Hempcrete has been around for quite awhile, but, amid increasing climate change concerns, it is gaining new attention, and admirers. Proponents laud its many benefits, calling hemp and hempcrete game-changers.
“Maybe this really is the material that the green industry has been waiting for,” architect Bob Escher says. “I’m convinced it is.”
When done properly, the benefits almost sound too good to be true. It’s resistant to mold, mildew, rot, pests and fire, and it’s an excellent thermal insulator.
Related: Hemp-Based Building Materials May Be The Answer To Environmentally-Friendly Construction
“The wonderful thing is that it has a high level of technical performance that is only rivaled by the fact that it’s a sustainable, renewable, non-toxic, healthy material to live in,” hemp entrepreneur Cameron McIntosh says. “It’s not a gimmick that we’re using just because it’s hemp.”
McIntosh tells people conservatively they can see a 30-60% reduction in their heating and cooling costs with hempcrete insulation, though he says some in the industry say it’s as high as 80%, depending on the climate and the design of the building. Hempcrete produces a thermal envelope everywhere it’s applied, eliminating the seams and layers that allow leakage and movement.
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