DIY Bamboo Houses

CASSA, Guatemala

CASSA is creating a market for affordable DIY bamboo housing which will facilitate investment in sustainably managed plantations and address the need for climate-resilient housing across Central America. These homes will meet the demand for climate-resilient homes that can withstand the growing impacts of climate change in the vulnerable region where most people lack access to affordable and safe housing options. The bamboo plantations and use of local communities in its management will also support improved livelihoods while maintaining positive climate impacts. CASSA will supplement the plantation course offered to local communities with a forestry management course to maximize climate impacts from natural resources. Construction on the DIY houses was completed in June 2022, alongside the finalization of training materials (including manuals and videos).

CASSA'S INTERVENTIONS ACROSS THE 3S FRAMEWORK

SINK

Secured commitments of 8Ha of bamboo plantations across individual and community lands to support the demand

STORAGE

Reforestation using local bamboo species suitable for construction and processing into products for construction and other bamboo products

SUBSTITUTION

Sale of bamboo for use in construction in place of steel and concrete, as well as the sale of timber products for some aspects of the house (i.e., window frames and doors)

Carbon modelling for this BI is still ongoing; results coming soon

CSFEP's ROLE

Working with CASSA to develop a DIY toolkit that enables climate refugees to construct their own houses from bamboo using set designs at a low cost

Informing their supply chain through a sustainable sourcing report (incl. social, ecological and environmental safeguards)

Increasing awareness through support for developing designs, manuals, and building prototypes; in addition to communication

CASSA'S IMPACT

This initiative has generated key lessons regarding the opportunity to make scalable and sustainable housing solutions for migrants, building new value chains, increasing accessibility and adoption of climate smart housing options for marginalized segments of the community and putting in place the necessary safeguards when working with bamboo. Carbon modelling by ASOVERDE is underway to understand the the full carbon impact of bamboo housing.

Creating community buy-in by involving local communities in every stage of the project (i.e., design, materials sourcing)

Championing inclusivity by actively involving women throughout all stages of the value chain

Generating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities, with the establishment of bamboo plantations contributing to long-term industrial development