Bamboo is the Future of Easy Ownership in Bali

Markit

I suspect that "cob" walls would constitute a permanent building but you would need to ask an Indo architect about that - not a government wonk! You seem to be making the common mistake that most would-be-builders in the tropics make in bringing your dreams with you. I can't tell you how many European/American/Oz dream houses I've seen that smell bad and are poorly designed for the tropics. Why? Because these people all brought their ideals and ideas of what's a "dream house" with them and didn't take account of the tropical realities and just built what they'd dreamt about doing. Here in Bali you don't need walls really for anything but privacy so why put up labor intensive and unknown (in Bali) cob walls? Come to the tropics first and just drive around looking at what other people have put together here and if you find something of interest just stop and ask if you can look at it! Most owners in my experience are happy to tell you what they did right and wrong. Ozzies seem to have a psychopathic need to have a long covered porch - my mate build one in a very scenic part of the island and destroyed most of his view from the porch with the low roofing "normal" in Oz. I'd guess in Oz it has ergonomic reasons? Good luck!

bunyip

I hear you Markit! I have lived in the tropics most of my life and travel (mostly) to the equator...feels more like home to me without the weather extremes FNQ faces each year. The area I would like to build has an average temp of 20 celsius for the year. 13 minimum to 27 maximum (4 to 40 at home ;) ) and no cyclones...Yay!!. 4 meters of rain (same as home) at 1200m elevation. Cob is not a difficult medium to build with and is rendered with a lime plaster. Waterproof and a moisture extractor. Mould is less of a problem with cob than many other mediums. The material is basically free! You just need to use (mostly) material from the rubble trench itself and or the surrounding area. Yes you would need to bring rock in if the land does not contain easily accessible stone. Bamboo in the area is already growing for building purposes and yes the Green School has been doing work with traditional villages on Flores and Sumba. Restoration and information sharing. Covered porch to me means a place that you can sit in pissing down rain and not get wet and or to hang a hammock ;) . The first photo is from a natural building mob in Thailand that my hippy forest neighbour spent 6 months a few years ago helping building homes in villages. [ATTACH]2823.vB[/ATTACH] I am not walking blind and truly enjoy a good critical assessment from peeps that are already doing and or contemplating building of different approaches. In particular with sustainability in mind.

BestofBali

Fantasic idea, there could be a market to start up a business building luxury bamboo residences. If you start one, give me the details :)

Steve Rossell

BestofBali wroteFantasic idea, there could be a market to start up a business building luxury bamboo residences. If you start one, give me the details :)

You mean like this? [ATTACH]2828.vB[/ATTACH] :highly_amused:

Markit

Steve Rossell wroteYou mean like this? [ATTACH=CONFIG]2828[/ATTACH] :highly_amused:

Fantastic, where is this build?

ronb

On first glance it makes me think of the central building at Bale Udang Mang Engking Ubud -Bale Udang Mang Engking Ubud but on closer inspection it probably is not. Anyhow take a look at their gallery of photos.

Steve Rossell

The house is part of the Green Village precinct near Abiansemal. The photo only shows part of the house. Here's another angle. [ATTACH]2829.vB[/ATTACH]

Markit

Yeah I suspected the Green School. Must go out there again and have another look - it's been about 5 years since the last visit and I'm sure much has changed. I would be interested to see how the first buildings have weathered/lasted.

BestofBali

Steve Rossell wroteYou mean like this? [ATTACH=CONFIG]2828[/ATTACH] :highly_amused:

Yes, like this :) do you have a website?

Steve Rossell

BestofBali wroteYes, like this :) do you have a website?

Although these are my photographs I do not have a website. I have, however visited Green Village several times over the last few years and they do have their own web-site. I have also checked out the bamboo 'factory' that they work closely with and seen first hand some of the techniques that they use including the use of borax to extend the life and structural integrity of a variety of bamboo species. The above photo was taken during a Permaculture Design Course at Kul-Kul Farm and it was a night for a lecture and presentation about straw bale construction, particularly here in Bali and the tropics. If you are interested in bamboo construction I would highly recommend an organised visit to Green School, Green Village and the factory. In fact Kul-Kul shall be running a bamboo design and construction course early 2017. Expensive but intensive. I have no particular ties with the above entities just a deep interest in alternative construction methods and a willingness to learn.

Chris A

Markit wrote Yeah I suspected the Green School. Must go out there again and have another look - it's been about 5 years since the last visit and I'm sure much has changed. I would be interested to see how the first buildings have weathered/lasted.

Here's a new one for you Markit. Do you know if bamboo structures are still exempt from having to use an IMB or any other construction or building permit? Maybe this question will give the newbies some relief from the skuds you're firing at them. :D

Markit

Chris A wrote Here's a new one for you Markit. Do you know if bamboo structures are still exempt from having to use an IMB or any other construction or building permit? Maybe this question will give the newbies some relief from the skuds you're firing at them. :D

As far as I know as long as you don't put any permanent structures (read concrete/brick/steel/etc) on your land I think you are still exempt from needing the recent version of IMB (sorry don't know what it's called now). Better check with someone that has more recent knowledge - I will too.

Chris A

Markit wrote Ok I asked around and found out that the IMB is now a PGB and depending upon which area you are on the island it depends. Some prefectures say traditional Indonesian buildings such as Joglos are exempt from needing a certificate where as other areas want one. And even a septic tank is considered a permanent structure so basically unless you can go shit at the neighbors house you're gonna need a paper.

Thanks, as usual the only thing consistent is the inconsistency.

Markit

Chris A wrote Thanks, as usual the only thing consistent is the inconsistency.

I think I'd be willing to chance it on a bamboo build with no obvious cement constructs, particularly if a local was the "owner" of the land. In the 15+ years I've had a house/houses here I haven't been asked 1 time to see my IMB by anyone. Mayhaps because it's on a metal shield plastered into the house but not obviously, so?

Chris A

Markit wrote I think I'd be willing to chance it on a bamboo build with no obvious cement constructs, particularly if a local was the "owner" of the land. In the 15+ years I've had a house/houses here I haven't been asked 1 time to see my IMB by anyone. Mayhaps because it's on a metal shield plastered into the house but not obviously, so?

I think the only time the IMB or PGB will be really important is when one sells the property. It depends on how risk averse one might be and how much there might be to lose.

Markit

Chris A wrote Here's a new one for you Markit. Do you know if bamboo structures are still exempt from having to use an IMB or any other construction or building permit? Maybe this question will give the newbies some relief from the skuds you're firing at them. :D

Ok I asked around and found out that the IMB is now a PGB and depending upon which area you are on the island it depends. Some prefectures say traditional Indonesian buildings such as Joglos are exempt from needing a certificate where as other areas want one. And even a septic tank is considered a permanent structure so basically unless you can go shit at the neighbors house you're gonna need a paper.

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