garden rooms

Why use Hemp? 

• Low- or zero-carbon footprint
• Hempcrete walls provide superior breathability, allowing moisture to be absorbed and released when ambient moisture varies.
• Nontoxic materials and high indoor air quality
• Fire resistance
• Good thermal performance and very stable indoor temperatures
• Lime in hempcrete kills bacteria and is mold resistant, while also deterring pests and vermin.
• Hemp is rapidly renewable
• Hempcrete stores heat in the thermal mass of its wall which is then released slowly as the building cools down.
• Hemp is the only building material that can remove carbon from the air. Other methods of insulation such as fiberglass have a significant carbon footprint.
• Resistant against mold as it’s moisture absorbent. 

Hempcrete is unique as the hemp hurds are able to store a great deal of moisture because of their porous structure. Moisture is adsorbed onto the large internal surface area of the plant fibers and absorbed into the cellular structure. This storage capacity is very helpful in allowing the material to take on moisture when it exists and to release it when conditions allow. 

Another advantage of hempcrete is found in the properties of the lime binder. Lime has a high pH and is inherently antimicrobial and antifungal, the lime coating around each piece of hemp hurd in the mix creates a surface that resists mold even when the humidity and temperature conditions would cause mold to occur on other insulation materials. 

Hempcrete is also naturally pest and fire-resistant.