Bamboo in the news
Recent reporting and research exploring how bamboo is being grown, engineered, and used around the world—with a special eye on Hawaiʻi.
- Bamboo-reinforced slabs: modelling and performance in building structuresResearchers used finite-element models to study concrete slabs reinforced with square bamboo sticks. The modelled loads and deflections closely matched earlier experimental results, supporting further structural testing and design work.Read story ↗
- Turning bamboo and Dendrocalamus barbatus into ‘leverage’ for green investmentThanh Hoa is developing a bamboo oriented-strand-board factory for construction and interiors. The report examines plans to connect local growers with higher-value processing, with the factory’s first phase expected in early 2027.Read story ↗
- In a Tokyo suburb, a bamboo grove no one dares to enterIchikawa’s forbidden bamboo grove.Read story ↗
- China launches world’s first 100kW bamboo-built floating solar farm off Shandong coastA 100-kilowatt offshore solar platform in Shandong uses composite bamboo tubes and pipes in place of conventional steel or plastic framing, testing bamboo in marine renewable-energy infrastructure.Read story ↗
- A Once-in-120-Years Black Bamboo Bloom Is Happening at Leach Botanical GardenLeach Botanical Garden in Portland is documenting a rare flowering of black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra), which is believed to bloom on a roughly 120-year cycle. Garden staff plan to collect seeds and test whether the grove can regrow from its underground rhizomes as the flowering plants decline.Read story ↗
- The Politics of Bamboo: From Vernacular Craft to Temporal InfrastructureA thoughtful look at bamboo architecture, craftsmanship, maintenance, regulation, and the life cycle of a material that continues to respond to its environment.Read story ↗
- Bamboo plastic could help predict how long biodegradable products last in seawaterResearchers combined bamboo sheets with a plant-based polymer to create a strong composite whose loss of strength helps predict biodegradation in water.Read story ↗
- Schools, airports, high-rise towers: architects urged to get ‘bamboo-ready’Engineers are encouraging architects to take bamboo seriously as a low-carbon building material, supported by a new manual for permanent construction.Read story ↗
- From Scaffolds to Structures: India’s Unfinished Journey with BambooIndia’s bamboo scaffolding tradition reveals deep material knowledge, while building codes, supply chains, financing, and public perception still limit permanent bamboo construction.Read story ↗
- Building with bamboo: a sustainable solution for the futureAn accessible guide to bamboo’s growth, strength, carbon benefits, modern construction uses, treatment needs, and building-code challenges.Read story ↗
- How will a Hawaii bamboo industry bring security to future generations?A Hawaiʻi-grown conversation about bamboo, agriculture, sustainability, and the opportunities a local bamboo industry could create.Read story ↗
- Keys to bamboo engineering in structural design: The case of Panyaden HallA close look at the trusses, roof diaphragm, bracing, connections, and structural analysis behind an ambitious bamboo sports hall in Thailand.Read story ↗
- Unlocking the Power of Bamboo: A Technique Built on TraditionHong Kong’s bamboo-scaffolding tradition connects skilled knot-tying and material selection with high-rise construction and temporary opera theatres, while the industry adapts to changing safety and building demands.Read story ↗
- Can bamboo be big in construction?BBC examines bamboo’s potential in lower-carbon construction, featuring the Arc at Bali’s Green School and perspectives from architects, engineers, growers, and material producers.Read story ↗
- Ten impressive bamboo buildings that demonstrate the material’s versatilityA visual roundup of ten projects that use bamboo in inventive ways, from modular housing and pavilions to resilient community structures.Read story ↗