An investigation into the use of bamboo in composite panels for low-cost housing is presented. Information on the housing situation, the state of the forest resources, and the need for low-cost housing are given for Ecuador, which is seen as representative of countries with a history of bamboo use, and potential for further development. This thesis, based on several years of field and laboratory investigation, is intended to fulfill several objectives. Firstly, it provides a background to bamboo and a review of much of the hard-to-find information relevant to the development of bamboo as raw material, with specific attention given to low-cost housing.