Construction block made with hemp

Hempcrete is a mixture of hemp hurds (shives) and lime (possibly including natural hydraulic lime,^[1] sand, pozzolans or cement) used as a material for construction and insulation.^[2] It is marketed names like Hemcrete, Canobiote, Canosmose, and Isochanvre.^[3] Hempcrete is easier to work than traditional lime mixes and acts as an insulator and moisture regulator. It lacks the brittleness of concrete and consequently does not need expansion joints.^[3]

However, the typical compressive strength is around 1 MPa,^[4] around 1/20 that of residential grade concrete. Hempcrete walls must be used together with a frame of another material that supports the vertical load in building construction. Hempcrete's density is 15% of traditional concrete, as well as carbon negative.^[5] Like other plant products, the hemp crop absorbs CO₂ gas as it grows, retaining the carbon and releasing the oxygen. 165 kg of carbon can be theoretically absorbed and locked up by 1 m³ of hempcrete wall over many decades.^[6]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Hemcrete application data from Limetechnology