The global affordable housing gap is currently estimated at 330 million urban households and with the impact of natural disasters, it is expected to grow greatly affecting millions of people with loss of life, property, and living. By building durable structures, people can avoid constant rebuilding whenever a calamity strikes, and every family will have a secure and livable space, which is one of the basic human necessities.

BASE with its Cement-Bamboo Frame Technology utilizes bamboo as an alternative construction material to build durable and sustainable structures that are tested to resist typhoons, earthquakes, fire, and insect infestation. Beyond building quality structures, this technology also helps the value chain as it provides livelihood to local farmers, helps establish a circular economy, and cultivates the skills of the workers through the provision of technical skills training.

How it started

In 2011, the Hilti Foundation initiated a research program in the Philippines with the objective of determining the viability of bamboo as the main building material in construction. Despite its abundant availability and promising prospects, bamboo has yet to be fully utilized in this sector. The research was driven by the urgent requirement for environmentally sustainable, resilient, and socially inclusive housing solutions in developing nations. After conducting a series of research and tests to showcase the durability of the technology, the Hilti Foundation made the decision to provide funding to Base in 2013, leading to the establishment of the Base Bahay Foundation, Inc. in 2014.

What is CBFT?

CBFT is a combination of Bahareque technology, European engineering, and Filipino craftsmanship. This is recognized by the Accreditation of Innovative Technologies for Housing (AITECH). Because of the abundance of bamboo in the country, CBFT makes it an ideal housing material.

This technology supported by research maximizes the use of bamboo and applies it for more reliable and systematic performance in engineering structures. It is also affordable compared to conventional structures and designed for permanent use. It is a holistic approach to addressing the global housing gap while focusing on sustainability in terms of materials used and the positive impact it can provide on the community and the people involved in the value chain process.

CBFT: What makes it a good alternative building technology?

To ensure that the housing technology is disaster-resilient, the CBFT has undergone multiple tests such as in material, connection, and system to prove its reliability as building technology. Base also houses the latest technology to conduct a series of testing.

Through the Base Innovation Center, Base works with different local and international institutions and universities to develop further research and innovations and improve the technology.

Overall, more than 6,000 people in 15 communities have found new homes in over 1,500 disaster-resilient CBFT houses in the Philippines and Nepal.

Base Bahay Foundation, Inc (BASE) is the pioneer of Cement-Bamboo Framework in the Philippines. BASE builds affordable and disaster-resilient structures using bamboo-based technology. Through continuous research in the Base Innovation Center (BIC), BASE is optimizing the technology and looking for new applications outside its standard model. BASE also offers training courses under its Bamboo Academy program to share the alternative building technologies and provide further knowledge on bamboo construction. Learn more about BASE projects and initiatives!