Sustainable and resilient bamboo and ravenala shelters in Madagascar

• Malagasy housing using bamboo instead of wood is a feasible, sustainable alternative. • The required equipment makes it possible to replicate the system in remote areas. • A series of innovative building products take part in this alternative model house. Madagascar is one of the most disaster-prone countries. Deforestation and forest degradation are among the greatest threats to its ecosystems and biodiversity degradation. The use of wood for traditional Malagasy housing construction, which often does not comply with any building standards, is one of the causes of deforestation in Madagascar. However, identifying and promoting alternatives to wood for construction, such as bamboo, may contribute to protecting the environment while providing affordable solutions for vulnerable households. Here we show feasible model houses, replicating traditional housing types but replacing all the structural wood by structural bamboo culms. These model houses have been calculated to stand cyclonic wind speeds. Our results demonstrate how building with bamboo is a sustainable alternative in social, economic, and environmental terms, if the required training is provided in proper building techniques to make the houses resilient and long-lasting, using only human power tools, and even implementing innovative building products.