Concord Homes is proud to introduce BamCore & their highly renewable timber bamboo based structural wall system. Greener, Thermally Superior, Healthier, Stronger, Safer and Quieter, and more quickly installed than any other conventional framing solution available today. We are the first builder to embrace this responsible new technology and framing system in Utah.
Round hollow timber bamboo is processed in a patented, low embodied energy process that uses no heat, chemicals or water. Then, highly engineered bamboo-wood hybrid structural panels and other building components are manufactured to be super-strong, high performance and have the lowest possible carbon footprint.
The BamCore panels are custom fabricated to each customer’s job to millimeter accuracy using advanced Building Information Modeling software. On-site, this results in lower waste and simple and fast wall installation. Our proprietary software allows us to integrate the design, bid and build processes. The end products include printed nail patterns on every panel and a smart-phone based animation that guides installation.
Third, by integrating design, bid, and build, we also streamlined electrical/plumbing rough-ins, door and window installation, trim and cabinet hanging and lowering the need for skilled labor across many trades. Patented pictorial MEPI Maps can even be printed on the panels to indicate exactly where each rough-in line is to be attached.
An average home constructed in the USA requires 516 Metric Tonnes of CO2 over a 70 year life cycle compared to a BamCore home which only requires 289 Metric Tonnes of CO2. This results in a SAVINGS of 227 Metric Tonnes.
Timber bamboo is harvested annually; wood is harvested once every 25-75 years – The bamboos shorter harvest cycles means a more substantial amount of carbon is sequestered.
Clear-cutting is never practiced when farming timber bamboo because every year shoots continue to grow from the rhizome (root system) – this allows soil carbon to remain intact.
Research has found that timber bamboo is a key tool in climate change mitigation.
The BamCore system offers a Water Vapor Transmission or permeance rate that is better than conventional wood products like OSB and plywood. This means the house has a heart beat, breathing in and breathing out to maintain a health envelope throughout all seasons. The movement of water vapor across a wall surface allows the entire wall and cavity to dry out if it gets wet, thereby preventing mold.
The BamCore panels are 2x to 3x stronger than typical wood assemblies. The system is strong enough to bear the shear and load of a structure wall while eliminating most if not all traditional inner cavity stud members. This provides a superior thermal and acoustical envelope. The BamCore base framing factor (FF) is 6.65% of the vertical envelope. FF is a term used to describe the amount of vertical wood or steel members in an envelope. In comparison, the industry average FF in the United States is north of 28%, and in higher seismic, snow and wind zones can easily exceed 35% or 40%.
Performance testing on BamCore assemblies showed it outperformed conventional building techniques in thermal resistance by 96% in the Utah climate. BamCore’s innovative wall system can eliminate over 90% of cross-cavity framing members like studs, headers, and posts. These wood, steel or concrete framing elements interrupt the insulation barrier and conduct thermal energy at far higher rates than the insulation, thus becoming thermal bridges which are heat loosing elements.
A Fire safe product. In an independent lab test, BamCore panels outperformed all other untreated wood based framing and siding products, including cedar and redwood. Independent lab testing under ASTM E84 testing standard showed the untreated BamCore panels achieve a flame spread rating of only 40, whereas other structural wood products like OSB and plywood siding range from 76 to 200.
Resistance from small hand guns. Recently the BamCore panels satisfied the ballistic resistance requirements of National Institute of Justice (NIJ) guidelines. And achieved a Level I protection and can resist the impact of a .38 Special and .22 long rifle with hyper velocity rounds when fired from 16 feet or more.
By eliminating conventional wood framing, BamCore’s wall system not only improves the thermal environment of a building, but also improves the acoustic environment by significantly lowering sound transmission throughout the exterior and shared walls.
