In the article, “An Architect’s Guide to Building with Bamboo”, Vadot (n.d) states that bamboo is “resonated as a reliable and sustainable material for the future of construction”. He finds that bamboo flourishes well across the world with little maintenance and can be harvested in various locations across the world. He also mentions that bamboo is a lightweight material and cannot be overlooked in the construction industry for its ability to complete stable, weight-bearing structures. In addition, he added that bamboo is cheap to procure and transport in areas it grows. He remarks that although bamboo is “often referred to as a fit alternative to steel”, it is feeble and “requires treatment and protection from natural circumstances”. He observes that because of its adaptive nature across the world, it encompasses over 1200 species and evolves uniquely. Furthermore, it is impossible to classify and standardise in the “words and functions of a civil building code”.
While Vadot mentions the advantages and sustainable use of bamboo, and touches on its disadvantages, he fails to mention in detail the disadvantages of using bamboo such as bamboo is prone to degradation, shrinking and swelling as the environment changes and not easily classified by grades.
Firstly, bamboo
is prone to degradation. In the article, “The Pros and Cons of Bamboo in Green
Building”, Element Green (n.d) reports that bamboo contains high starch
content, and will be “vulnerable to natural elements”, if it is not treated
correctly. It also notes that “harmful chemicals, like formaldehyde and
arsenic” can be used by manufacturers to treat it. In my opinion, with such
chemicals being used to ensure that the bamboo does not degrade over time, it does
not outweigh bamboo as a sustainable material. Based on another article, “8 Advantages and
Disadvantages of Bamboo Flooring”, ConnectUs (2016) also states that “The
process of shredding and slicing the bamboo grass plant, including the adhesion
of pieces back together with the use of heat and a resin-based adhesive and
pressure could cause the emission of VOCs.” Through this statement, bamboo is
clearly not sustainable because it must be treated before using and could lead
to adverse health effects and harm the environment in the process of procuring
it.
Secondly, bamboo
is susceptible to shrinking and swelling as the environment changes. In the
article, “General Properties of Bamboo and Maintenance Tips”, Bamboo Imports (n.d)
informs that bamboo will absorb or expel moisture according to the environment.
It also describes that “Splits and cracks may then occur due to stress caused
by sudden drying and direct exposure to the sun.” In fact, it shows that
structures built with bamboo are susceptible to breaking apart over time, with
the repetitive shrinking and swelling.
Lastly,
bamboo is not easily classified by grades. In the article, “Bamboo Flooring
Pros & Cons” , Urban Customs (n.d) asserts that bamboo do not have a fix
grading system in determining the quality of the bamboo, instead, “retailers
often sort them into grades, but it is just an arbitrary system”. With this
being reported, it would mean that bamboo does not have a system in place to
determines its quality but instead judged based on its appearance. In my opinion,
this is not safe to be used as a material, as a material may look nice by its
appearance, may be fragile in terms of its strength and would be dangerous to be
used.
Although
Vadot did mention the advantages and sustainable use of bamboo as a
construction material, it was not sufficient in determining the viability and
feasibility of using bamboo. He should have reported the disadvantages. With
the disadvantages mentioned, it will allow better idea of whether bamboo is suitable
to be a construction material with both advantages and disadvantages mentioned.
References
Vadot,
C. (n.d.). An Architect’s Guide to Building With Bamboo.
Architizer.
https://architizer.com/blog/practice/details/how-to-bamboo/
The Pros and Cons of Bamboo in Green
Building. (n.d.). Elemental.Green.
https://elemental.green/the-pros-and-cons-of-bamboo-in-green-building/
8 Advantages and Disadvantages of Bamboo
Flooring. (2016, August 14). ConnectUS.
https://connectusfund.org/8-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-bamboo-flooring
Bamboo Flooring Pros & Cons |
Advantages & Disadvantages. (n.d.). Urban Customs.
https://urbancustomsaz.com/pros-cons-bamboo-flooring/
General
Properties of Bamboo and Maintenance Tips. (n.d.). Bamboo Import Europe.
https://www.bambooimport.com/en/properties-of-bamboo-and-maintenance-tips
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