In a recent interview, Bamboo Living's co-founder and chief architect, David Sands spoke to Richard Ha on his channel dedicated to sustainable living in Hawaii. David shared his journey into bamboo usage, tracing it back to his childhood experiences with bamboo groves in Florida and subsequent academic exposure in China. His architectural endeavors and a growing concern for sustainability led him to reject traditional lumber-heavy construction. This shift is what inspired the creation of Bamboo Living!
Throughout the interview, David and Richard discussed bamboo's potential to revolutionize sustainable agriculture and construction in Hawaii, highlighting its socio-economic and environmental benefits. David detailed the extensive legal and regulatory efforts for bamboo construction in Hawaii, including national building code standards and plans for a pilot mill in the Philippines that could be replicated on the Big Island to process the bamboo into high quality laminated veneer lumber and plywood.
Some highlights of bamboo's benefits include the following:
- Planting bamboo on 14% of former sugar and pineapple lands could bring Hawaii to carbon neutrality.
- One acre of bamboo can yield as much timber as 10 acres of Douglas fir or 15 acres of Southern pine.
- Shallow rhizome mats of bamboo roots strengthen the aquifer.
The ideal bamboo growing conditions in Hawaii could bring farmers steady income streams over generations, and the materials provided have the potential to generate business opportunities locally. It could have a strong impact on food security because farmers would have steady income, and as Richard says, "If farmers make money, farmers will farm."
This fascinating discussion has reignited our commitment to expanding bamboo use as a primary construction material. We invite you to listen and share our enthusiasm for this incredible plant and material!
