Under the direction of award-winning artist, designer, and bamboo expert Leimana Pelton, BVH was formed in order to promote the use of bamboo as an elegant and sustainable building resource uniquely suited to Hawaii’s economic and environmental needs, supporting the pioneering efforts initiated by sustainable futuristic professionals. Mr. Pelton’s vision includes timber bamboo plantations, localized treatment plants, on-site training facilities, research activities with the University of Hawaii and attractive eco-ethical designed living and working environments. Our global goals are synergistic with our local ones. We are networking with international organizations such as United Nations, International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), International Bamboo Foundation (IBF), A World Institute for Sustainable Humanity (AWISH), International Community of Building Officials and others. Collaborating with local officials, architects and other community leaders, BVH hopes to bolster the Big Island’s economy by cultivating an agriculturally based alternative-building industry that also benefits the environment, thus providing a global model for human sustainability.

Having studied with bamboo master builders and experts from across the globe, the Architectural Chairman of the Hawaiian Chapter of the American Bamboo Society, Leimana Pelton, feels the Big Island is now ripe to launch a viable bamboo-related industry. During his exploration our Chairman of the Board, Mr. Pelton, traveled to bamboo Mecca’s like the Philippines, Colombia and Vietnam and has had the outstanding opportunity to study and build with renowned bamboo architect, Simón Vélez. Also on Bamboo Village’s Board of Directors is University of Hawaii researcher, Dean Johnston, who is coordinating species specific research in architecture, entomology, engineering and agriculture sciences that will lead to breakthroughs in tissue culture propagation and to widespread acceptance of bamboo as a coded building material. The exciting news of Mr. Johnston’s preliminary tests indicate that our preferred species of treated bamboos are bug resistant and several times stronger than conventional building materials based on strength to weight ratios. American Institute of Architect Students National Research Award 2001-2002, Went to Mr. Johnston for his Masters Thesis research on bamboo.

Sometimes referred to as “Vegetable Steel or Miracle Grass,” bamboo is loved throughout the world because of its beauty and outstanding qualities. Our homegrown tropical clumping bamboos or timber bamboo are high-oxygen producing, non-invasive species. Not only do they work to reduce air pollutants and to enrich the soil with beneficial micro-organisms as they grow, but they also have the highest rates of photosynthesis of any plant, is a nutritious food source for both humans and animals, and can grow up to a foot in a single day! Growing at these phenomenal rates, a mature 100’x100’ patch of our preferred bamboos will produce enough material to frame an entire house every year. In addition because of its lightweight yet incredible strength, heavy machinery and power tools are not needed for harvesting or construction.

It is our belief that creating bamboo plantations to serve as construction resources is an important step toward environmental health and economic self-sufficiency for Hawaii. Bamboo is a beneficial giant grass that has a reputation of promoting the health of most any environment in which it grows. Unlike tree farming, harvesting bamboo does not lead to soil erosion or even the death of the plant itself; the root clumps can live for hundreds of years forming dense root systems that promote soil retention increased water table and provide shoot production for food. The propagation of different types of clumping bamboo and the creation of bamboo timber plantations would benefit the island of Hawaii tremendously, reversing decades of soil erosion that are a direct result of the sugarcane and eucalyptus industries. Sustainable development was defined by the Chairwoman of the World Commission on Environment and Development as “development that meets the needs of the current generation without undermining the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In the global villages of the future, the bamboo houses will be many!

We anticipate support from a number of private and public sources and have already received much attention from county officials and related industry leaders for addressing the urgent financial concerns of our global and local communities. Grant funds were received in 2001 for initiating projects designed and developed by Pelton with the help of architect, Valerie Simpson, and several beautiful structures have already been built on the island. It is our sincere hope that this infant industry can become an important force in shaping Hawaii’s economic and aesthetic future. Leimana’s most recent travel took him to Northern Italy where his bamboo design, construction and teaching skills were recognized by the global foundations mentioned above which support BVH goals.

Our ideas are solid. Our people are committed and dedicated to improving the human community. Based on the principles of permaculture and sustainability, we are building a demonstration village to house our training programs. We are creating jobs and empowering people with bamboo related job skills. We are educating people, villages and communities about the environmentally friendly properties of tropical clumping bamboos and sharing the exciting news of how a Bamboo industry will benefit the planet and Island of Hawaii. Our goals necessitate many forms of support and community involvement is welcomed. We hope that you will share in our dream and become a part of this most incredible vision of a future industry for Hawaii and our beautiful planet earth. Included with this introduction are some photos of different designs developed using Pelton’s proprietary building system.

BVH was formed under the state of Hawaii’s non-profit tax law and is currently seeking federal 501(c)(3)-tax status. We anticipate having our preliminary federal status by the end of the first year of operations.