The Indonesian island of Bali, slowly but surely, had begun
replacing its arcane buildings of concrete and steel with bamboo. In the
country’s transformation, factories, businesses, and homes are all being revitalized
by the firm and rigid qualities of the “grass”. The amazing part about it is
that it is quicker to grow, and does not destroy the land that it sits on in
comparison to timber. As a result, these qualities, in addition to the well-known
fact of its industrial strength, has allowed for the burgeoning of construction
utilizing the sustainable resource. The flexible yet rigid nature of the plant
allows for a surprising amount of flexibility in designing structures and
buildings. For example, here is a picture of a three storied school building
built in Bali in 2008.
Even after the bamboo is cut, it will continue to produce
shoots at a rapid pace. Timber on the other hand requires continual replanting,
and waiting for the wood to grow to the proper size and dimensions for it to be
used. However, while bamboo is excellent with respect to its strength-to-weight
ratio, (a measure of how much pressure an object can withstand with respect to
its weight), it does have some shortcomings which include being prone to
catching to fire and rotting from overexposure to the elements. Given these
drawbacks, with a creative insight into its remarkable properties, bamboo can,
at the very least, be used as a substitute product or a supplement to building
structures all over the world. The recognition and implementation of renewable
products in the creation of such projects will help to make the world we live
in healthier and more sustainable. To read more about bamboo structures in
Indonesia, please check out http://phys.org/news/2012-06-bali-green-bamboo.html.
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