Hemp is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of industries.
Hemp is also known as an environmentally friendly plant because it grows faster than other plants and takes up more CO2 in the atmosphere than trees. There are many hopes that hemp may be a plant that can solve the environmental problems that humanity is currently facing.
In the United Kingdom and other countries, construction companies specializing in hempcrete and bio-materials are emerging, and we can see the potential of hempcrete.
What is Hempcrete?
Hempcrete is a combination of the words “hemp” and “concrete”.
As the name suggests, Hempcrete is a mixture of hemp and concrete, and is used as a heat insulator and building material. Hempcrete is characterized by the lack of brittleness of concrete, which eliminates the need for expansion joints. Hempcrete has the same characteristics as wood in terms of fire resistance and thermal insulation, and in addition, hemp chips have numerous micron-sized holes that store heat in winter, regulate temperature in summer, and absorb moisture. In addition, because Hempcrete is a natural material, it breathes and evaporates vapor, so it is said to be mold-free and free of sick building syndrome.
Hempcrete was first used to construct infill walls in France in the early 1990s.
Hempcrete is expected to be the building material of the future.
Hempcrete is a popular building material in the United States and Europe, and its market share is gradually increasing. Hempcrete can be used everywhere in the construction of a house, including the frame structure, walls, floors, and attic.
One study found that 75% of all homes rely on a mixture of plastic and recycled glass, and many are under-insulated. Improving insulation is an important aspect of home construction because it improves the overall energy efficiency of the home.
The United States Hemp Building Association submits hempcrete insulation for building code certification.
Since industrial hemp has been legalized in 47 states in the U.S., we can expect to see more buildings made of hempcrete in the future.
Buildings using hempcrete
Wooden stud frames are the most common, and are used primarily in low-rise buildings.
In Europe, 10-story buildings have been built using hempcrete. In the United Kingdom and the United States, hempcrete is already being used in many actual houses.
Conclusion
We have introduced Hempcrete.
Hempcrete is a building material made of hemp and concrete (cement). Hempcrete has the characteristics of wood and is superior to concrete, and is beginning to attract attention as a building material of the future.
Hempcrete is widely used in the United Kingdom, France, and other European countries, but it has also been submitted for building code certification in the United States, so it is expected to become popular in the U.S. as well.
As more and more countries legalize industrial hemp, we can expect to see more buildings built with earth-friendly building materials.