Hempcrete

We envision a peaceful and sustainable world, living in harmony with nature

Hempcrete is a bio-composite material – a mixture of hemp hurd (the woody core of the plant), lime binder (natural hydraulic lime) and water. The combination of these materials petrifies the hemp hurd and the chemical reaction forms a solid building material (hempcrete). The result is a light weighted, highly insulating material, acting as a great moisture regulator (breathable walls) and thermal mass.

Hempcrete is a non-structural material, compared to concrete, its compressive strength is around 1MPa, whereas residential grade concrete is 20MPa (by adding cement to the mix you can raise the MPa rating). Building with hempcrete requires a structural frame, being of timber or steel. This low density material is resistant to cracking under movement, thus making it highly suitable for moveable tiny house construction.

Hemp is an amazing plant, which offers a wide range of benefits to the environment and a vast number of different products (estimations of 50,000 across the building, food, cosmetic, textile and plastic industries). Through the lifecycle of the plant it extracts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (1 ton of hemp = 2 ton of carbon absorbed – a standard 3×2 home has 11-12 ton of hemp). Once the hemp is made into a product it locks the carbon away for the lifecycle of the material, equating to a negative carbon footprint – lowering the overall carbon footprint for your home.

Industrial hemp is a different strain of Cannabis Sativa, containing very little THC (the psychoactive substance). Current regulations in Western Australia are that industrial hemp is required to have a THC level lower than 0.03% in order to be processed. The cousin of hemp, Marijuana, has a THC level of around 15% thus meaning you are unable to get high from industrial hemp.

Hemp is truly an environmentally sustainable material. A crop of industrial hemp will take 6 months to reach maturity before harvested, plants being able to grow to 4-5m high. Hemp can yield between 5-7 ton of stem per acre, which when processed will equate to 30% hurd and 70% fiber (9-10 acres will comfortable grow the hurd to build a 3×2 home). Hemp is resilient to pests so there is no need for herbicides or pesticides. The root system aerates and puts nitrogen back in to the soil, making it an ideal crop rotation.