Building Methods Thai'd to Coconuts

I have a “Coconut Theory.”

Bear with me and read on -- I promise there really is a connection between coconuts and architecture and building.

Coconuts … really?

I first visited Thailand in summer of 2008, however even today, I can’t stop thinking about coconuts.

In Thailand, the coconut is integrated into every part of life. The nut (or more appropriately, the seed), is found raw, frozen, cooked, juiced, shredded, roasted, oiled, milked and dried. The sweet sap from the seedpod provides delicate palm sugar. The hearts, from the tender young shoots, are tasty vegetables, and the fat and oil of the coconut are used in cooking and have proven medicinal benefits.

The hard shell of the coconut is made into utensils and bowls, musical instruments and furniture. The coir (the fiber from the husk) is used as charcoal or to stuff mattresses, and like the fronds, can be used for thatching roofs.

Parts of the tree are used to make mats, rope, lumber and other building materials. Coconut oil as biofuel is even proving to be a cheap and eco-friendly replacement for diesel.

Every part of the coconut is precious and put to good use. The coconut plays an important role in the environment, health, food security, and livelihoods of the Thai people.

What do coconuts have to do with architecture?

My fixation on the coconut has led me to think about architecture in Southwest Florida, especially the building materials and construction methods of the recent past 50-60 years.

A generation or two ago, our parents and grandparents arrived in Florida, bringing with them their knowledge and experience of building from another place. Generally, they put up buildings just like back home.

OK, maybe the style of the building wasn’t entirely the same. Here in Florida, it was possible to use barrel tile roofs and stucco, which reflected an ideal of living in a warm climate. Adding to that the use of lighter colors and furniture that resembled bamboo, it was possible to build a home that gave them a kind of resort lifestyle.

But, even if the building looked more tropical or Mediterranean in style, the construction methods and materials remained the same as they were “up north.”

If it worked there, it was sure to work here. Or so they believed.

Material Lessons Learned

But that approach ignored both the realities and the opportunities of the Florida climate.

Time and experience have made it apparent that the construction approach brought from other places didn’t work in this humid and wet climate where the wind and rain can blow at 130 mph and the sun’s rays can melt the asphalt on a roof.

Construction practice is now responding to this place. Building codes have evolved to match the needs of the environment, for example, requiring hurricane and impact-resistant windows and doors, and ensuring we strap our buildings together to minimize the damage caused by strong winds.

Energy and energy conservation are increasingly critical factors in architectural design and construction materials and methods. In Florida, we insulate our buildings not to keep the cold out but to keep cool, air-conditioned air in.

But, we have learned from experience... or have we? Increased insulation reduces the ingress of heat, but it also limits the ability of a building to breathe and dry out — imperative to preventing mold in a humid climate. As a direct result, we have an increased dependency on mechanical systems, i.e. air conditioner units and dehumidifiers. And to maximize the efficiency of these mechanical systems, new buildings must be airtight and gaps in existing buildings filled (further preventing the building from breathing).

More energy-efficient buildings come at a price. Achieving true efficiency in this climate demands good materials and good workmanship. However, more than ever, armed with the current data that the energy consumption of buildings is nearly 40% of carbon emissions it must become the norm.

Finding our Coconuts

Remember how every bit of those coconuts are used in practically everything in Thailand?

Perhaps now, here in Southwest Florida, with construction costs rising and reduced availability of building materials it makes sense to reconsider and pursue our own locally available materials. Now is the time to identify possibilities here and cultivate them.

Southwest Florida is searching to diversify the area’s economic base and reduce dependency on real estate and tourism. Investing in the research of local building materials makes sound economic and environmental sense.

The Thai people have learned to use coconut in a cementitious board made from coconut coir, cement and water. High insulating properties make it an ideal component for energy-conscious buildings. If a coconut can be used to insulate a building, what can we source locally? What about bamboo and soybeans, which grow prolifically in Florida?

With time comes a greater understanding of place and how to live with the climate, just as time and local knowledge makes the most of a valuable local commodity in Thailand. With experience, we gain insight into the best methods and materials to build for our hot and humid environment.

Maybe the coconut is simply a metaphor for the hard-headed old-school thinking that stubbornly clings to the practice of using materials and building techniques that are not appropriate for Florida and sub-tropical climate.

Or maybe, (call me an optimist, but just maybe), the versatile coconut can be a symbol of understanding and embracing local resources to build and how we can best live in harmony with our amazing piece of paradise.

Joyce Owens, FAIA, RIBA

A previous version of this article appeared in Joyce Owens’ “Architect About Town” column in the Fort Myers News-Press.