Simple, quick & cheap - Eco-lodge from bamboo
Ecological sustainability claimed today as our highest priority. On the small island without full recycling this subject looks even more important. This story going quite for a while, but still - not much Eco-solutions yet to offer for the mass usage. In this situation we going deeper to bamboo! Bamboo was used for fast cheap constructions from the early times. Bamboo grows quickly, its easy in use, and being done properly bamboo lodges can lasts from 1 to few years, with following options to upgrade. Upgrade possible with using clay and additional Eco-materials. We met the Anthony, who's hobby is working with bamboo for recent few years. Travelling around the world, and visiting koh Phangan annually, together with friends he already built a few bamboo lodges with various functions around the island. After visiting and staying at some of that bamboo lodges we also believe - this easy in use natural technology is ideal for island Eco-construction and should be more popular on koh Phangan, as well as on other islands and places in SEA.
main benefits of bamboo lodges
In a view of great positive impact to the nature by giving example of time- & cost-efficient Eco-building ts should be more than just a few good things about the bamboo lodges, that we posting here:
- Organic natural outdoor look and harmony of interior space - being round, its creates comfort and coziness - you feel good both to stay there and sleep.
- Attractive and demanded format for visitors/guests/clients - for example, all people I met said that they would definitely prefer this style of accommodation to the classic hotel room.
- Time, easiness and cost, minimum of wasted materials - all that allows to build bamboo lodges in a situations, when "usual" construction is limited or not possible - on a land with low title deed, with low budget - to test the concept strait away, to create new experimental area or facility...
time & cost
Time: to construct one lodge Anthony needs about 50 hours of working in-solo. And together with a few helpers he can build the whole bungalow resort in a week!
Cost of 1 lodge if you'll do it yourself - approximately 8-10,000 THB. 5 main things to buy:
Cost of 1 lodge if you'll do it yourself - approximately 8-10,000 THB. 5 main things to buy:
- 4 long 4-meters bamboo;
- 12 packs of dried pressed coconut leaves;
- 2 kg of wire;
- cement and gravel for the basement;
- preservative for longer lasting of bamboo and tools.
Anthony with son starting their first bamboo experience on koh Phangan
functions
The purposes of bamboo construction can be various, and even being not too popular on koh Phangan yet, we see that its functions could be limited just with imagination:
- Accommodation - as a part of the Eco-complex with 0-waste facilities, such as Bio-Toilet and solar energy sources it is attractive living space for short-term stay.
- Temple of Silence - used for meditation-alike practices at healing center, this bamboo house immediately after construction became favorite spot for many practitioners.
- Tea-House - creating proper tea atmosphere in a natural surrounding, with round tea-board in a center.
limitations of bamboo lodges & huts
The main limitation of bamboo is a time of use - being done quick, its not lasts long - 1,5 - 2 years (seasons) with current average all-year rainy weather on Koh Phangan - this a a life circle of existed lodges. However its possible to make them more long-lasting, but required more work, materials and funds to spend. Hero of this article Anthony planning to build some of that longer-lasting bamboo lodges very soon, but somewhere outside of island. Let's see, maybe success of existing Eco-lodges will leads to increasing of its popularity and total awareness of the guests of the island - Phangan obviously is too small to continue here commonly accepted massive concrete construction models, majority of which are also not-efficient regarding the profit and even to pay current expenses in a few years time period.
want to build your eco-lodge? - text to expert via form below
"Environmental Awareness is our common high priority today. Bamboo lodge helps us to save the nature, time and money, as well as to attract more green consumers.”