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

Nine buildings constructed using #hemp show the biomaterial's potential

Nat Barker | 6 January 2023

Excerpt: "Hemp is becoming an increasingly popular material among architects seeking to reduce the carbon impact of their projects. Here is a roundup of nine buildings constructed using the versatile cannabis crop.

Mounting evidence suggests that the construction industry must adopt bio-based alternatives to common carbon-intensive building materials, such as concrete, to play its part in reducing emissions and limiting global temperature rises.

One such alternative gaining increasing attention is hemp, the fast-growing cousin of the marijuana plant that is already widely used as a biofuel and textile.

Cambridge University researcher Darshil Shah previously told Dezeen that hemp can capture atmospheric carbon twice as effectively as trees.

In buildings, it is often used in the form of hempcrete – a composite of hemp fibres and lime that is durable, highly insulating and mould-resistant.

Read on for nine buildings constructed using hemp..."

Read more:
https://www.dezeen.com/2023/01/06/hemp-hempcrete-buildings-architecture/

#SolarPunkSunday #Hemp #BuildingWithHemp #HempFiberboard #Hempcrete #HempIsTheFuture #HempBan

#Hemp cultivation contributes to the European Green Deal objectives

Excerpts:

"Hemp has a number of #Environmental benefits.

- #CarbonStorage: one hectare of hemp sequesters 9 to 15 tonnes of CO2, similar to the amount sequestered by a young forest, but it only takes five months to grow.

- Breaking the cycle of diseases: hemp helps to break the cycle of diseases when used in #CropRotation. In addition, weeds are not able to grow due to the fast growth and shading capacity of hemp plants.

- #SoilErosion prevention: dense leaves of hemp become a natural soil cover, reducing water loss and protecting against soil erosion. Hemp covers the ground just three weeks after germination.

- #Biodiversity: flowering cycle usually occurs between July and September, coinciding with a lack of pollen production from other crops. Hemp produces large amounts of pollen. It also provides shelter for birds and hemp seeds are a food for animals.

- Low or no use of #pesticides: hemp is susceptible to few pests because of the lack of natural predators, which means that the use of #insecticides, #herbicides, and #fungicides can be avoided in most cases."


"Uses of hemp

1. Textile industry (#HempFibre)

Hemp fibre is very similar to linen and the interest of the textile industry in using hemp fibre is growing. The European Commission, in its circular economy action plan, considers the textile sector as one of the cornerstones in the transition towards a greener and more sustainable economy and it has encouraged stakeholders to seek new materials and new economic models. To this end, the EU has adopted a strategy for sustainable and circular textiles aiming to create a more sustainable, innovative, circular economic model.
Hemp fibre and textile material
Hemp fibre is a sustainable raw material for the textile industry.

2. Food and feed (#HempSeeds)

Hemp seeds contain high levels of protein and considerable amounts of fibres, vitamins, Omega-3, and minerals. As a result, de-hulled hemp seeds serve as a food for human consumption, while whole hemp seeds are used as feed for animals.

3. #Construction (#HempFibre)

There are three main hemp-based products used in construction: #lime hemp concrete (#hempcrete), #HempWool, and fibre-board insulation. The construction sector is responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of GHG emissions, and 75% of that energy goes to waste. This has led to a search for construction practices and materials that are carbon neutral or carbon sequesters. Hempcrete is a carbon sequester as the amount of carbon stored in the material is higher than the emissions generated during its production, and it continues to store carbon during the building’s life. Improving energy efficiency in the building sector will play a key role in achieving carbon-neutrality by 2050, a goal set out in the European Green Deal. Hemp can play a significant role in reaching this objective.

Hempcrete, hemp wool and fibre-board insulation are used in the construction sector due to their energy efficient properties.

4. #Paper production (hemp fibre)

There are multiple advantages to using hemp fibre to make paper: hemp stalks only take up to five months to mature, #HempPaper does not necessarily require toxic bleaching chemicals and hemp paper can be recycled seven to eight times.

Hemp fibre paper is a more sustainable alternative to paper made from wood pulp.

5. Other uses

Hemp-derived products are used in different industries and for different purposes. Negative environmental effects of plastic have pushed manufacturers to seek alternatives. Hemp is a good option given its light weight and durability. As a substitute for plastic, hemp-derived products are used in different sectors such as car manufacturing, railway, aviation and aerospace.

Other uses of hemp include #cosmetics (oils, lotions, shampoos, etc.) and energy production (#biofuels). There is also interest in the production and marketing of hemp extracts, notably cannabidiol (#CBD), due to its possible uses in cosmetics, health products and food. These possible uses are, however, subject to the relevant EU requirements. In November 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union determined that the marketing of legally produced CBD is permitted under EU law."

Read more:
https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/farming/crop-productions-and-plant-based-products/hemp_en

#SolarPunkSunday #HempFiber #HempUses #EUGreenNewDeal #EuropeanGreenDeal #Birdseed #HempFiberBoard #Cannabis