[Greenbuilding] bamboo, formaldehyde

[Andrew Pace, CSI]

One needs to determine the shade of green they are attempting to use as the
criteria for picking products.  Sure, bamboo is a fast growth species, so it
definitely scores points for resource sustainability.  But considering how
far it travels to its end destination, and the fact that all containers
coming from China are sprayed with pesticides, I have to wonder what
environmental benefit is actually realized.

There is no perfectly green building product.  Choose human health, global
environmentalism or resource sustainability as your shade of green and stick
with it.  Very rarely does a product fit all three categories.


Andrew J. Pace, CSI
Principal

Safe Building Solutions
"The Nations Premier Supplier
of Healthy and Sustainable Building Materials"

W292 S4498 Hillside Rd.
Waukesha, WI 53189
Phone: (262) 968-5070
Fax:  (262) 968-5079

www.safebuildingsolutions.com


On 2/7/07 1:10 PM, "David Bergman" <bergman at cyberg.com> wrote:

> Interesting -- and disappointing. I though (mistakenly, apparently)
> that Plyboo had no added formaldehyde.
> 
> David
> DAVID BERGMAN ARCHITECT / FIRE & WATER LIGHTING + FURNITURE
> architecture . interiors . ecodesign . lighting . furniture
> bergman at cyberg.com    www.cyberg.com
> 241 Eldridge Street #3R, New York, NY 10002
> t 212 475 3106    f 212 677 7291
> 
> At 01:58 PM 2/7/2007, Amanda Tullos wrote:
>> My understanding of bamboo is that all of it contains Urea-formaldehyde
>> if it comes from Asia. Both Teragren and Plyboo will confirm that their
>> in stock bamboo panels contain some amount of added Urea formaldehyde.
>> The ironic thing is that it is in levels below naturally occurring
>> levels in some cases. The thing about it that causes problems, so far as
>> LEED goes, is that the wording for the IEQ point is that no ADDED
>> Urea-formaldehyde be present, regardless of the amount. Both companies
>> have special order processes that can supply without the UF, and one is
>> working toward an off-the-shelf UF-free board to come out as soon as
>> they can get things rolling (next 2 years?).
>> 
>> The good news is that the levels were not very high, but I cannot
>> confirm brands at Home Depot. One sales associate at Home Depot that I
>> asked about formaldehyde in the flooring said that most manufacturers
>> have removed it; but, I was very skeptical about this, since they didn't
>> offer any form of proof.
>> 
>> 
>> Amanda Tullos, AIA,  LEED AP
>> Associate
>> 
>> HEIGHTS VENTURE ARCHITECTS, LLP
>> 1111 North Loop West, Suite 800
>> Houston, Texas 77008
>> P 713.869.1103 x6111
>> F 713.869.5573
>> www.hva.cc
>> 
>> DALLAS
>> HOUSTON
>> CHICAGO
>> 
>> 
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