Summary Reader Response (Draft 2)

  In the article, “An Architect’s Guide to Building with Bamboo'', Vadot(n.d.), elaborates on how bamboo is an alternative material in the construction industry. He mentions that bamboo is a dependable, long-lasting, lightweight, and affordable material, which has the capability to grow quickly with minimal preservation. He states that the bottom part of the bamboo is suitable for scaffolding and civil works construction whereas the top part is suitable for accessorial parts such as ceilings. He notes that the variety in growth environments leads to the agriculture of different strands of bamboo, which resulted in not being listed in the civil building code, unlike wood. Bamboo is a brittle material which requires treatment and protection from natural conditions. It is prone to rotting as the nutrients in it consists of sugar, hence attracting micro-organisms. He shows an example on how bamboo is adopted in Columbia for the usage in construction.

  Although this article explains its advantages and disadvantages of using bamboo as a construction material, it does not give a thorough elaboration on its other properties in different aspects.

  Firstly, bamboo is an eco-environmental material. According to a journal article by Rashmi et al, bamboo can be harvested every 3 to 4 years and this will keep the bamboo forest in good condition. Bamboo can also reduce environmental pollution, as it consumes carbon dioxide as it grows and not discharged into the atmosphere until its end of life. Bamboo can be used as a solid wood alternative material in manufacturing and design usage, reducing the usage of pressure on forest resources. This will affect the production of bamboo as it uses low energy, hence decreases the greenhouse effects. In my opinion, bamboo can reduce carbon footprint in the construction industry. Therefore, bamboo is an appropriate material in the building industry.

  Secondly, bamboo is a suitable construction material in terms of architectural aspects. According to Thi Bich Van (2018), bamboo flooring is suitable for any interior designs, as it is easy to coordinate well with different types of layouts and installations. This will make building more aesthetic in terms of its nature appearance. He also stated that bamboo floor is good for health, as it does not produce or absorbs heat. This implies that it will be warmer in winter and cooler in summer. To add on, bamboo flooring can reduce the risk of diseases such as arthritis, cardiovascular and myopia. This will benefit the people who are suffering from these conditions. Apart from health benefits, it can also create living space close to nature, help to feel comfortable at home, dispel all fatigue and tensions. Personally, engineers should really use bamboo in construction as it has health benefits, as stated above.

  Finally, bamboo has mechanical properties, which is vital to the construction industry. Janssen (2000) states that the mass of the material per density is the most important mechanical property. The greater the mass volume, the heavier the bamboo is. This means that bamboos are sturdier, hence it can balance its weight well when there is a load acting on it. The author claims that creep does not occur in bamboo as it does not increase deformation on the long term, unlike most timbers. He added that bamboo returns to its original form when a load place on it is removed. This means that a building made of bamboo will be able retain its shape even when an earthquake occurs, despite the damaged of some bamboo elements. In my opinion, bamboo is an appropriate material for construction industry because it has mechanical properties that are useful and safe to use.

  In conclusion, bamboo has a variety of properties as mentioned previously. Hence, it is advisable for countries to consider using bamboo as a construction material. Despite being prone to insects and affected by moisture, bamboo can last a long time if it is treated well.

 

References:

1.     Vadot, C. (n.d). An Architect’s Guide to Building with Bamboo. Journal. https://architizer.com/blog/practice/details/how-to-bamboo/

2.  Rashmi Manandhar, Jin-Hee Kim & Jun-Tae Kim (2019) Environmental, social, and economic sustainability of bamboo and bamboo-based construction materials in buildings, Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 18:2, 49-59. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13467581.2019.1595629

3.   Thi Bich Vân, N. (2018). Bamboo - the eco-friendly material – one of the material solutions of the sustainable interior design in Viet Nam. MATEC Web of Conferences, 193, 04014. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819304014

4.   Janssen, J. J. (2000). Designing and building with bamboo (pp. 130-133). Netherlands: International Network for Bamboo and Rattan. http://cocolandia.org/resources/Building_with_Bamboo.pdf