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Bamboo Keeps RRGH On Solid Ground

by Organic Spa Magazine

Hardwood flooring has dated back as far as the Victorian age when vanity was a priority and every room’s décor was made to emulate the Sistine Chapel. A hardwood floor adds a beautiful touch to any room and exerts the feeling of stability and structure into a home. Though conventional hardwood flooring has been an esthetically pleasing choice, it hasn’t always been the greenest – until now.

Before the words “eco” and “green” entered the English language like we know them today, the timber typically used for hardwood flooring was not in the best interest of the planet or the purchaser. Wiping out acres of forest, impeding on indigenous people and their land along with manufacturing practices, like using harmful VOC-emitting adhesives; it was only a matter of time before a new, sustainable material was developed. Today, that product is bamboo and no one knows bamboo like Teragren.

 

A good rule of thumb to becoming more eco-conscious is learning from past mistakes and ensuring that the steps that are taken going forward impact the environment as little as possible. Companies like Teragren, who are supplying the bamboo flooring for the Rocky River Green Home, understand this learning curve and look to improve the world’s building processes. After careful deliberation between the RRGH homeowners David and Beverly Fischback and the help of the bamboo specialists at Teragren, it was decided that the Darby Brown Portfolio Collection Bamboo flooring was the perfect fit for the RRGH. The Portfolio Collection is manufactured using Teragren’s Xcora technology which takes the shredded bamboo and heat compresses it to become 154% more stronger than red oak. The finished product is a beautiful, LEED and Fourscore certified bamboo floor.

To assure homeowners that the bamboo they choose is as eco-smart as they are, Teragren goes deeper than finished product; they go to the root. The bamboo used is sustainably harvested every five and a half years ensuring the plant stays healthy and the quality of the material is superior to the competition. For Teragren, it’s not just about keeping the plant and the customer healthy and happy – it’s about keeping the environment healthy and happy as well. The root of the bamboo traps and holds the carbon it absorbs from the surrounding environment during the photosynthesis process. During harvesting, the root is left in the soil along with the carbon over the long life of the bamboo plant, which can last for multiple generations. According to Teragren, a pound of bamboo harvested equals almost two pounds of carbon that is kept out of the atmosphere, off-setting the carbon footprint of the product going from the forest to your floor.

Teragren has covered everything from repurposing unused bamboo slats to using bamboo sawdust to fuel production sites to helping homeowners with décor decisions with Color Palette Advisor – an online stepping stone to designing from “the floor up.” With over 5,000 square feet of Teragren’s bamboo flooring covering the Rocky River Green Home, the Fischbacks can walk proudly.

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