Affordable Housing Becomes Green With Hemp

Article Written By: sheehanconrad

According to long-time industrial hemp expert Paul Benhaim, just one acre of land is enough for you to grow a crop of hemp that can be converted to a regular looking building on that same piece of land. He goes on to say and we are not talking rustic homes, but regular looking solid council approved buildings.

These new eco friendly buildings are built by regular builders, and don t require specialist designs, though the developers recommend solar passive designs that take advantage of the thermal mass offered by the hemp walls. As well as residential and commercial hemp projects, simple renovations are possible.

Until now you had to import materials to be sure of a standard building product. Previous versions of similar technologies commonly known as 'hemcrete or 'hempcrete have also required processing of hemp in large factories. Hence this technology has not been fully sustainable, until now.

This new technology developed over 10 years by Klara and Marton Marosszeky Professor of Construction Innovation at the University of New South Wales allows simple harvesting of hemp that makes use of the whole stalk to create a building material that has excellent rodents, fire and insulation properties. Although an option, no rendering or finishing is required (you can colour through the mix) and all local materials can be used in what is becoming the leader in the latest trend in environmentally friendly building techniques.

Klara is currently hoping for a project to see some genuine and direct outcomes for the Indigenous people of Australia in regards to Affordable 'home grown' housing. South Africa and Trinidad have also showed interest in this technology.

Klara Marosszeky and Paul Benhaim have just launched their findings in a new book on Building with Hemp which includes a detailed construction manual. To support professional builders, self-builders, renovators and eco enthusiasts Klara and Paul will personally share this technique at workshops around the world in 2011 starting in Canberra, ACT from February 2011.

Did You Know?:

• Hemp improves and regenerates soils

• Hemp may be sustainably farmed without herbicide or pesticide

• Hemp sequesters carbon – grows in 100 days, sequesters 11ton of carbon/ha, 1-2t carbon stays in soil as organic carbon, 100kg can be stored in the hemp masonry.

• Hemp is breathable – 75% of allergies including asthma are due to moulds in buildings. Moulds are prevalent in conventional masonry because the material does not breathe.

• Building with hemp is waterproof, fireproof, rodent proof. Affordable, sustainable and local. No need to render, paint, insulate. Can look like any other building.

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