Building the Frame for Low-Carbon Construction

A Case Study by Autodesk Foundation

Committed to the realization of climate-beneficial construction, BamCore is at the forefront of revolutionizing the low-carbon building systems sector within the construction industry. We're not journeying solo in this transformative process—BamCore is backed by extensive support from the Autodesk Foundation. By leveraging their design prowess and engineering acumen, we're making significant strides toward actualizing our climate-positive objectives.

"As an emerging leader in the construction industry, BamCore's bamboo supply chain, product innovation, and custom prefab methods promise to outperform conventional low-rise building materials in cost, performance, and carbon footprint." -Autodesk Foundation

With approximately 13,000 new buildings constructed daily, traditional carbon-intensive materials and methods contribute immensely to climate change. BamCore's innovative approach to low-carbon construction introduces a sustainable solution - the Prime Wall™ System. The resulting product outperforms conventional low-rise building materials in cost, performance, and carbon sequestration. These walls are twice as strong, sequester five to six times more carbon, and are up to 60% more thermally efficient than traditional stud-based frame walls. This innovation showcases BamCore's potential to transform the industry and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Autodesk Invests in a Low-carbon Construction Industry

In 2020, the Autodesk Foundation embarked on a journey to boost BamCore's capabilities, aiding its mission to promote more sustainable building systems within the construction industry. This was achieved through strategic investments, sharing technical expertise, and leveraging Autodesk's advanced technology to enhance the production of BamCore's prefabricated bamboo walls.

This collaborative effort, including catalytic funding, extensive technical pro bono projects, and Autodesk training partner, Microdesk, has significantly augmented BamCore's manufacturing capabilities. As a result, BamCore has tripled its fabrication rate and cut on-site installation time by half, thereby gaining the confidence of key customers and paving the way for more sustainable, low-carbon construction practices.

Calculating Emission Reduction Potential of the BamCore Low-Carbon Prime Wall™

BamCore had a strong belief in the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reducing capabilities of its Prime Wall System, though an exact calculation of this emission reduction and its potential was yet to be determined.

To gain clarity on the carbon dioxide emission savings brought about by using timber bamboo, the Autodesk Foundation initiated a GHG impact assessment for BamCore. The findings revealed that building a house with BamCore's solution reduces CO2e emissions by 8,000 tons compared to a traditional wood house. Furthermore, the assessment gauged the prospective emission savings (CO2e) linked to constructing low-rise residential buildings with BamCore’s Prime Wall System, compared to conventional housing materials and structural insulated panels.

This comprehensive emission assessment enlightened the team and enhanced BamCore's positioning in the low-carbon construction market. It brought into focus the company’s capacity for a transformational, carbon-reducing impact in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, setting it apart from its rivals in the prefabricated wall systems sector.

The full Autodesk case study of BamCore is here.