Is there a healthier and more efficient way of
living for all people?
Bamboo Living, a Hawaii-based designer and maker of bamboo houses, says
there is. The company says that in making them, green-oriented elements are incorporated in every unit of houses it makes to significantly
lessen any negative impact on the environment.
With the health
of those who are living in these houses foremost in mind, it further stated that “its
‘green' bamboo homes are built to be healthier, more eco-friendly, more durable, more
sustainable and more cost-effective”.
How does
the company prove that what it is claiming is certifiable?
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| PHOTO CREDIT: www.bambooliving.com |
Bamboo Living says that the bamboo
houses it design and build comes with third party certifications recognized
worldwide. One them is the prestigious LEED
certification.
In recent years, I’ve been noticing signs in
building construction sites with the LEED emblem on them. I got the impression
that those buildings with such signs shows to one and all that they conform to
certain building standards, just like the ISO certifications
when it comes to quality assurance.
On its website, the certifying body says that “LEED, or
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building
certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and
practices. To receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy
prerequisites and earn points to achieve…certification.”
Whwn it comes to benefits, the certifying
organization claims that this certification helps save energy and the
environment because it specifies green building materials and renewable
resources such as bamboo, thereby promoting the reduction of environmental
disturbance and construction waste.
Before, I was not conscious of the
fact that the quality of air we breathe inside is as important as the quality
of air we breathe outside. It’s only now
that I realized that the air inside our homes has long-term health impact on
our health too, thanks to this Hawaiian green builder.
Bamboo Living ensures that all of
the products it use for treatments and finishes meet the highest IAQ standards,
short for indoor air quality.
The interior finishes applied in the
houses it makes are all low in the so called VOCs or volatile organic compounds.
It added that the fungicide additives that it uses in its finishes are the
safest in the market.
Bamboo Living homes use toxin-free
building materials to provide natural ventilation and to help combat indoor air
pollution, which can be much worse than outdoor pollution.
What is a “green” home? A concept that’s new to the western building industry, Bamboo Living says a “green” home is defined as being healthy, strong, safe, innovative, graceful and beautiful.
Bamboo Living went further saying
that no matter where the location is or what the living situation is, the
opportunities for living a greener life at home are limited only by one's
imagination.
In creating the healthiest and most
environmentally-conscious lifestyle possible, Bamboo Living says that it has a varied
collection of “green” homes to fit every budget and lifestyle.
Frankly, I can’t wait to pack my
bags and fly to Hawaii this weekend to see for myself what Bamboo Living has to
offer.
While trying my best to remember the
lyrics of Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly with Me”, I imagine myself on the plane thinking
what it’s like to live in a “typhoon-proof” and termite-resistant bamboo house
made by Bamboo Living.
This company must be walking its
talk because it gives out 20-year warranties for each of the bamboo houses it makes.
