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Hempcrete: The Future Of Construction
There is a rising concern about sustainable building materials as the world population continues to expand. One innovative solution has been the use of hempcrete; a mixture of limestone, sand, and hemp. It was discovered in a bridge abutment in France that dates back to the 6th century. Some in Europe have adopted the use of hempcrete since that rediscovery, and now the trend is starting to gain traction in North America.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings account for 38% of the CO2 emission in America. One huge benefit of using hempcrete is that the hemp will absorb CO2 and release oxygen during its growth, as well as absorbing more CO2 due to the limestone and slowly petrifying. Over decades, its widespread use could have a fairly significant impact.
The material itself is a bio-composite made of the inner core of hemp plants mixed with a lime-based binder. The hemp’s woody, inner core has a very high silica content that allows it to mesh well with the lime. The biggest drawback to using hempcrete is that the density is only 15% that of traditional concrete, and this means that the hempcrete must be used in combination with a frame of another material that can support the vertical load in the building construction.
Source: http://philosophers-stone.co.uk/wordpress/2014/07/hempcrete-the-future-of-construction/
