Bamboo Homes in Hawaii

I continue to field an increasing number of inquiries from buyers who want to build green. One option that I like to make my buyer's aware of comes through a Maui based company. Bamboo technologies is offering attractive, cost effective green homes.

The eco friendly attibutes of bamboo construction are impressive. A conventional home built with lumber from hardwoods may require up to an acre of trees. It takes hardwoods between 30 and 50 years before they can be harvested for timber. Bamboo on the other hand requires harvesting an area not much larger than the footprint of the home. Typically it takes 5-7 years for bamboo to grow before it can be harvested. The contrast is striking.

Because the homes are green, don't get the impression that these homes have to be spartan. Bamboo technologies provides the shell and the consumer can finish to their liking. I have seen some very well appointed bamboo homes like this listing in Haiku. The bamboo itself offers its own elegance. The trusses and beams of the bamboo homes that I have seen are beautiful in their own right.

Bamboo is also a tremendously strong material. Bamboo technology homes were exposed to a hurricane in the Caroline Islands in 2005. The hurricane devastated many of the nearby wood homes while the bamboo homes weathered the storm. The materials have been subject to rigorous testing by the state of Hawaii and Internation building standards.

Bamboo homes are also a cost effective alternative. Compared to other homes in Hawaiii, a fully finished bamboo home is less expensive than all but the most basic conventional homes. Construction time can also be reduced. The shell for the home can be assembled in as quickly as a week.

Bamboo homes were just starting to come to market as the land market in Maui was reaching its peak. As land prices continue to adjust, I suspect you will see more bamboo homes being constructed on island. Contact me if you are looking for a piece of land to build a bamboo home or if you would like information on existing bamboo home listings.