1. Bamboo
A green building materials presentation
by Hisa Kominami (CDAE170)

2. What is bamboo?
• Bamboos are a diverse and primitive group of perennial
plants in the true grass family
• They are widely distributed throughout parts of the world,
particularly in the Asia-Pacific region
• It grows primarily in tropical and subtropical areas but
several species grow in temperate areas
• There are approximately 2000 species world wide, of which
between 50 – 100 are being used by humans
• Bamboo species vary in height from 1 ft to over 100 ft tall
and have stem diameters ranging from 1 mm to 30 cm
• Certain species can grow up to 1 ft/day!!

3. Species Diversity

4. Global Distribution of Bamboo

5. Global Distribution of Bamboo

6. Why is Bamboo important?
• Ecological Role
- Is excellent at sequestering carbon and
releasing oxygen (can sequester up to 12
tons of carbon dioxide from the air per
hectare and release 35% more oxygen than
equivalent stands of trees)
- Prevents soil erosion and maintains
watershed integrity and soil health
- Provides habitats and food for a variety of
species (Giant Panda, Mountain Bongo,
lesser bamboo bat, etc)

7. Why is Bamboo important?
• Economic Role
- The current estimated trade in
bamboo is 5 billion U.S. dollars
- Bamboo related industries provide
food, income, and housing to over 2.2
billion people

8. Multipurpose Crop For Humans
• Fuel
• Paper
• Fodder
• Furniture
• Food (shoots, wine)
• Musical Instruments
• Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Handicrafts (baskets, jewelry,
pens, bicycles, fly rods)
• Construction (homes, scaffolding,
bridges, reinforced concrete,
boats, fences)

9. Bamboo in Construction
Five story parking garage at
the Leipzig Zoo using
bamboo for the building’s
envelope

10. Bamboo in Construction
Bridge by Jorg Stamm

11. Bamboo in Construction
Bridge by Jorg Stamm

12. Bamboo in Construction

13. Bamboo in Construction

14. Bamboo in Construction
Octagon Gazebo by Bamboo
Technologies of Hawaii

15. Benefits of Building with Bamboo
• Can be harvested in 3-5 yrs. versus in 10-50 yrs. for
softwoods and hardwoods
• The yield (weight per acreage) for bamboo is 25%
greater than that of timber
• Has a tensile strength that rivals steel (withstands
up to 52,000 psi)
• Has twice the compressive strength of concrete
• Resistant to earthquake damage and practical on
steep slopes
• Bamboo structures can be built very quickly, are low
cost, durable, and environmentally friendly
• The energy required in processing bamboo is less
than for concrete, wood, and steel

16. Benefits of Bamboo Flooring
• Is available with formaldehyde free glues
and low voc finishes
• Aesthetically beautiful
• Is comparable if not stronger than oak in
terms of hardness (Janka Ball Test – 1320
PSI)
• Bamboo exhibits little dimensional change
compared to other commonly used woods
(2.5x more stable)

17. Potential for Sustainability
• Renewable – can be harvested without
damaging the plant and grows extremely quickly
• Plentiful – there is great potential for timber-
quality bamboo to be produced in the U.S.
• Local – can be grown locally in a small land
area
• Waste-reducing – sequesters carbon and
leaves can be used as fodder or compost

18. Drawbacks of Bamboo
• Untreated bamboo is susceptible to attack
by fungi and insects
• May or may not be harvested,
manufactured, and shipped in an
environmentally friendly manner
• Exclusion from building codes and lack of
standards