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Champions of Change: Empowering Bamboo for a better Future 

Dedicated volunteers steer the World Bamboo Organization. The Ambassadors work independently but are connected as a team, and we collaborate to expand the potential of our actions and our mission.

Edwin Zea

Switzerland/Colombia

Materials Science

Dr. Edwin Zea Escamilla, is a leading authority in the field of sustainable construction, with a particular focus on life cycle assessment (LCA), carbon accounting, and the integration of bamboo into the global built environment. A dedicated proponent of bio-based materials for construction, Dr. Zea Escamilla is a vocal advocate for bamboo as a regenerative, high-performance material that addresses both environmental and social challenges.

Dr. Zea Escamilla is currently serving as the Chair of the Construction Task Force on Bamboo Construction for the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR). In this capacity, he has led efforts to position bamboo as a key solution for achieving net-zero carbon targets in construction. Dr. Zea Escamilla is also a Senior Research Associate at the University of Applied Sciences North-Western Switzerland. In this role, he has worked on groundbreaking projects that bridge academic rigor with practical application.

Dr. Zea Escamilla has made significant contributions to the field of bamboo-based construction materials, including the development of the first-ever life cycle inventory (LCI) for bamboo-based construction materials within the globally recognised ecoinvent database. This landmark achievement has provided researchers, architects, and policymakers with essential data to assess the environmental performance of bamboo, unlocking its potential for large-scale adoption in sustainable building practices.

The scope of his research encompasses:

Quantifying Bamboo's Carbon Sequestration Potential: Developing methodologies to measure bamboo's ability to act as a carbon sink and its lifecycle carbon emissions in comparison to conventional materials.

Circular Economy Practices in Construction: Demonstrating how bamboo can drive industrial decarbonization and sustainable practices in construction through reusability and low-impact production processes.

Development of Simplified LCA Models: Innovating approaches to make life cycle assessments accessible and applicable in diverse geographic and socio-economic contexts, including regions with emerging economies.

Bamboo Construction in Global South: Exploring the economic and social implications of bamboo adoption in regions such as Colombia, the Philippines, and Ethiopia, focusing on affordability and resource efficiency.

Dr. Zea Escamilla's leadership extends beyond research. He has actively collaborated with organisations such as the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (BFE) and SECO to implement sustainable construction strategies on a global scale. His role as the Bamboo Ambassador for the World Bamboo Organization is a natural continuation of his mission to inspire global action towards sustainable development using bamboo.

Dr. Zea Escamilla's work is widely published, with articles appearing in top-tier journals such as Building and Environment and Journal of Cleaner Production. His 2015 publication on the sustainability assessment of post disaster reconstruction projects was awarded as Best Paper of the year, which highlights his contributions to research that is both impactful and actionable.

Dr. Zea Escamilla envisions a world where bamboo is not only a material of choice for sustainable construction but also a driver of social and economic transformation. He is dedicated to fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers to increase the adoption of bamboo, enhance its environmental performance, and demonstrate its potential as a sustainable alternative to conventional materials.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8677-161X and ScholarGoogle

Creating Global Networks for a Better Future

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