Bamboo Flooring: The Prince of Sustainable Architecture

The world is being constantly depleted of its natural resources to accommodate the various needs of human beings.

09:43 18 December 2020

We, the humans often increase the load on our natural resources without giving a second thought, whether it is using excessive fossil fuels, using harmful insecticides, using single-use plastics, or designing non-sustainable buildings.

 

Sustainable Architecture

 

We are all aware of the term Architecture, which is primarily the design of buildings. Since the classical era, building design has been done based on the availability of locally produced resources and materials. However, post the industrial revolution this trend changed and buildings started to be made out of things that did not sit well with the regional materials. They were often made using materials, which would use non-renewable resources.

 

This unjustified use of resources as building materials gave birth to the concept of sustainable architecture. Sustainable buildings and their design are more energy-efficient thereby leaving a small carbon footprint on the planet. A building can be energy efficient by implementing various methods, for example, not using glass walls in the buildings situated in tropical areas as it increases the HVAC load of a building.

 

Bamboo Flooring: Key players in sustainable architecture

 

Bamboo is an indigenous tree of South-East Asia mainly prevalent in China, Eastern India, and the majority of the Pan-Asian countries. It is a winner of the flooring for the obvious two reasons for its easy availability and resistance to moisture and insects. The preferred bamboo species in the case of flooring is the Moso bamboo or the tortoiseshell bamboo.

 

As the rate of growth for bamboo is quite fast when compared to its timber and hardwood counterparts, it has become the apple of the eyes for all modern designers who are looking for a posh look but without compromising on the sustainability aspect. The internet is the best place to find out more about the benefits of bamboo flooring.

 

Another important reason that has been the contributing factor in bamboo usage is the no necessity to replant the tree once harvesting is done. This is because of the bamboo trees’ root structure that grows horizontally binding the soil and reproducing in a vegetative way.

 

Reverse Effects

 

With the rise of bamboo used as building materials, there have been some adverse effects as well. Due to the increased demand, there has been deforestation for bamboo plantations, thereby harming the fragile ecosystems in many areas. The use of formaldehyde for lamination and glues has also been one of the downsides of bamboo usage because of its carcinogenic nature.

 

Therefore, builders and architects must use ethically sourced bamboo in their designs and buildings. Some of the bamboo flooring manufacturers are taking the use of formaldehyde quite seriously and are refraining from using these chemicals in their products.

 

Awareness about natural and renewable resources is the key to prevent any major adverse effects while designing a building or its components. Government intervention should also be in place to avoid any misuse of natural resources.