Build your own eco home!

As explained here in a previous blog post, Guadua Angustifolia is one of the most advantegous construction materials in the world.

Building your own eco home with Guadua angustifolia can be a rewarding experience.

It is a great way to reduce your environmental impact and create a healthy, balanced & comfortable home for yourself and your family.

Intro

Guadua angustifolia is a type of bamboo that is native to South America.

It is known for its strength, durability, and sustainability.

In recent years, it has become a popular choice for building eco-friendly homes.

Practical tips

If you are considering building your own eco home with Guadua angustifolia, here are a few tips to help you get started:

Do your research - Before you start building, it is important to do your research and learn as much as you can about Guadua angustifolia.

This includes learning about its properties, its strengths and weaknesses, and how to work with it.

There are a few basic rules you have to know when working with this material, in order for your result to be long lasting.

For example, the basic rule of "boots & hats". As any other wood, though it is not considered to be one botanically speaking, once dried, Guadua cannot be exposed to water.

Keeping this rule means knowing how to build without the Guadua touching soil, and with a roof wide enough side skirts.

Hire a qualified contractor - If you are not experienced in building with Guadua angustifolia, it is important to hire a qualified contractor.

This will ensure that your home is built correctly and that it meets all of the necessary safety standards.

Today there are not a lot of experienced Guadua constructors to find. Even if you found one, not all constructors have the same quality level.

For example, the joints - In order to acheive maximal strength & visual effect, an experienced constructor will join two or more poles using a traditional method called "fish mouth" (boca de pescado).

On the other hand, a non experienced constructor, will use a simple threaded rod and nut joint, without considering shaping the union with natural curves.

Use sustainable materials - In addition to using Guadua angustifolia, you should also use other sustainable materials in your home.

This could include things like mud walls, bamboo flooring, cork insulation, and Guadua furniture.

Design your home for energy efficiency - When you are designing your home, make sure to design it for energy efficiency.

This means using passive solar design, incorporating natural ventilation, assuring proper insulation by using natural fibers in the walls interior cavities.

Those will insure your house will be cool in summer, hot in winter, and filter all outer noises.

Integrate nature into your home - When you are building your home, make sure to integrate nature into it.

This could include things like planting trees around your home, reforesting the geo-region to create micro-climate, incorporating natural light, reuitilizing your water via wetlands, and using sustainable landscaping materials.

Here are some additional tips for building with Guadua angustifolia:

Guadua angustifolia is a fast-growing renewable resource, so it is a sustainable choice for building materials.
Guadua angustifolia is strong and durable, so it can withstand harsh weather conditions.
Guadua angustifolia is a versatile material, so it can be used to build a variety of structures, including homes, bridges, and furniture.