Let’s talk about one of the most versatile building materials on the planet. A material that is flexible, yet strong. It can be used structurally (as columns and beams), as boards for paneling or as flooring instead of hardwood. It is cheap and abundant.
We’re talking about Giant Bamboo. Giant Bamboo is ridiculously big. It can grow up to 100 feet in height and 12 inches in width. This bamboo can be used in its natural, hollow form for structural uses. Else, it can be stripped into thin strands, which when woven together creates a solid wood-like material.
Giant Bamboo (or any bamboo for that matter) grows really fast. It can be harvested into a usable material in just 5 years. 5 YEARS! Compare that to wood, which takes 50 to 100 years. Giant Bamboo is also carbon negative. It absorbs more carbon dioxide in its life cycle than is released in its manufacturing and transportation. It is truly a sustainable material.
That brings us to an important question. Why is Giant Bamboo so unknown? It is inexpensive and available in abundance. Surely, something is wrong. The answer lies in its branding. Bamboo faces an image problem. It is grown mostly in poor areas and used by the locals for shelter, leading to the image of it being a poor man’s material.
Sounds like a great product with bad marketing. It’s not all so bad. As traditional materials deplete, societies will have to figure out a way to use Bamboo. Consumers will start buying it, companies will start making it. It is inevitable (unless we decide to stop building stuff).
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