(Part 2)

Be that as it may, do the people really trust bamboo’s safety in the first place? Durability is by far the most concerned reason when it comes to bamboo construction. Results from a recent survey points that more than one fifth of Malaysians are not ready to accept it for that reason. Bamboo is nevertheless more than what meets the eye. As a matter of fact, it is already used to build countless temporary structures like scaffolding (see Image 3.4) and pavilions (see Image 3.5) in many countries, particularly China and Colombia. But what of permanent structures?

Image 3.4

Bamboo Scaffolding

Image 3.5

Bamboo Pavilion, Taiwan

Thanks to its peerless makeup, bamboo is naturally built for strength and durability. Unlike wood, it has neither ray nor knots, resulting to a greater stress tolerance throughout the length of each stalk. Therefore, it can be employed as wall, roofing, flooring or even structural components. A structural engineering study unravels bamboo’s higher tensile strength over manifold alloys of steel, even possessing higher compressive strength than concrete (Anon, 2004). The science behind came from the age when the culms were harvested. Bamboo grows to its full dimension in a growing season, and spends the coming years hardening their “arteries”, where the capillaries thicken towards the inside without affecting the diameter. What started off as wholly sugar and water lignifies into hard and compact cellulose (see Image 3.6) (Boehland, 2006). These dense fibers give each bamboo their flexible nature, the ability to bend without snapping. It is enough to say that owing to its impressive strength and extereme light weight, it now earned itself the title “organic steel”. Beyond having this, it has a high silica content in its natural state that cannot be digested by termites (Anon, 2004). Unfortunately, we by birth see all natural materials as insects’ dwelling despite without the slightest clue. It is the matter of perception that breeds distrust and possibly fear, worsen by the scarcity of good local bamboo models. In the nick of time, Colombian architects Simon Vélez and Marcelo Villegas erected a 2000 square meters bamboo pavilion (see Image 3.7) to obtain German building permit from the ZERI Foundation in 2000. A series of stress and weight tests was conducted, and the results exceeded the required standards in Germany. In addition, structures of the pavilion require heavy equipments like large wrecking balls to bring down. Since its completion 12 years ago, the pavilion still stands today and is expected to last. In the same survey where repondents initially doubted its strength, nearly all were convinced by the mentioned test. (For full survey results, refer to Appendix I)

Image 3.6

Electron Microscope Photos of Bamboo’s Fiber at One Year (Left) and 12 Years (Right) Show How 

the Loose Network of Fibers Gains Density as it Ages

Image 3.7

Bamboo Pavilion by Simon Velez and Marcelo Villegas

Indeed on the other hand, the downsides are inevitable. Bamboo’s ability to bend without breaking makes it unfitting for floor structure due to the lack of tolerance for deflection. When extended over a large span of area, only a small amount of force is needed to cause wavering. Consequently, it creates discomfort upon walking and the emersion of safety affairs. On a positive note, architects in Colombia uncovered the method to stiffen by filling each bamboo with cement. This way even helps to alleviate bamboo’s inconsistent characteristics as a natural material. But the roundness of bamboo’s natural form too stands in the way because it hints that the joints will be geometrically complicated. Fortunately over the years, Velez has invented countless joineries, notably the “Fish-Mouth” joint (see Image 3.8), which solved this problem faced by numerous modern architects attempting to use bamboo.

Image 3.8

Illustration of Fish-Mouth Joint

Chapter 3.1 A Sustainable Alternative (Part 1)

The “Green Movement” is a notable trend growing rapidly in Asia. Although many may heard of it, only some truly understands what it really means. Green is not, by definition, the same as sustainable. Green is a relative measure that does less harm. A building is regarded Green if it consumes or emits less than a preordained benchmark. Being sustainable on the contrary is to live within the Earth’s carrying capacity, not consuming and emitting any faster than what can be replaced or repaired naturally, in plain English to cause no harm (Kishnani, 2012). Statistics may show the increasing growth of Green buildings in Asia, notably China, but much of them are using “Sustainable” interchangeably with the word “Green”.

As we know, becoming a Green building in Asia requires several qualifications before one is rewarded with a certificate. A building must attain credits by conforming a checklist of conditions that makes up the evaluation. Certification costs money and time, but it promises saving and a measure of status (Kishnani, 2012). In 2005, Singapore’s Green Building Council (GBC) made it compulsory for all new buildings to be certified. Today, approximately 12 percent of the total built up area in Singapore is declared Green. Automatically, Malaysia was drove to keep up with the trend.

The catastrophe of accelerated climate change is an important government concern now. Our government have set targets for abatement but none can be achieved without involving the building sector. Nonetheless, Asia relatively causes the least harm to environment given its size in comparison to other continents. When the case of “Green Movement” was heard across Asia, it sounded almost ironic since much of Asia lives within its ecological constrains. Buildings from generations before us are made of low-impact materials, built by empirical builders without the intervention of architects. Yet we speak of Green buildings as something new.

Chapter 3.1.1 Seizing the Market

When one speaks of sustainability, we quite spontaneously look to traditional and natural materials. Still, we spare no effort in reviving the oblivion – bamboo. The fact that the public is ignorant to its sustainable capabilities is not as disturbing as the fact that architects did not attempt to educate them. If only the society understands more, the level of acceptance would’ve been more pleasant.

In modern days, bamboo is celebrated for its unnatural rate of growth. There is no known plant that can match its ability to grow up to 1.25 meter height in just 24 hours. To become mature enough for construction, a fir tree needs to grow between 12 to 15 years, while an oak tree needs at least a century. Bamboo takes only 3 years to reach its maximum apex for strength. What’s even more surprising is that harvesting neither kills the plant nor damages the surrounding, in fact it regenerates with denser fiber and the roots stay intact to prevent erosion. Perhaps, the title “sustainable natural resource” wasn't given without a reason. A recent study conducted by Zero Emissions Research Institute (ZERI) unfolds that bamboo not only sequesters 4 times more carbon dioxide than ordinary trees, it also produces 35 percent more oxygen than trees of similar size. Owing to its narrow nature, a bamboo forest sequesters 17 times as much carbon as a typical tree forest.

The prime driving force to bamboo’s commercial value is indeed its sustainable capabilities. In just a decade ago, bamboo flooring (see Image 3.2) was introduced to the market and posed a serious contender to hardwood flooring (see Image 3.3). The difference in price and appearance isn't patent. The only logical conclusion is that people feel a certain guilt when causing ravage to the environment. As early as 2007, half of the 1200 building professionals in Asia participated in a survey responded they had “High” or “Very High” levels of commitment to Green. In fact, nearly all said they prefer to work in an industry that values the environment. Therefore when given an opportunity to do something good for the nature, they would take it. Obviously, employing bamboo in place of wood for construction is definitely a more fruitful effort to save forests than just recycling papers.

Image 3.2 

Bamboo Flooring

     

Image 3.3

Hardwood Flooring

Concrete stands in the way when the suggestion for bamboo building arises. For millennia, the society trusted it for its remarkable strength and durability. In spite of that, cement production is responsible for 2700 million tons of carbon dioxide emission yearly. But that’s not all, concrete performs poorly under hot and humid tropical climates in Malaysia. Its high thermal mass accumulates heat during the day and releases them at night. Consequently, the active cooling used, be it residential or commercial buildings, contributes to nearly 40 percent of carbon dioxide production in Malaysia, 80 percent of all energy used by a building. Soon, the public will come to a rude awakening that it is possibly the most cataclysmic choice out there. However, to completely wipe out concrete from our lives seem somewhat absurd, considering our dependence since the colonial age. Fairly speaking, there are several characters concrete has but bamboo doesn't  Since the idea of setting concrete aside sounded ridiculous, the environmental impact can at least be mitigated by involving bamboo in construction alongside concrete.

Be that as it may, do the people trust bamboo’s safety? Durability is by far the most concerned reason when it comes to bamboo construction. Nevertheless, bamboo is more than meets the eye.

-Not Completed Yet-

Beginning of Analysis

Conventionally a building material of tropical climate regions in Asia and South America, bamboo’s popularity is gaining momentum among architects of the Northern hemisphere as well. Especially in an era of limited resources, it’s hard to deny bamboo’s renewability and abundant availability, even harder when it stands in the same league as concrete (see Image 3.1). Architects and engineers have notably stretched its applications in the recent past and now it can even shape wide span bridges. This effort, however, appears somewhat lacking, considering the short of international recognition, which poses obstruction to designers. The lack of codes and standards kept them away from bamboo, even from expressing fondness for bamboo as building material. Although this situation was fractionally cured  in 2000 when the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) passed the “Acceptance Criteria for Structural Bamboo”, bamboo still remains unappreciated. But as one could guess it was precisely the unsatisfied society that refuses to give in just yet.

Image 3.1

Concrete Block

When facing matters not fully understood, mankind spontaneously put on their skeptical and prejudiced attitudes. They didn't know what to expect and these feelings eventually turn into doubt. Changing mindset is unquestionably the first step to acceptance. Apparently, concrete has earned itself a sturdy reputation that cannot be toppled easily; bamboo on the other hand has an awful image as an obsolete material. It is thus obvious why the public aren't convinced after all that are done.

Unlike the past, building materials today underline sustainability, accompanied with affordability, safety and aesthetic. If any one of these requirements is not met, the material wouldn't last. Bamboo is a plant with such special properties, architects believed it could be the missing puzzle piece to answer Malaysian's modern-day complications in fields beyond architecture – the relentless shrinkage of rainforest, effective economic support in low-cost buildings development, and the ever longed national identity. It is interesting to note that bamboo can easily satisfy all four mentioned fundamental concerns. What’s seemingly left undone is persuading the public. 

Background

As paradoxical as it sounds, journeying backward is in fact the key of moving forward. Perchance the saying “going back to the roots” best describes this contingency. The initial uses of bamboo date back over 4 millennia ago in Asia. Even until this present moment, traces of our early vernacular houses (see Image 2.1) can still be sighted in all quarters of Malaysia. These dwellings were in most cases found resting on timber stilts and are made of materials attainable from our (once) vast tropical forests, namely timber, rattan, bamboo and leaves. Therefore, it’s rather peculiar to acquaint the public about bamboo because it was never before foreign to us.

Image 2.1

Traditional Dayak-Kadazan Bamboo House in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Turning now to the Chinese history, bamboo played an equally vital role in molding their culture. Its quick regeneration ability was deemed as an indication of success and healthy sustenance in the widely practised Feng Shui principle. In 104 CE, Chinese eunuch, Cai Lun of Han dynasty (see Image 2.2) utilised the inner pulp of bamboo to produce the very first paper ever. Apart from the construction purposes, bamboo was also employed in making furniture, dishes, handicrafts, and musical instruments (see Image 2.3). In short, bamboo and the Chinese history are literally inseparable, so entwined that American missionary and explorer of China, William Edgar Geil described:

“A man can sit in a bamboo house under a bamboo roof, on a bamboo chair at a bamboo table, with a bamboo hat on his head and bamboo sandals on his feet. He can at the same time hold in one hand a bamboo bowl, in the other hand bamboo chopsticks and eat bamboo sprouts. When through with his meal, which has been cooked over a bamboo fire, the table may be washed with a bamboo cloth, and he can fan himself with a bamboo fan, take a siesta on a bamboo bed, lying on a bamboo mat with his head resting on a bamboo pillow. His child might be lying in a bamboo cradle, playing with a bamboo toy. On rising he would smoke a bamboo pipe and taking a bamboo pen, write on bamboo paper, or carry his articles in bamboo baskets suspended from a bamboo pole, with a bamboo umbrella over his head. He might then take a walk over a bamboo suspension bridge, drink water from a bamboo ladle, and scrape himself with a bamboo scraper”. (Geil, 1908)

  

Image 2.2

Pictorial Depiction of Eunuch Cai Lun

Image 2.3

Chinese Bamboo Flute

Conjointly, many other Asian cultures too have long history in utilizing bamboo. Today, at least a quarter of the world’s population still depends on bamboo for many objects used in daily life (Malin, 2006). It is however most saddening when all these present uses are of purposes unrelated to building. Perhaps one can presume that bamboo’s sturdy and flexible attributes have yet to receive the public’s acknowledgement.

In spite of everything, ancient builders have demonstrated that bamboo is without a doubt fit for construction. Sadly, for the fantastic celebration of concrete and steel, bamboo is easily overlooked when one speaks of contemporary design. The society doesn’t give bamboo the consideration it deserves. In partly developed countries like Malaysia, bamboo is looked upon with distrust and reluctance as a strange material that belonged to a bygone era, unfamiliar in modern building customs. But considering that most of the common and presently used materials have become accepted over time, how is it possible that bamboo is yet welcomed?

As defined by the dictionary, bamboo is a species of flowering perennial plants from the grass family Poaceae, with the giant bamboos being its largest members. They grow profusely throughout Asia and South America, making them the major exports of bamboo to Europe and North America annually. While different nations have dissimilar preferences of bamboo when it comes to construction, Guadua (guadua angustifolia) is for certain the most broadly adopted species due to its exceptional hardness (see Image 2.4). 

Image 2.4

Guadua Plantation

At this point of time where environmentally, economically and socially sustainable designs are so fundamental, architects began to ponder the plausible advancement of new technologies and the readoption of traditional materials to confront sustainability affairs not only from the energy efficient approach but also through the use of natural materials.

Research and Methodology (So Far)

Books

Jencks, C. (1973) Modern Movements in Architecture. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.

Minke, G. (2012) Building with Bamboo. Berlin: Birkhauser Ltd.

Vidiella, A.S. (2011) Bamboo in Architecture and Design. Barcelona: LOFT Publications S.L.

Newspapers

Ngui, N. (2012). Bamboo to Replace Timber. The Malay Mail. 25 December, p.18.

Wilson, H. (2012). Chic and Eco-Friendly Bamboo Houses. The Star. 21 October, p.10.

Journals

Anon (2012). Flying Bamboo. FuturArc, 3rd Quarter Issue (26), pp.70-73.

Buckley, M. (2012). Specifying Wood. FuturArc, 3rd Quarter Issue (26), pp.137-141.

Kishnani, N. (2012). Green buildings in Asia: Are they sustainable? FuturArc, 3rd Quarter Issue (26), pp.34-39.

Tan, A. (2012). Back to Nature. Space, 4, pp.48-57.

Pdf Documents

DeBoer, D. and Bareis, K. (2000). Bamboo Building and Culture [pdf] Available at: http://permacoletivo.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/bamboo-building.pdf [Accessed 17 October 2012]

Peng, L. (2006). Simon Velez [pdf] Available at: http://www.architecture.uwaterloo.ca/faculty_projects/terri/competitions/s_06/tran_peng/LPENG_final_Essay.pdf [Accessed 11 October 2012]

Rahman, A.M. and Ismail, R. (2005). Future Design in an Energy Efficient Building [pdf] Available at: http://eprints.usm.my/4894/1/Future_Design_In_An_Energy_Efficient_Building.pdf [Accessed 11 October 2012]

Vries, S.K. (2002). Bamboo Construction Technology for Housing in Bangladesh [pdf] Available at: http://alexandria.tue.nl/extra2/afstversl/tm/vries2002.pdf [Accessed 9 October 2012]

Websites

Anon  (2004). Why Bamboo? [online] Cali Bamboo. Available at: http://www.calibamboo.com/whybamboo.html [Accessed 9 October 2012]

Anon (2007). Grow Your Own House. [online] Environmental Bamboo Foundation. Available at: http://www.bamboocentral.org/growyour.html [Accessed 9 October 2012]

Anon (2008). Bamboo Houses. [online] Bamboo Grove. Available at: http://www.bamboogrove.com/bamboo-houses.html [Accessed 21 December 2012]

Anon (2011). Bamboo Buildings. [online] Inspiration Green. Available at: http://inspirationgreen.com/bamboo-buildings.html?start=40 [Accessed 6 October 2012]

Anon (2012). Home Loan. [online] AmBank Group. Available at: http://www.ambankgroup.com/en/Personal/LoanFinancing/Property/Pages/HomeLoan.aspx [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Anon (2012). Low Cost Housing Plans in Malaysia for Low Income Home Buyer. [online] Horlic. Available at: http://www.horlic.com/low-cost-housing-plans-in-malaysia-for-low-income-home-buyer/ [Accessed 27 December 2012]

Anon (2012). Malaysia Population. [online] Trading Economics. Available at: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/malaysia/population [Accessed 22 December 2012]

Ahmad, G. (2004). Malay Vernacular Architecture. [online] HBBP. Available at: http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/malayvernacular.htm [Accessed 6 October 2012]

Benjami, J. (2010). Which Manufacturing Process is More Harmful to the Environment, Making Paper or Wood Pellets? [online] Green Answers. Available at: http://greenanswers.com/q/136678/pollution-toxins/which-manufacturing-process-more-harmful-environment-making-paper-or-wood- [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Boehland, J. and Malin, N. (2006). Bamboo in Construction: Is the Grass Always Greener? [online] Building Green. Available at: http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2006/3/1/Bamboo-in-Construction-Is-the-Grass-Always-Greener/ [Accessed 9 October 2012]

Butler, T. (2005). Deforestation in Borneo. [online] Mongabay. Available at: http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0413-tina_butler.html [Accessed 27 December 2012]

Deboer, D. (2009). Bamboo Thoughts. [online] Deboer Architects. Available at: http://www.deboerarchitects.com/BambooThoughts.html [Accessed 11 October 2012]

Flander, K. (2011). Manizales / Zeri Pavilion - Bamboo Construction with German Building Permit. [online] Resource Culture. Available at: http://resourceculture.de/blog/articles/manizales-zeri-pavilion-simon-velez [Accessed 6 October 2012]

Furman, E. (2009). Masterpieces: Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building. [online] Mental Floss. Available at: http://mentalfloss.com/article/21922/masterpieces-mies-van-der-rohes-seagram-building [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Jannie, J. (2012). Bali's Green School. [online] Ecology. Available at: http://www.ecology.com/2012/01/24/balis-green-school/ [Accessed 17 October 2012]

Lee, W.L. (2010). Frustration Brews as Middle Class Struggles to Afford Homes. [online] The Malaysian Insider. Available at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/frustration-brews-as-middle-class-struggles-to-afford-homes [Accessed 11 December 2012]

Lee, W.L. (2011). Youth Cannot Afford Housing in Malaysia. [online] Tindak Malaysia. Available at: http://www.tindakmalaysia.com/showthread.php/2661-Housing-Youth-cannot-afford-housing-in-Malaysia [Accessed 11 December 2012]

Max, A. (2010). Malaysia Deforestation is Three Times Faster Than Rest of Asia Combined. [online] The Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/05/malaysia-deforestation-is_n_816779.html [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Michel, J. (2010). Bamboo, Steel Grass! [online] Eza Design. Available at: http://www.eza-design.com/bambou_uk.html [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Tajuddin, M. (2008). Can Buildings be Malaysian? [online] The Star Online. Available at: http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/2008/6/22/columnists/architectureinsideout/21607223  [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Sidhe, W. (2009). About Flat Roofs. [online] eHow. Available at: http://www.ehow.com/about_4596971_flat-roofs.html [Accessed 3 December 2012]

Smith, A. (2012). Compare Hardwood Vs. Bamboo Flooring. [online] Kompare It. Available at: http://www.kompareit.com/homeandgarden/flooring-compare-hardwood-vs-bamboo.html [Accessed 21 December 2012]

Tomasek, A. (2012). Climate Change and Deforestation in the Heart of Borneo could be a Deadly Combination - New Report Warns. [online] WWF Global. Available at: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/news/press_release/?205220/Climate-change-and-deforestation-in-the-Heart-of-Borneo-could-be-a-deadly-combination--new-report-warns [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Yow, H.C. (2012). Singapore Set to Surpass Malaysia as Asean's Third Largest Economy. [online] The Malaysian Insider. Available at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/singapore-set-to-pass-malaysia-as-aseans-third-largest-economy [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Videos

Bamboo Architect Simon Velez (2011). [online video]. Available at: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xl16h5_bamboo-architect-simon-velez_news [Accessed 11 October 2012]

Bamboo Living: Two Green Bamboo Homes Up in Two Days (2010). [online video]. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNt3WaGWluw [Accessed 4 December 2012]

Benefits of Using Bamboo as Building Material (2010). [online video]. Available at: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfk2w4_benefits-of-using-bamboo-as-building-material_tech [Accessed 11 October 2012]

Elora Hardy, Building a Sustainable (Bamboo) Future (2012). [online video]. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOSQksSlr9c [Accessed 24 December 2012]

Giant Bamboo, the Cheap Eco-Alternative (2011). [online video]. Available at: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xiqr2x_giant-bamboo-the-cheap-eco-alternative_news [Accessed 11 October 2012]

Surveys

Malaysians' Perception of Bamboo [Began 31 October 2012]

Please take the time to fill this out

Hi, to anyone reading this, I'm running a survey to collect data regarding bamboo from the public's point of view. Please help me out by participating, thank you!