• India is the second largest producer of bamboo in the world and has a rich tradition of bamboo in indigenous construction. The country is home to more than 135 different species, 50% of which are grown in the Eastern/ North-eastern states of India. Some of the species including Bambusa Balcooa, Bambusa Nutans and Bambusa Polymorpha are ideal for construction.

National Building Code of India:

• The National Building Code of India (NBC), a comprehensive building Code, is a national instrument providing guidelines for regulating the building construction activities across the country.
• It serves as a Model Code for adoption by all agencies involved in building construction works be they Public Works Departments, other government construction departments, local bodies or private construction agencies.
• The Code mainly contains administrative regulations, development control rules and general building requirements; fire safety requirements; stipulations regarding materials, structural design and construction (including safety); building and plumbing services; approach to sustainability; and asset and facility management.

National Building Code of India 2016:

The major changes incorporated in this third revision of the Code are as follows:

a) Provisions for association of need based professionals and agencies have been updated to ensure proper discharge of responsibilities for accomplishment of building project.

b) With a view to ensuring ease of doing business in built environment sector, a detailed provision for streamlining the approval process in respect of different agencies has been incorporated in the form of an integrated approval process through single window approach for enabling expeditious approval process, avoiding separate clearances from various authorities.

c) Further, with a view to meeting the above objective, the provision on computerization of approval process has been detailed, enabling online submission of plans, drawings and other details, and sanction thereof, aiding in speedier approval process.

d) The mechanism of ensuring certification of structural safety of buildings by the competent professional and peer review of design of buildings, have been further strengthened.

e) Requirements for accessibility in buildings and built environment for persons with disabilities and the elderly have been thoroughly revised and updated.

f) Provisions on fire and life safety have been thoroughly revised to meet the challenges of modern complex building types including the high rises.

g) Latest structural loading and design and construction codes including those relating to wind load,earthquake resistant design of buildings, steel design and foundations have been incorporated with a view to ensuring structural safety of buildings including against a disaster.

h) Provisions relating to all building and plumbing services have been updated keeping also in view the latest international practices as related to the country.

j) Provisions have been updated to ensure utilization of number of new/alternative building materials and technologies to provide for innovation in the field of building construction.

k) Construction management guidelines have been incorporated to aid in timely completion of building projects with desired quality in a safe manner within the budgeted cost.

m) Guidance has been provided for making buildings and built environment energy efficient and environmentally compatible, through the newly introduced and updated chapter on sustainability, namely Part 11 ‘Approach to Sustainability’

n) New chapters have been added on structural use of glass; escalators and moving walks; information and communication enabled installations; solid waste management; and asset and facility management.