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.


(READ FULL STORY) 

LEED: Changing the built world for the better

The sustainable (green) building movement is a major trend in design and construction of commercial and public buildings. The United States Green Building Council has coordinated the establishment and evolution of a national consensus effort to provide the industry with the tools necessary to design, build and operate buildings that deliver high performance inside and outside the building footprint.

They have developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard, which is a rating system based on optimum site selection and sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere optimization, materials and resources (renewable and recyclable base), and indoor environmental quality. The LEED process is a systematic approach where building design and construction needs to meet various requirements in the five segments to reach a certain rating level, and LEED certification is voluntary. Whether it be a school, library, government building or your office, you probably have been in a LEED building. All people in the building industry are looking for ways to adapt to this changing environment in the private and public sectors. We know that buildings consume annually more than 30 percent of the nation’s total energy, and more than 60 percent of the electricity. Research has demonstrated that green design measures in new buildings reduce operating costs, enhance building marketability, increase worker productivity and reduce potential liability resulting from indoor air quality problems. 

(READ FULL STORY)

‘Green Building’ Movement Gains Traction Worldwide

The “Green Building” movement is gathering momentum worldwide as businesses increasingly see attractive economic returns and social-environmental benefits from enhancing the overall sustainability of their operations, including initiatives to conserve and enhance efficiencies with regard to energy, water and other natural resources.

The number of businesses anticipating that more than 60 percent of their operations will be “green” by 2014 will more than triple in South Africa; more than double in Brazil, Germany and Norway; and increase from 33-68 percent in Australia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the UK and the US, according to McGraw-Hill Construction’s, “World Green Building Trends – Business Benefits Driving New and Retrofit Market Opportunities in Over 60 Countries.”
 
Green building market: Moving from supply-push to demand-pull
Surveying green building activities among businesses worldwide, McGraw-Hill Construction and United Technologies Corp. (UTC) found that 51 percent of survey respondents expect that more than 60 percent of their operations will be green by 2015. That’s a big increase from the 28 percent that expect the same in 2013, and double the 13 percent from 2008, according to McGraw-Hill Construction’s press release.

“This report confirms that the green building movement has shifted from ‘push’ to ‘pull’—with markets increasingly demanding no less than green buildings,” John Mandyck, chief sustainability officer, UTC Climate, Controls & Security, was quoted as saying.

There has been a decided shift toward focusing on green building among business executives and management, the researchers found. Green building has become a business imperative in economies worldwide. The top driver in the 2008 Green Building report was “doing the right thing.” In 2012, client and market demand are the key factors driving green building initiatives, according to the report authors.

Returns, benefits from doing the right thing

A resonance has developed in recent years whereby business opportunities and expected benefits of green building are matching up: 76 percent of respondents reported that green building lowers operating costs, with more than one-third pointing to higher building values (38 percent), quality assurance (38 percent), and future-proofing assets (36 percent) as tangible benefits and returns on investment.

"The acceleration of the green building marketplace around the world is creating markets for green building products and technologies, which in turn will lead to faster growth of green building,” commented Harvey Bernstein, vice president of Industry Insights and Alliances at McGraw-Hill Construction.

"And the fact that green is growing in all parts of the world indicates that there are market opportunities in both established markets as well as developing countries.”

(Read More)

(Excerpt of article from Triple Pundit. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)



One of the most important elements regarding green building projects is the materials that the buildings are constructed with. There are a variety of products from natural, recycled, and synthetic sources that improve efficiency and performance, yet many are still of a finite nature. 
The most unrecognized yet potentially successful (and Sustainable) material for this green movement is bamboo, particularly in engineered form. Bamboo is one of the most rapidly renewable plant sources that is also remarkably strong and resilient. Bamboo reaches maturity in 6-8 years and after harvesting will regrow from the roots with no replanting necessary. Bamboo is also renowned for its great oxygen production and carbon sequestration; a great positive environmental impact. Once in engineered form (Laminated Veneer Bamboo LVB) the material has great thermal and performance attributes that makes it ideal for energy efficient systems built for longevity.

Learn more about Lamboo

What is Lamboo?
Certifications

Product Information

Research

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

Ethiopia Leads the Bamboo Revolution

ADDIS ABABA , Apr 8 2013 (IPS) - A combination of an abundance of bamboo and eager foreign investment is making Ethiopia a frontier for the bamboo industrial revolution in Africa, according to this country’s government.

“Ethiopia has the resources, the investment, a rapidly-developing manufacturing industry and a strong demand for our bamboo products from foreign markets. We have what we need. The expansion of Africa’s bamboo sector has begun,” Ethiopia’s State Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Mitiku Kassa told IPS.

Ethiopia currently has the largest area – one million hectares – of commercially untapped bamboo in East Africa, making it attractive to investment partners from the bamboo industry. However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development told IPS that they were unwilling to disclose any figures on the bamboo economy, but added that there had been no formal bamboo economy in Ethiopia until 2012.

“The market potential of bamboo in Europe is massive. We believe that there can be a reliable and effective supply chain built here in Ethiopia to create a bamboo manufacturing industry,” said Felix Boeck, an associate engineer at Africa Bamboo PLC, a public-private partnership set up with Ethiopian partners and supported by the German Development Cooperation in 2012. The partnership plans to invest 10 million euros over the next five years in their Ethiopia-based manufacturing operation.

In comparison to soft wood trees that can take 30 years to reach maturity, bamboo is a fully mature resource after three years, making it commercially and environmentally sustainable.

Sub-Saharan Africa has three million hectares of bamboo forest, around four percent of the continent’s total forest cover. Ethiopia plans to increase its bamboo cover to two million hectares over the next five years.

Small-scale Ethiopian bamboo farmers like Ghetnet Melaku are enthusiastic to participate in the development of the bamboo sector, if investment in its expansion is inclusive of small farmers.

“I am just making enough money to subsist by producing bamboo for the local craft market and, if I had the opportunity, I would like to increase my capacity for skilled production and a better financial return,” Melaku told IPS.

The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) is an intergovernmental organization that assists governments, businesses and local communities to identify innovative bamboo-based opportunities for human development.



It is helping sensitise African governments to the high potential of bamboo as a versatile and renewable resource that can generate sustainable development. According to INBAR, one billion people around the world use bamboo in their daily lives as housing material, fencing and food, and in craft production, etc.

“If properly managed, this highly versatile resource could spur economic growth in a world export market valued at two billion dollars in 2011, reduce deforestation and cut carbon emissions,” INBAR director general J. Coosje Hoogendoorn told IPS.

Deforestation has ravaged Africa’s environment – the carbon emissions from burning timber on the continent alone are expected to reach 6.7 million tonnes by 2050. As 90 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa use firewood or charcoal to cook, the development of an alternative resource like bamboo has become essential.

“Sourcing fuel for cooking food is integral to food security,” said Hoogendoorn. “Rice, maize and pulses all require heat to become edible. Renewable alternatives like bamboo can help minimize deforestation caused by the logging of soft timber wood for cooking fuel and house materials.”

Ethiopia’s government has prohibited the creation of charcoal from burnt wood for retail and is actively advocating sustainable alternatives such as bamboo.

“Bamboo is a major untapped resource for Ethiopia. We are pushing to grow and conserve our bamboo resources. We are starting to work with farmers and enterprises to encourage and develop this sector for the country’s economic and environmental benefit. We are working to undo unsustainable practices and advocate new alternatives,” State Minister Kassa told IPS.

Although Ethiopia has one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa, it has increased its national forest cover to seven percent from three percent a decade ago, out of an original 40 percent. Hoogendorn said that governments needed to make financial resources available to enterprises that wished to develop Africa’s bamboo industry.

“We want governments to put structures in place that offer financial support such as micro finance and that remove any hindrance for investors in the bamboo market, so that when companies want to set up a bamboo industry they have access to financial support,” he said.

High demand for Ethiopia’s agricultural output such as bamboo can drive growth and development for the country’s poor if it generates employment opportunities and remains non-exploitative towards farm workers and the land, said research fellow Steve Wiggins from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). The ODI is the United Kingdom’s leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues.

“It is good if there is another source of demand for farm produce, so long as the economics of bamboo offer decent returns to land and labour, equitable deals can be struck in the supply chain, and the crop is environmentally sustainable,” Wiggins told IPS.

While bamboo production in Asia carries connotations of unsustainable forestry practices and illegal logging, INBAR is working to share lessons learned and bring bamboo production in Africa’s market up to the highest standards.

“Sustainable management of a country’s bamboo sector is extremely important to the future of a country’s market, especially if that country is wanting to export its products to the European market where laws stipulate conformity to high sustainability standards,” Hoogendoorn said.

As the industrial development of bamboo in Africa is in its infancy, investors have until recently been cautious about ploughing large amounts of money into a market whose dividends are relatively unknown.

“We are ready for the same industrial revolution in bamboo development that Ethiopia is currently experiencing,” Andrew Akwasi Oteng-Amoako, the chief research scientist at the Forestry Research Institute in Ghana, told IPS.

He lamented that although his West African country had an abundance of bamboo, it failed to secure the same investment as Ethiopia.

“We anticipate a revival of investment interest in Ghana’s bamboo industry in the near future thanks to Ethiopia’s success,” Oteng-Amoako said.


(Excerpt of article from Inter Press Service. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

 

Bamboo not only creates jobs for residents of the country of origin but has the potential in creating thousands of jobs in secondary fabrication and installation in those regions using the material.

Bamboo as a resource is unmatched in its potential as a structurally stable renewable building material. Bamboo produces 30% more oxygen and sequesters 35% more carbon than a like sized timber forest area. With a growth rate of 6-8 years to maturity (compared to timber 25-50) and root structure that eliminates the need for replanting bamboo can be produced on a large scale with much more ease than timber forests cutting costs and limiting energy consumption. Learn more about the amazing attributes of bamboo here.

Learn more about Lamboo

What is Lamboo?
Certifications

Product Information

Research

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

The Future Wave of Green Buildings

Green buildings is on a rise to be a mainstay in Southeast Asia and proving its value at BEX Asia

Sustainability has changed business practices in Southeast Asia greatly. Three companies in Singapore have made it to the exclusive Global 100 list, which consists of the world’s most sustainable companies. The companies are City Developments Limited (CDL), CapitaLand and StarHub.

In Singapore, the building sector is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emission. Therefore, developers and businesses are increasingly aware of the need to not just implement sustainable business practices, but also to influence their stakeholders.

Singapore is among the leading cities in skyrise greening with over 50 hectares of rooftop greenery in public and private buildings.

The Housing Development Board has also come up with labour saving technology like the Prefabricated Extensive Greening roof system, which allows plants to thrive without irrigation and uses lightweight plastic trays which are easy to install.

Other countries in the region are also expected to invest in the green movement.

In Thailand, USD13 billion may be needed over two decades by the energy efficiency and green construction sector. This conclusion comes after a report on energy efficiency spending between 2003 and 2011. Currently the sector is anticipating the positive effect of energy efficiency, green building standards and certification which will drive growth in the industry. Also the Philippines is positioning itself as the regional hub of multinational corporations (MNCs), and the demand for environment-friendly smart buildings is gaining traction. A third of MNCs want their local headquarters in an “intelligent,” eco-friendly skyscraper. This was revealed by architects, urban planners, a real estate expert and a consultant for environment sustainable structures.

While in Malaysia, the government is currently working on a plan to convert all light bulbs in Government buildings to energy-saving bulbs. The Malaysian Government spends RM2.7bil a year on energy costs, and this does not include the electricity bill for statutory bodies. It is expected that the Government can save an estimated of at least RM800mil across the board if they switched to LED lighting.



Although the role of policymakers and government officers is central in driving the building and construction industry to design and develop green buildings, it is a three prong approach – where government, building professionals and the community, all play an integral part.

All this and more will be discussed at the International Green Building Conference (IGBC) 2013, held in conjunction with BEX Asia 2013 on the 11-13 September 2013 at the Marina Bay Sands, and is supported by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC). BCA will also unveil the 3rd Green Building Masterplan, launch new Green Mark Schemes and latest updates on Green Mark at IGBC 2013.

(Read More)

(Excerpt of article from EcoSeed. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

Lamboo is working internationally to promote sustainability through the use of green practices and building materials with the integration of bamboo into building and manufacturing markets. Bamboo is a remarkable plant that has a plethora of green benefits. Additionally in it's engineered form (Laminated Veneer Bamboo, LVB) bamboo based products and systems far exceed other materials both in performance and longevity. Learn more about Lamboo What is Lamboo? Certifications Product Information Research

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

“Green” Building Construction Rises in U.S.

Taking the “LEED”

in Green Buildings In 2000, the Albanese Organization was chosen to develop the first “green” high-rise residential tower in the United States. Called The Solaire, it was the first high-rise residential project to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED certifications is a widely recognized third-party verification that a building is environmentally friendly. Subsequently, Albanese developed three more LEED Certified buildings in Manhattan, The Visionaire, The Verdesian, and The Vanguard Chelsea.

Now comes The Living Building Challenge (LBC). The Living Building Challenge is a green building certification program that defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment possible today. Projects that achieve this level of performance can claim to be the ‘greenest’ anywhere. The LBC requirements go beyond those of a LEED certification. The LBC uses a vetting process to avoid some of the pitfalls suffered by various LEED certified buildings, where “efficient” structures have proven to be less than advertised after completion and energy audits.

One building that is attempting to qualify for the LBC is the newly constructed Bullit Center in Seattle, WA. Qualifying is no small feat: The Living Building Challenge has 143 registered projects in 10 countries, but only three buildings in the United States have been fully certified so far; the largest of those is an eighth the size of the Bullitt Center.

The Living Building Challenge requires a project to meet 20 specific imperatives within seven performance areas (or “Petals”). For the Bullitt Center, meeting the imperatives will include the following:

The location will support a pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly lifestyle. Rainwater will be collected on the roof, stored in an underground cistern and used throughout the building. A solar array will generate as much electricity as the building uses. The building will not contain any “Red List” hazardous materials, including PVC, cadmium, lead, mercury and hormone-mimicking substances, all commonly found in building components. The lifespan of The Bullit Center is projected to be 250 years. The building officially opens on April 22; Earth Day.

Dennis Hays, the president of The Bullitt Foundation, said “The Bullitt Center will be the first office building in the United States to capture rain water, store it and purify it, and then use it for potable drinking water. We will use rain water in our coffee, our dishwaters, our showers, and for everything else. We will filter the resulting gray water and infiltrate it into rain gardens full of vegetation in front of our building. We will make no use of Seattle public water supply.” To help protect Puget Sound, rainwater will be retained on site and “grey water” from sinks in the building will be filtered through a green roof.”

  Bullit Center in Seattle, WA

Other Green initiatives 

The University of North Texas built a state-of-the-art Zero Energy Research Laboratory, where students and faculty will get first-hand experience with sustainable energy technologies. The facility is designed to test emerging technologies that allow building systems to have a net-zero consumption of energy. The UNT ‘Zero House’ uses Benchmark wall panels because they cut the electric load by one half to two thirds. Initially, the facility was powered by solar energy.

“Two faculty members, 6 graduate students and one post-doctoral research associate are working in ZØE research group at UNT,” explained Rambod Rayegan, a Visiting Assistant Professor in the mechanical and energy engineering department. “The research group is currently focused on integrated simulation and verification of the building and its sub systems, air flow and heat transfer analysis of solar chimney, human behavior factors sensitivity and uncertainty in energy modeling of the building, multiyear modeling of the ground loop heat exchanger, and design a novel thermal energy storage system to achieve the maximum utilization of solar power.”

Dr. Yong Tao, chair of the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering and PACCAR Professor of Engineering at UNT, and a committee of experts oversaw the design of the lab. Tao is an internationally known researcher in fundamentals of thermal sciences, refrigeration system performance and renewable energy applications in buildings. He joined the UNT faculty in the fall of 2010. Tao also served as the director of the Future House USA project, an initiative that brought together academics, builders, industry sponsors and lobbyists to create a 3,200 square-foot zero-net energy house that was built in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games.

(Read More)

(Excerpt of article from Azobuild. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

Lamboo, Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB), designed from one the most rapidly renewable plant species on the planet, bamboo, has the potential to be integrated in this new wave of "Green" buildings. Lamboo can be used to replace less sustainable materials in nearly any conceivable application from curtain wall systems to office furniture. Additionally use of Lamboo materials can receive accreditation from building codes such as LEED from the USBC on qualifying projects.

LEED Credits available through Lamboo integration 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

Continue reading

 

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 

Sustainability in Construction of the Future

Facing the numerous challenges related to sustainability, many research works and experiments are conducted to develop innovative concepts, technologies and construction systems.

In order to identify the key perspectives of this domain, the magazine Habitation publishes an article on the construction of the future, including an interview of Professor Emmanuel Rey of the Laboratory of Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST).



Among the numerous innovations currently under development in the built environment, some tendencies can be emphasized and grouped according to four research axes, which meet the work in which the LAST is presently involved.

Symbiotic neighborhoods.

This third generation of sustainable neighborhoods will borrow principles from industrial ecology to further develop synergies and resource exchanges at the scale of a neighborhood.

Rebuild with flexibility.

Much more than imagining a new ideal city in the middle of the fields, it is necessary, especially in Europe, to determine the optimal way to upgrade existing towns and cities. A key issue will therefore be the renovation, transformation and replacement of existing buildings.

New energy paradigms.

The first efficiency measure always consists in decreasing the needs. This reality is going to make bio-climatic strategies essential, taking into account an increasing number of parameters: passive solar energy and natural light, natural ventilation and passive cooling, weighing the interests of urban densification and quality of life. Integrated design of renewable energy system will also play an increasing role in the next decades.

Recyclable housing.

These enhancements will help the growing, in energy balances, of the importance of grey energy. This will promote, in Switzerland, the use of local resources such as wood, but also to innovate in the field of hybrid construction systems, which combine several materials taking advantage of the characteristics of each. Another major axis is the recovery of construction materials. "Today's buildings are mines for those of tomorrow. We begin to think about improved dissociated building systems which can reduce construction wastes and anticipate their treatment at the time of deconstruction" explains Prof. Emmanuel Rey. (Read More)

(Excerpt of article from Azobuild. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

Lamboo, Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB), is a superior performing sustainable alternative that many will look towards to meet the Sustainable Technology needs of the future. Lamboo is leading the international effort of the industrialization of bamboo materials in both the public and private sectors. Bamboo is unmatched in its strength and longevity as a building material and is one of the fastest growing plant species on the planet. Lamboo is working with a number of distinguished organizations and universities to gain certifications and recognition for the potential role bamboo has in our future. To learn more about these efforts please view our Research and Product Information pages. Stay connected for updates on the growth of bamboo construction as exciting studies are being carried out through the organizations such as the USGBC, and Universities worldwide like the University of Cambridge and Oregon. Updates will be posted in the coming weeks!

 

 

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

Wood's New Wave

Wood derived from responsibly managed forests is gaining traction among eco-friendly designers as the preferred building material primarily because the source is renewable and greatly offsets a project's initial carbon footprint.

Unlike steel and concrete, both of which generate varying amounts of carbon during production, trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere as they grow and permanently sequester it in their fibers unless they rot or burn. Concurrently, advances in software and manufacturing technologies, coupled with innovative assembly techniques, are making it technically possible to quickly and economically design and build iconic shapes and large-scale buildings with wood-based products. Europe and, more recently, Canada are leading the way, but proponents believe that the approach will become more widespread as manufacturers ramp up production capability and building officials reassess outdated codes. The caveat is that the wood must be sourced from responsibly managed forests. “We are not talking about clear-cutting,” stresses Peter Busby, managing director of the San Francisco office of Perkins+Will. He notes that the relatively recent increase in availability of sustainably harvested woods at reasonable prices makes environmentally minded practitioners feel more comfortable about specifying wood today.

Perkins+Will developed a highly organic design based on a native orchid for the new visitor center at the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver.

Resource Management

Because natural lumber is limited in size, and the long-term preservation of our forests is yet another environmental priority, architects working on larger projects are increasingly turning to engineered-wood products to obtain the structural dimensions they need while lowering a building's carbon footprint.

According to Karsh, it can take hundreds of years for a tree to grow large enough to supply solid-wood timber for traditional post-and-beam construction, whereas it takes about 40 years for a tree to supply the 2x6s that are typically used to manufacture glue-laminated timber, or glu-lam, an engineered-wood product that has been on the market for decades. And it takes only about 10 to 15 years to grow the trees used to produce wood chips for laminated-strand lumber (LSL), another common engineered product. When the life cycle of timber production is shortened, our forests become more productive. “If we manage our forests responsibility, which includes generating products that have a shorter renewal period, we don't risk depleting our forests,” states Karsh.

Engineered woods have many other benefits as well, notes Nabih Tahan, chief sustainable officer of CREE Buildings in San Francisco. For example, they can be manufactured to desired performance standards; are very stable, so they will not twist or shrink; and can be cut to very fine tolerances so components will fit together exactly in the field.

Looking Ahead

Proponents of large-scale wood construction cite outdated building codes as one of the biggest barriers to this new approach. Most codes limit the height of wood-constructed buildings out of concerns about fire. But these codes were written primarily with stick-frame construction in mind; that functions very differently than mass-timber construction in a fire. While thin wood members will burn quickly, the exterior of massive timber will burn for a bit but then create a layer of char that insulates the remaining interior wood from damage. Furthermore, many of today's fire codes were written decades ago, before fire sprinklers and computer-controlled fire-monitoring systems were developed. “Those advances change how we look at fire,” notes Karsh. Practitioners working on large-scale wood projects in Canada indicate that they must currently provide equivalency reports to satisfy the code, but Karsh believes that will likely change with the next iteration of Canada's National Building Code, scheduled for 2015.

Another barrier, at least in North America, is a shortage of manufacturers. According to Podesto of Woodworks, only three companies make structural-grade CLT in Canada, and none in the United States.

But Karsh is not deterred, noting that it took decades for steel and concrete to evolve into the modern systems we use today. “Modern wood construction is 100 to 120 years behind. Only in the last 20 years have we developed it into a truly modern construction material.” He believes the product will become more sustainable in the years ahead. “The idea of building high-rise timber may seem crazy now, but it won't in five to 10 years.”

(Read More)

(Excerpt of article by Nancy B. Solomon, AIA from Architectural Record. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

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As the world leader in the industrialization of bamboo, Lamboo is striving to implement Laminated Veneer Bamboo (LVB), a rapidly renewable construction material. Through species selection, patented adhesives, and manufacturing processes Lamboo is able to create bamboo panels and components that far exceed traditional timber's performance in nearly every aspect.

Bamboo as a resource is unmatched in its potential as a environmentally friendly and structurally stable building material. Bamboo produces 30% more oxygen and sequesters 35% more carbon than a like sized timber forest area. With a growth rate of 6-8 years to maturity and root structure that eliminates the need for replanting bamboo can be produced on a large scale with much more ease than timber forests cutting costs and limiting energy consumption. Testing and forecasting by experts has led to Bamboo being referred to as "the next super material" due to it’s amazing attributes and resiliency.

Lamboo Structural Component

 

Learn more about Lamboo

What is Lamboo?

Certifications

Product Information

Research

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

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

‘Green’ Buildings Gaining Status

The commercial real estate construction and investment philosophy that places a premium on location and quality is giving way to interest in sustainable design, according to market analysts. A focus on ‘green’ development, particularly with refurbishment efforts and new construction of iconic buildings in New York City, is drawing more attention to the benefits of an eco-friendly focus that include lower operating costs and long-term savings as energy prices rise. Investors are now looking to build green portfolios, which is also encouraging more builders to lean in that direction. For more on this continue reading the following article from National Real Estate Investor.

Sustainable buildings result in lower operating costs, not to mention long-term savings as the cost of energy continues to rise. Many real estate scions are building green—think of the Durst Organization’s Bank of America Tower in New York City and One World Trade Center, which is being co-developed by Durst and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey—as well as retrofitting green—most famously, Malkin Properties’ newly refurbished Empire State Building.

So it isn’t surprising that some investors and real estate firms are starting to focus on amassing green portfolios. But when will sustainability become as standard a criterion as location and quality in U.S. investors’ acquisitions? According to many within the industry, thanks to a growing awareness of green as well as several benchmarking programs, that day is almost here.

Many public pension funds and some private pension funds are interested in being environmentally responsible, says Real Capital Analytics Managing Director Dan Fasulo. But “the only real green buildings are brand new buildings built to the U.S. Green Buildings Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. While these buildings are becoming more common, especially in the major markets, it’s still very uncommon for them to be up for sale.”

 
On a green mission

One investor that’s got a green investment thesis is 5 Stone Green Capital LLC, an organization founded in 2010 in New York City by Doug Lawrence and Lewis Jones, both former JP Morgan managing directors with 34 years of experience between them. The firm is on a mission not only to amass a green multifamily portfolio but to have a positive social impact.

“We have a very simple demographic model,” says Lawrence. “If there are going to be 9 billion people on the planet in 2050, you’ve got to feed them, house them, find them work and they’re going to need more energy.”

5 Stone targets investors who have an interest in green projects and products, including large and small companies, endowments and foundations. “We’ve identified broadly what we call ‘impact investors’—it’s a whole category that we want to tap into,” says Jones.

The firm’s mission is to provide a “triple bottom line” to its investors, says Lawrence. “Our investment thesis provides immediate value creation—by our energy efficiency, sustainable design, lower consumption levels of energy and use of technology, we reduce operating expenses and capital expenditures.”

Bring on the benchmarks

Early on in the USGBC’s LEED rating program, launched in 1998, “investors were seeking so-called green funds,” says Gary Holtzer, global sustainability officer with global real estate firm Hines, “Now it is generally accepted that development will be green and that the best-in-class managers will pursue a sustainable course. The good news is that sustainability is increasingly becoming a baseline, and those that do not pursue this path will suffer a ‘brown discount.’”

Europe’s Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) rating system is also pushing investors toward green buildings. The system is used by investors to determine the sustainability of properties they are acquiring. An external group rates the funds for potential investors.

“At the bottom level, you’re being required to demonstrate your energy efficiency in the marketplace and at the top level funds are being evaluated based on a number of characteristics, so building users are seeing the push toward sustainability from both sides,” Pogue says. “Do users care about this? More and more we’re seeing this is true.”

At press time, yet another benchmark, the FTSE NAREIT USGBC Green Real Estate Index, was about to be launched. The product of collaboration between the economic indexing firm FTSE Group, NAREIT and the USGBC, the indices, which so far include 78 publicly traded REITs, will provide investors with a credible set of criteria for identifying an environmentally responsible property using constantly updated data that goes back to 2008. The methodology utilizes both LEED and Energy Star designations. All information is validated by a third party.
 
Many green drivers

The shift toward sustainability began in earnest with the Government Services Administration (GSA) requiring LEED Silver certification for all new construction federal lease properties of more than 10,000 sq. ft. In 2011, the GSA upped its requirements by requiring projects funded prior to 2010 to be LEED Gold certified. With a portfolio of over 361 million sq. ft. of space in 9,600 federally owned and leased facilities, according to the GSA Web site, the GSA has significantly influenced the trend toward LEED.

“The GSA was an important early adopter because, with very long-term occupants toward perpetuity, this was a pretty big demonstration of what LEED can do,” says David Lynn, executive vice president and chief investment strategist with Cole Real Estate Investments. “But I don’t think the demonstration factor is so important anymore. I think everyone has got religion at this point. People thought it wouldn’t catch on in triple net lease buildings, but it’s even catching on there, too. Major investors see LEED as the future going forward.”

Today the drive toward green investment is being driven largely by multinational corporations, says Dan Probst, Jones Lang LaSalle’s chairman of energy and sustainability services and a founding member of its global environmental sustainability board. He says JLL’s large corporate clients—such as Bank of America, Proctor & Gamble, HSBC and Yahoo—“are very progressive on the environmental front; they’ve had strong focus for a long time on improving the buildings that they own and in which they house their employees.”

(Excerpt of article by Susan Piperato of NuWire Investor . NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)

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Bamboo as a resource is unmatched in its potential as a environmentally friendly structurally stable renewable building material. Bamboo produces 30% more oxygen and sequesters 35% more carbon than a like sized timber forest area. With a growth rate of 6-8 years to maturity (compared to timber 25-50) and root structure that eliminates the need for replanting bamboo can be produced on a large scale with much more ease than timber forests cutting costs and limiting energy consumption. Learn more about the amazing attributes of bamboo here.

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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
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“MAKING INNOVATIVE THINKING A STANDARD” – Lamboo Incorporated

 Blog by: Dustin Dennison