Building with Bamboo Reader response draft 1

In the article, “An Architect’s Guide to Building with Bamboo,” Vadot (n.d.) wrote that bamboo is a dependable and sustainable material for construction. According to various experiments by Alejandro Chellet, using bamboo in construction brings about an innovative change to the construction industry. Bamboo can grow fast with little maintenance and cultivated globally. This diversity has led to the cultivation of different qualities of bamboos and made them a volatile material. Bamboo can develop into a material that can be a substitute for steel. However, it is composed of fiber and is prone to crack along its core. Thus, it requires treatment and protection from natural circumstances to sustain. 

In summary, bamboo is affordable and transportable due to its low cost and weight. It is a reliable and sustainable material for the future of the construction industry.

Reader response

Based on the information explained in the article, it seems definite that although the material could be a solution to reducing an individual carbon footprint, the author could have elaborated more impacts bamboo has on the environment and why it is a reliable material.

Firstly, the author should have compared the impacts that bamboo has to show how sustainable the material is. According to Craig (2012), around 1 million acres of forest perish per week. The increasing rate of deforestation has made it mandatory for world economies to re-think their businesses and manufacturing practices. It takes more than 60 years to regrow a fully developed tree, while it takes 59 days to cultivate bamboo. Bamboo is perceived as the fastest developing plant and is as strong as steel. With this said, it is now clear that bamboo is a sustainable material as it can grow fast to replace harvested ones.

Secondly, the author could have elaborated why bamboo is reliable as compared to other materials. In the article "Bamboo, How and Why Is It Saving Our World? " (2018), it is stated that bamboo fibers are generally anti-bacterial without using any chemical treatments. A bio-agent was found in the bamboo and has provided its anti-bacterial properties. That will stop the bacteria from spreading on bamboo products and made it a hygienic material to use. Besides being a construction material, bamboo produces different products and is used in our daily lives. With this said, the author could have included that bamboo is a reliable, safe, and hygienic material.

Lastly, the author should have included how bamboo can affect the lives of people. According to Laidler (2003), bamboo produces over 35 percent more oxygen than trees. As research in Japan and other parts of the world, bamboo can  12 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. It has made bamboo a stabilizer that maintains the atmosphere as well as sustaining the environment. Summing up, the author could have mentioned that using bamboo can boost the air quality in the area. 

In conclusion, while Vadot has mentioned that bamboo is a material to support the construction industry, it is friendly to the environment and improves lives.

(501 words)

references: 

Craig (2012) 

https://www.exhibitinggreen.com.au/blog/why-use-bamboo#:~:text=Bamboo%20is%20the%20most%20environmentally,excellent%20choice%20for%20building%20materials.

Bamboo, How and Why Is It Saving Our World (2018) https://barevida.com/blogs/news/why-is-bamboo-eco-friendly

Laidler (2003) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2003/mar/20/research.science