{"id":4128,"date":"2022-07-24T22:41:18","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T02:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/havenearth.biz\/2022\/07\/24\/spotlight-3-new-hemp-houses-in-the-usa\/"},"modified":"2022-07-24T22:41:18","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T02:41:18","slug":"spotlight-3-new-hemp-houses-in-the-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/havenearth.biz\/2022\/07\/24\/spotlight-3-new-hemp-houses-in-the-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight: 3 New Hemp Houses in the USA"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Jean Lotus<\/em><\/p>\n

What a difference a year makes! When HempBuild Mag started in spring 2021, every hemp building in the United States was a rarity. Almost all hemp hurds and most binder were imported from Europe, and we could count on one hand the actual folks who were out there constructing houses with hemp.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This year, after the first season of growing fiber strains of hemp domestically, we\u2019re seeing processing plants sprouting up across the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And those hempcrete installers who jumped into this industry early \u2013 even with a scarcity of materials and skeptical building departments \u2013 are generously sharing their knowledge and expertise. It\u2019s a spirit of \u201cco-opetition\u201d \u2013 working together and helping each other to build the industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Come September, things will only get more busy. Hempcrete will be certified in US building codes with an approval into the International Residential Code<\/span><\/a>. A second season of industrial fiber hemp will have been harvested.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s driving hemp building? The housing crisis and the appeal of low energy bills and non-toxic living spaces are building consumer demand. And who knows, maybe our first \u201ccelebrity\u201d hemp house will be built!<\/p>\n

In that spirit, we\u2019d like to introduce you to three new hempcrete builds in Texas, Colorado and Michigan. All three projects began, or were completed, in 2022 and the builders\/subcontractors are already starting new projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Texas: The Hondo Hempcrete Home<\/h2>\n
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The Hondo, TX Hemp House features a breezeway between the guest quarters, utility room and the main house. Photo courtesy of Texas Healthy Homes<\/em><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Builder: <\/strong>Tim White, Texas Healthy Homes<\/span><\/a>. Hemp sourced from:<\/strong> South Bend Industrial Hemp<\/span><\/a>, Great Bend KS. Wall assembly:<\/strong> Hand-cast hempcrete in outer and inner walls.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Hondo house is essentially the benchmark we are aiming for in the building industry. With 2,484 sq ft of usable space, it is a one-story house with a strategically simple design. It features a breezeway between the guest quarters, utility room and the main house which is common vernacular architecture here in the Hill Country.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This particular design, paired with small windows both helps the energy efficiency of the home and brings occupants out of the building so they spend more time connected with outdoor spaces. With grade beams instead of slabs, full adobe floors in the entire home including the breezeway, and natural monolithic cellulose-based wall cavities (hemp, in this case) we address the issues of sustainability the modern building industry struggles with.<\/p>\n

To maintain breathability, we use historic lime plasters on the exterior so moisture is always released keeping away mold and rot. Aside from our tadelakt showers, all of our interior finishes are done with American Clay plasters because, like all clay plasters, they help regulate the air quality, temperature and humidity in the home, and unlike home-made clay plasters like so many natural builders are used to making ourselves, American Clay has an incredible array of pre-blended colors and a chart that makes color selection a breeze.<\/p>\n

Click here to go to our FREE online community.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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The Hondo house features natural clay plaster walls and adobe floors. Photo courtesy of Texas Healthy Homes<\/em><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n