dioxide levels. Because of these qualities, bamboo has become a popular material for use in a variety of green products.
Lamboo® can be used as structural framing, in construction of stalls, or as a finish option in spaces like a tack room. It is being used successfully in horse barns in Germany.
Not all bamboo is the same. Luke Schuette, president of Lamboo®, Inc., notes, “there are nearly 1600 species of bamboo worldwide. Some are soft while others are very dense.” To engineer a laminated bamboo product suitable for structural use in
buildings, including horse barns, Lamboo, Inc. uses five species of bamboo that are harder than wood. “Te structural capacity of Lamboo,” says Schuette, “is over three times stronger on average than wood.”
In addition to considering the strength of a material used in a horse barn, it is essential that any building material used in your barn is safe for your horse. “It’s really important to be wary of what may be marketed as ‘green’ substitutes for wood products to be sure they aren’t toxic, either in the material itself or the binding agents, and how it does or does not splinter if chewed since horses will nibble on whatever’s within reach,”
notes Blackburn. According to Schuette, testing performed by Lamboo concluded it is safe for animal consumption, and horses are less likely to nibble on bamboo compared to wood.
An added benefit of Lamboo is that it burns more slowly than wood due to its increased density, making it less of a fire risk.
RECYCLED RUBBER FLOORING One recycled material popular in horse barns is recycled rubber flooring, which can contain upwards of 95% post-consumer recycled materials. In general, recycled rubber flooring requires less petroleum to produce than its non-recycled counterpart, is easy to install, is very durable, and can be recycled at the end of its usefulness.
“Our hands-down favorite flooring option is recycled- rubber brick,” Blackburn says. “It is a horse-safe, attractive option for aisles. While I have heard some concern over off-gassing from the rubber, that is minimal
Recycled rubber flooring can contain upwards of 95% post-consumer recycled materials.
continued on p. 34
THINKING GREEN? GO SOLAR!
Friendly Solar Solutions is the earth friendly solution to all your barn needs. - Small and large solar tack room lights with motion sensor - 16 inches Solar fan with a 25 watt solar panel
- 98 LED Solar light with battery, controller, 10 watt solar panel and remote on/off bottom ( 250’ range), 3 hour daily battery duration
- Solar misting fly control and rodent control units
web:
friendlysolarsolutions.com - email:
friendlysolarsolutions@gmail.com - phone: (786)-380-9739
Holistic Horse™ • October/November 2010
• Vol.16, Issue 69
www.holistichorse.com | 33
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