The buildings constructed from #cannabis
Francesca Perry, 18 June 2023
Excerpt: "In search of #sustainable materials, architects are turning to an unusual source: #hemp.
"Surrounded by verdant fields, Flat House, which sits on a farm in Cambridgeshire, the UK, looks like a typical barn conversion. But inside, the look and feel of the building immediately make you realise this is something quite different. 'The walls remind me of hay bale dens we used to make as kids,' says Flat House's owner Gemma Barron. 'It has the most lovely acoustic quality. And last year we had the heating off for 24 hours in mid-winter and it stayed warm.'
"What makes this bright, airy and comfortable home unusual is the material used to build it: hemp. While we may be more familiar with the cannabis plant's association with the psychoactive substance cannabis, and its use in health supplements and textiles, hemp is rapidly becoming a sought-after sustainable construction material.
"The fast-growing plant is a renewable resource, with carbon-capturing properties. When used in building, it typically takes the form of 'hempcrete' (also known as lime hemp concrete), a sturdy material made by mixing #HempHurd – the woody core of the plant – with a binder made from water and lime. Hempcrete has a high thermal mass, making it an ideal insulation material which improves the energy efficiency of buildings and reduces greenhouse gas emissions over time. It also continues to absorb carbon over its lifespan.
"Sustainable materials are in high demand as the construction industry seeks to decarbonise. Buildings and construction are responsible for approximately 37% of energy and process-related global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This is due to the industry's heavy reliance on fossil fuels, including carbon-intensive materials such as concrete, steel and glass, as well as the greenhouse gases emitted in heating and cooling our buildings."
Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230614-the-buildings-constructed-from-cannabis
#SolarPunkSunday #BuildingWithHemp
#HempFiberboard #Hempcrete #HempIsTheFuture #HempBan #BuildingForClimateChange #SustainableMaterials #SustainableBuilding