What It’s Like Living in a "Green" House

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”.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.bambooliving.com

How does the company prove that what it is claiming is certifiable?

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.