 lakh polythene bags
utilising this ‘green gold’ to make eco-friendly and used
low-cost houses while providing sustainable livelihood
opportunities to rural and tribal communities. 5. Recycled plastic paver tiles: 60,000 polythene bags
used
An office made of part bamboo fixtures and recycled
plastic in a public park located near the KPHB colony 6. 40 Bamboo boards for walling & ceiling: 720 bamboo
in Kukatpally was inaugurated on June 5, World poles and 360 woven mats used.
Environment Day. Made of Bamboo & Recycled Plastic, All of this in a budget of R 8 Lakhs!
This Hyderabad Building Costs Just Rs 8 Lakh! The
structure has been constructed by Bamboo House India
in collaboration with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal
Corporation (GHMC). The venture is the brainchild
of husband-wife duo, Prashant Lingam and Aruna
Kappagantula who have built hundreds of strong and
affordable bamboo houses since starting the enterprise
in 2008.
Almost a decade later, they are piloting a concept in
collaboration with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal
Corporation (GHMC), which not only addresses the use
of alternative options as construction materials but
also includes the use of a very important material in
construction—recycled plastic! The project is being
supported by GHMC West Zone Zonal Commissioner
Hari Chandana Dasari as well.

“Set across a space of 512 sq. ft., the structure is
fireproof, waterproof and termite-proof and is entirely Bamboo House India had been working on making this
made of recycled plastic waste including polythene model a reality for over two years now and following a

Plastics News June 2018 22