Bamboo Is Better
Not only is bamboo the best eco-friendly alternative to building with timber from a green perspective, it actually performs better in University tests that measure things like tensile and compression strength. And in real world events like hurricanes and earthquakes, well-constructed bamboo homes (like the ones we create) stood strong while conventionally built structures didn't.
Here's a few reasons why building with bamboo is just plain better.
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Bamboo
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Wood
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Strength
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As strong as mild steel with the compression strength of concrete. Amazingly, one inch of bamboo can hold up to 7 1/2 tons of weight. |
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In 1992, 95% of all homes were built with softwoods like Douglas fir. University studies show softwoods can't match bamboo's compression and tensile strength. |
Termites
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Tests show that termites refuse to eat even untreated bamboo.
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Termites continue to cause significant damage to wood homes, requiring continued treatment with chemicals.
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Hurricanes
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Bamboo Living Homes surpass the toughest hurricane codes in the USA, and in 1995 withstood three back to back hurricanes with 173mph winds.
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Recent tests show that conventionally built wood homes can't stand up to even 100mph winds. (Watch the video here.)
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Earthquakes
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Bamboo bends instead of breaks. In April 1991, twenty bamboo houses built for the National Bamboo Foundation in Costa Rica suffered no structural damage from a 7.5 Richter scale earthquake, despite being directly over the epicenter.
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The same earthquake leveled scores of conventionally built homes, hotels and resorts. (Read the article in Washington's Observer Reporter)
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Indoor Air Quality
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Our homes exceed California Air Resources Board standards. And all our materials are minimally treated with natural borates to better resist mold and mildew.
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New construction homes increasingly use "manufactured" woods like particle board bonded with adhesives and polymer materials.
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Learn even more about amazing bamboo.
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