Research suggests a wooden future for skyscrapers

Skyscrapers dominate the skylines of our major cities, offering more urban density and greater flexibility than smaller buildings. However, concrete- and steel-based tall structures require huge amounts of energy for their construction, which comes at a significant environmental cost. This can be mitigated by incorporating technologies such as solar power, passive cooling systems and efficient lighting into the design, but what if we could go even further and build skyscrapers using sustainable materials? Herein lies the impetus behind recent research into the efficacy of wooden skyscrapers.

Before considering the technical hurdles of constructing tall buildings from wood, perhaps the first question which should be asked is: what are the specific benefits wood can offer over concrete and steel?

Sustainability

The single most compelling argument in favor of building wooden skyscrapers is the fact that, providing the timber is sourced responsibly, they represent an opportunity to create a sustainable building on a truly grand scale, cutting down on overall CO2 output as a result.

As a recent lengthy report on the subject by Michael Green Architects (MGA) entitled “Tall Wood” [PDF] asserts:

“Over the last twenty years, as the world’s understanding of anthropogenic climate change has evolved, we have seen the large impact that buildings contribute to the greenhouse gases causing climate change. Concrete production represents roughly 5 percent of world carbon dioxide emissions, the dominant greenhouse gas. In essence the production and transportation of concrete represents more than 5 times the carbon footprint of the airline industry as a whole. It is clear that the very fundamentals of what materials we build our buildings with are worth re-evaluating.”

The “Timber Towers” [PDF] report produced by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) cites the potential to compete with reinforced concrete and steel, while reducing the carbon footprint by 60 to 75 percent.

Structural Strength

To cope with the heavy load, stresses, and vibrations a skyscraper undergoes daily, it needs to be built from material far more durable than normal timber. The SOM and MGA reports both agree that the solution to constructing tall buildings from wood rests on the use of “Mass Timber.”

SOM’s report defines Mass Timber as solid panels of wood, engineered for greater strength through the lamination of different layers.

SOM’s researchers prefer to add concrete connecting joints when building with Mass Timber, while MGA utilizes steel to reinforce the mass timber panels. Whichever reinforcing method is chosen, the result is a very tough building material which is worlds away from the timber framing used to build many homes, and suitable for tall buildings up to 30 stories in height, even in high seismic areas like Vancouver.

(Read More)

(Excerpt of article by Adam Williams. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Lamboo, Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB), is unmatched in its potential as an environmentally friendly and structurally stable building material. Bamboo can be produced on a large scale with much more ease than timber forests cutting costs and limiting energy consumption. Testing and predictions from experts has led to Bamboo being referred to as “the next super material” due to its amazing attributes and resiliency.

In its engineered form (Lamboo) bamboo is the ideal bio-based product for applications requiring superior structural strength and longevity. In fact, Lamboo components are on average 20% more stable than hardwoods and up to 40% more stable than softwoods such as Pine or Douglas Fir.

Lamboo’s popularity as a sustainable, higher performing product is growing; we encourage you to learn more from the links below and to contact us with any questions that should arise.

About Bamboo as a resource

– Produces 30% more oxygen in comparison to similar size timber forest area

– Sequesters 35% more carbon in comparison to similar size timber forest area

– Growth rate of 6-8 years to maturity (In comparison to 25-50 for traditional timber)

– Root structure eliminates need to replant

Learn more about Lamboo

What is Lamboo?

Certifications

Product Information

Research

A Bamboo Project – The Bamboo Industry in the U.S.

Bamboo has been deemed the new “wonder plant” and with good reason. Bamboo impacts the lives of over 1.5 billion people worldwide, has over 1500 uses that we know about now, is highly sustainable, sequesters up to 40% more Co2 than a forest of trees the same size, and is stronger than steel. 

Bamboo is the fastest-growing woody plant in the world, capable of growing up to four feet a day. Most of it is grown organically, and in most locations requires no irrigation, pesticides, or fertilizers. Because of its fast growth, good mechanical properties, low price and abundant availability, bamboo is widely recognized as a promising resource for sustainable manufacturing.

An acre of bamboo can sequester 25 tons of carbon dioxide per year, compared to only 6 tons from a young forest. Bamboo is so effective in this role that Japan and the Netherlands are planting vast tracts of bamboo toward their carbon credit. Much of America’s lands are suitable for growing bamboo. After being imported as early as 1828 into the United States, bamboo grows wildly mostly concentrated in the Southern U.S. and Eastern seaboard. There are additional successful farms as far north as Ohio, Oregon and Washington.

Additional benefits of bamboo:

• Bamboo requires only one third of the water than cotton does. There is much less carbon associated with growing bamboo such as operating tractors in harvesting and maintenance than cotton.
• Bamboo is stronger than steel and more durable than wood. (withstands up to 52,000 Pounds of pressure psi) It can be used as a composite, structural beams, flooring, scaffolding, supports, housing, and concrete reinforcement.
• Bamboo is flexible. It can be used in virtually any application such as bike frames, domes, and other products.
• Bamboo filters soil of contaminants and prevents soil erosion.
• This plant has a use in every industry.

The need for a bamboo industry in the United States.

Provided all legislation and forecasts stay on course during this election a perfect storm is brewing for the entrance of bamboo as a mainstream crop.

Read more about the effects the bamboo industry will have on the political, environmental, and industrial sectors of the U.S. here.

(Above is an excerpt of an article by Eric Stevens. NOT AFFILIATED IN ANY MANNER WITH LAMBOO)

                                                                                                                                                                                                

Mr. Stevens is a prime example of the growing number of innovative leaders and advocates that are taking strong stands on environmental and societal issues. The fact of the matter is that with our rapidly growing society, the traditional way of building and supporting our society is unsustainable and drastic measures must be taken, and sooner rather than later. With the forests and non-renewable resources quickly depleting, our leaders will eventually be forced to look at alternative options. Advocates like Stevens are creating a great framework for this radical political and social shift by promoting the use of bamboo in the U.S. and internationally. Although bamboo will not solve all environmental issues, it can play a major role in the global struggle and movement towards sustainable living that upcoming decades will undoubtedly bring.

Lamboo is playing a large part in the use of bamboo materials in the U.S. through our Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB) panels in nearly every industry and market. Our materials are being incorporated all across the U.S. (and internationally) for architectural applications including residential, industrial, commercial, and retail markets. Learn more about our products at the links provided below.

Bamboo As A Carbon Offset: INBAR Does The Math

Carbon credits are certificates that represent a reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These reductions are accomplished by projects designed to prevent the generation of greenhouse gases: they range from windmill farms to geothermal energy projects to biomass alternative energy initiatives to reforestation.

INBAR has taken the reforestation project and put their own bamboo spin on it for Chinese companies. Carbon credits in the form of bamboo plantation investments are now available for companies.

With so many options available, with so many projects, with traditional hardwood forestry as an option, why invest in bamboo?

• It grows up to four feet per day so it can be harvested every 4-5 years as opposed to the 25-70 years it can take for traditional hardwoods to mature.
• It removes CO2 from the air and produces over 30% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of hardwood trees.
• Below the ground, bamboo’s roots help prevent soil erosion.
• Bamboo improves soil quality. The roots remove excess nitrogen and because the plant grows readily with no use of pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides, there is no ground pollution involved.
• Environmentalists are researching bamboo’s apparent ability to soak up excess nutrients in waste water as an answer to waste issues.

With all these environmentally-friendly qualities, what has kept bamboo off the carbon offset table?

Very simply, a lack of math. Because bamboo plants have very different growth characteristics than trees, different mechanisms were needed to measure their carbon outputs. And before now, there was no way to determine how much carbon a bamboo plant can convert.

Thanks to INBAR, the China Green Carbon Foundation and the Zhejiang Agriculture, a methodology now exists that can calculate the amount of carbon available in the massive bamboo plantations in China. (Well, they actually only account for 2.8% of China’s total forest area but considering the land mass of China, that is a significant chunk.)

“This is a really big breakthrough,” said Yannick Kuehl, a climate change expert at INBAR who helped develop the technique. “This means that now bamboo is recognized as carbon offset, and as a tool for climate change mitigation measures.”

According to Kuehl, more than 10 Chinese companies have pre-ordered carbon credits and the money they pay will go towards planting new bamboo forests in China. In a country plagued with environmental issues, utilizing the sustainable bamboo plant is a positive step.

(Excerpt of article from Green Earth News. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Possible LEED Credits 

• MR Credit 6 – Rapidly renewable materials
• IEQ Credit 4.4 – Low-emitting materials
• ID Credit 1 – Innovation in Design (Environmentally Preferable Material)
• ID Credit 2 – Innovation in Design (Life Cycle Assessment / Environmental Impact)
• FSC Certification – Available Upon Request

Learn more about Lamboo

• What is Lamboo?
• Certifications
• Product Information
• Research
• ASTM 11a 5456 – Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB)

Applicable LEED Points

Lamboo product information listing with ARCAT

ARCAT, Inc. is a premier building materials information resource for architects, spec writers, engineers, and contractors. The ARCAT directory/database is designed to be an efficient point of reference to collect information on a variety of building materials and product systems. The strength of ARCAT lies both in its great reputation/reliability and the uniformity of its listings.

The ARCAT website includes 10,500 manufacturer listings by alpha or CSI section, 9000 BIM Models, 900 specs all in the CSI 3 part format, 300 SpecWizards for automated spec writing and 7,000 CAD Details. All of these files and documents are in a uniform ARCAT format allowing for research that is faster and much easier. Site users can search and download information on multiple products/projects all in same place and format, reducing costs and time for the user. ARCAT is free and requires no registration to use.

Lamboo is taking advantage of the ARCAT system through the use of a company profile. On the Profile product information and specifications will be made available for individuals and companies interested in using Lamboo products, all free of charge. Lamboo currently maintains an expansive Resource Library on our website but is pleased to add this simple yet powerful profile as a resource for ARCAT users.

For questions regarding Lamboo or our products please visit our website
at www.lamboo.us or contact us at info@lamboo.us 866-966-2999
…
“MAKING INNOVATIVE THINKING A STANDARD” – Lamboo Incorporated

 

What Can Bamboo Do About CO2?

Efforts to thoroughly study the role that plants play in climate change mitigation are increasing. Most researchers focus on the promise of large, leafy forest trees to help remove carbon from the atmosphere. This is because, generally speaking, the bigger the plant, the more CO₂ it absorbs – and trees are the most obvious large plant species. However, there are some very large non-tree plants in the world and increasing evidence points to a surprising grassy climate change warrior: bamboo.

One species of bamboo, the Guadua Angustifolia, found in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia, has been shown to grow up to 25 meters in height and 22 centimeters in diameter, with each plant weighing up to 100 kilograms. This doesn’t match the stature of many trees, but it is still big enough to be significant. It is not all about size, however. How fast a plant grows has a part in determining how much CO₂ it can absorb in a given time. In this respect, bamboo wins hands-down: it grows faster than many trees, growing up to 1.2 meters per day. In fact, bamboo holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest growing plant.

Bamboo’s other advantage is that it has great strength and flexibility, making it an ideal low-cost building material in many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, areas where it is native. This means that bamboo in a plantation can regularly be chopped down and used to build houses and other structures, where the carbon remains sequestered for an average of 80 years, and that the plantation will recover quickly due to the fast growth rate. Because of this, the World Bank recently financed a project in Ecuador proposed by the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), an intergovernmental organization dedicated to improving the livelihoods of the poor producers and users of bamboo and rattan. The project is called ‘Elevated bamboo houses to protect communities in flood zones’ and has so far succeeded in developing and implementing techniques to construct ecological flood-resistant housing for low-income families using a type of bamboo that is native to Ecuador.

(READ FULL STORY)

Rebound in U.S. Green Building Materials Market

U.S. demand to post double-digit gains through 2017

Through 2017, a rebound in construction activity, combined with continuing consumer interest in environmentally friendly products, will propel US growth in green building materials demand 11 percent annually to $86.6 billion. US construction activity declined sharply during much of the 2007-2012 period, but demand for green building materials held its own, boosted by consumer interest in products that could reduce utility bills or promote environmentally friendly construction practices. For instance, homeowners installed ENERGY STAR-certified windows and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to lower energy costs and reduce energy consumption.

Builders, architects coming to grips with LEED system

For purposes of this study, green building materials are defined as those products that can be used to earn credits toward certification in any of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating systems extant as of February 2013. These materials do not necessarily have to be installed in buildings where LEED accreditation is being sought to be considered green materials. Over the forecast period, builders and architects will increasingly opt to earn high levels of LEED certification by specifying the use of materials that earn LEED points. Lumber harvested in a sustainable manner can contribute to LEED certification, and is forecasted to exhibit demand gains.

Details on these and other findings are contained in Green Building Materials, an upcoming Freedonia industry study available for $5100. It presents historical demand data for 2002, 2007 and 2012, as well as forecasts for 2017 and 2022 by product, market, and region of the US.

(Read More)

(Excerpt of article from Herald Online. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)
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Lamboo, Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB), is an ultra renewable alternative to traditional building materials. Produced from one of the most rapidly replenishing and environmentally friendly plants in the world, bamboo, Lamboo can be used as a replacement for depleting building resources. To learn more about the superior attributes of Lamboo, please visit our Product Information Page for additional information.

LEED Credits available through Lamboo integration Incorporating Lamboo (LVB) Laminated Veneer Bamboo into projects can earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification under the following: MR Credit 6 – Rapidly renewable materials IEQ Credit 4.4 – Low-emitting materials ID Credit 1 – Innovation in Design (Environmentally Preferable Material) ID Credit 2 – Innovation in Design (Life Cycle Assessment / Environmental Impact) FSC Certification – Available Upon Request Learn more about our certifications here.

For questions regarding Lamboo or our products please visit our website
at www.lamboo.us or contact us at info@lamboo.us 866-966-2999
…
“MAKING INNOVATIVE THINKING A STANDARD” – Lamboo Incorporated

Blog by: Dustin Dennison

WORLDBEX – The Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition

For more than a decade, WORLDBEX or The Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition has been a haven for the local and international building and construction industry, supported by acknowledged sectors of society and a visitor profile of more than 150,000 per year, it is dubbed to be Asia’s most attended construction exposition.

WORLDBEX holds a good number of global ties with countries such as Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, China, Finland, Hong Kong, the U.S. and Germany to name a few of the 25 participating countries, it is an ideal venue for business transactions and introduction of innovations.

WORLDBEX is known for putting together over 500 exhibiting companies and more than a thousand booths in a Wi-Fi ready exhibit area of 30,000 sq/m. These companies range from building materials equipment services, construction design and development, architects and interior designers, and leading manufacturers and furniture exporters. WORLDBEX will also showcase the top colleges and universities in inter-school interior design competition and include the biggest names in the local and international building and construction scene for seminars.

At the show Lamboo will be showcasing the world’s most renewable and sustainable construction material, Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB), a high performance bamboo product. Representatives will be at booth #S55-S56 to answer any questions attendees may have and to discuss the attributes that make Lamboo a superior product for the construction industry.

To learn more please visit our Sustainability, Research, or Certifications pages. Please visit our Resource Library for product details and specifications!

To remain updated on the latest with Lamboo and the sustainable construction industry please subscribe to this blog via the link at the top right hand corner of this page!

For questions regarding Lamboo or our products please visit our website
at www.lamboo.us or contact us at info@lamboo.us  866-966-2999
…
“MAKING INNOVATIVE THINKING A STANDARD” – Lamboo Incorporated

SAIE México 2013

Lamboo, Inc. is pleased to announce they will be attending the sixth Annual SAIE Mexico 2013 Show and Conference. The show is put on by the International Building Trade Show or SAIE (SAIE by its Spanish Acronym – Salon Internacional de la Edicacion) and will take place on February 20-23, 2013 in the WTC Mexico City, Mexico. 

The VI International Exhibition Building, SAIE MEXICO 2013, is a exhibition where technological advances in the industry are shared and networking opportunities between professionals and companies, in architecture, construction, design and sustainable lifestyle are present. This show is the most important trade show for housing, construction, and green building sectors in the Mexican market. The four-day event features over 140 exhibitors and more than 8,000 visitors during the 2013 show. SAIE is the leading trade show for green construction, sustainable building, and construction includes green design, low VOC products, paints, recovered materials, full solar and photovoltaic systems, wind power, lighting, and related products.

Lamboo, Inc. will be exhibiting at the show to promote green construction and sustainable building through the manufacturing of engineered bamboo for structural, architectural, and industrial applications. At the SAIE Show, Lamboo will be promoting the following product lines: Lamboo® Design™, Lamboo® Elements™, Lamboo® Renewall™, Lamboo® Structure™, Lamboo® Surface™, and Lamboo® Vue™.

As a technology, and manufacturing company, Lamboo, Inc. offers enhanced performance over traditional forms of construction material to the environment, the construction industry, and architects/engineers throughout the world. Representatives of Lamboo, Inc. can be found at the State of Illinois Pavilion, booth B38. Lamboo’s partner Multivi will also be in attendance showcasing in booth C28. As industry leaders they are integrating superior performing Lamboo (laminated veneer bamboo) within their window, door, and curtain wall systems providing some of the most stable, sustainable, and long lasting systems available to the market.

Multivi Windows & Doors

Booth #C28

Marco Perez Haces

Tel: +01 (222) 2 403 300

Email: marco@multivi.com

Web: http://www.multivi.com

Image Source: Feriade

For questions regarding Lamboo or our products please visit our website
at www.lamboo.us or contact us at info@lamboo.us  866-966-2999
…
“MAKING INNOVATIVE THINKING A STANDARD” – Lamboo Incorporated

International Builders’ Show 2013

The International Builders’ Show (IBS) is the largest annual light construction show in the world—over miles and miles of the latest and most advanced building products and services ever assembled. Visitors to the show will experience hands-on demonstrations and working models in over 300 building industry categories. IBS is the National Association Home Builders’ annual convention and takes place this year at the Las Vegas Convention Center January 22nd through the 24th.

IBS is a great networking opportunity where you can see nearly every top brand product and visit with their professionals face to face. You get to see the latest and greatest before it hits the store. There are also a wide range of seminars every day all under one roof.

Lamboo partners will be in attendance at the convention showcasing their latest designs and systems. As industry leaders they are integrating superior performing Lamboo (laminated veneer bamboo) within their window, door, and curtain wall systems providing some of the most stable, sustainable, and long lasting systems available to the market.

The following partner companies will be in attendance at the show:

Kolbe Windows and Doors Booth #C2607

Tel:  (715) 843-0242
Web:http://www.kolbe-kolbe.com

NanaWall Booth #C3842

Tel:  (415) 944-8586
Web: http://www.nanawall.com/

Solar Innovations Booth #C5447

Tel:  (800) 618-0669
Web: http://www.solarinnovations.com

Pacific Millwork Booth #N2306

Tel:  (562) 905-3200
Web: www.pacmillwork.com

For questions regarding Lamboo or our products please visit our website
at www.lamboo.us or contact us at info@lamboo.us   866-966-2999
…
“MAKING INNOVATIVE THINKING A STANDARD” – Lamboo Incorporated

AEC Daily Continuing Education – Lamboo

AEC Daily is a developer of online education courses for the construction and architecture industries. It is an e-learning provider for architects, engineers, and other construction professionals and serves over 450 companies.

Founded in 2001, online education courses are the main field of AEC Daily. They provide over 300 courses with a focus on sustainable design. Most courses are free while there is a submission fee for courses like the virtual tour of the USGBC headquarters. AEC Daily won the highest award in education from the American Institute of Architects in 2009 and continue to attract the highest numbers of design professionals in the industry. AEC Daily has been recognized as the common denominator for education in the AEC industry.

Lamboo offers a course covering laminated veneer bamboo (LVB) use in structural and curtain wall applications. This course compares the structural and mechanical properties of common building materials and composites, and illustrates how LVB components can be fully integrated into structural or curtain wall designs and meet the requirements of today’s sustainable built environment. Additional courses for window & door and interior panels will be added in coming months.

(View PDF)