Students at one school are enjoying the benefits of a newly-constructed sports arena with zero carbon footprint. The Panyaden International School in Thailand partnered with Chiangmai Life Architects to build the arena with bamboo — a construction material strong enough to hold up under bad weather, and cool enough to support an open, ventilated floor plan, TechXplore reported.

What's more, reports revealed that the bamboo "absorbed more carbon than what was emitted during treatment, transport and construction," TechXplore reported. As with all the company's bamboo construction projects, Chiangmai Life Architects treated the bamboo used in the arena's construction with natural Borax salts.

To build the arena, workers first constructed bamboo trusses on the floor, which were then lifted into position with a crane. David Malone, associate editor of Building Design + Construction, said, "Two engineers calculated the loads, tensions and sheer forces in order to design and build the structure." ArchDaily said the arena will likely last for about 50 years.

With multiple courts and a stage that can be automatically lifted, the building was truly designed to fit the school's needs. According to ArchDaily, "The backdrop of the stage is the front wall of a storage room for sports and drama equipment. On both long sides, balconies provide space for parents and other visitors to observe sporting events or shows."

New Atlas reported that using bamboo as a construction material does have its benefits — it's very flexible, it grows fast, and unlike wood, it can be harvested without killing the plant.

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