What exactly is hempcrete? It’s a composite of natural materials, lime, and hemp that in combination creates a lightweight concrete. With the booming hemp industry, it’s only logical to create as many uses for the product as possible. Hempcrete fits in easily with the ‘Green’ movement seen globally and the hope to present a more ecofriendly earth.
The fibrous concrete is fire-resistant, carbon-sequestering, repels mold and pests. The material can be used in a whole array of areas to assist in building, renovating, and restoring. In Europe, for the past 30 years it has been used as a thermal insulation. This was an obsolete practice in the U.S. until the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. Hempcrete is known to reduce heating and cooling costs. Through years of study, it has been shown that the heat flow transfers more slowly in hempcrete due to the thermal mass, and this creates the lag, which is the beneficial effect to reducing heating and cooling needs. The ability for the product to store the energy internally and release it slowly is exponentially better than the typical foam or fiber roll insulation that majority of homes have.
Michigan Medical Hemp has designed systems and methods for sprayable hemp-based compositions for achieving a fireproof, high strength, and/or insulation material that assists with construction and plumbing needs but may otherwise be used for any other building, construction, reinforcement, etc. The traditional method of using hempcrete compositions is to pour into frames or molds and wait for the concrete to cure into bricks or slabs. That time-consuming application is still useful and practical for several approaches; however, to fully insulate an interior structure, the spray out method proves most cost effective. The sprayable hempcrete is more workable and uses a standard material sprayer, which helps to expand the range of uses for the product while keeping labor costs low.
Insulation and thermal productivity are one of the best assets to hempcrete, but the product itself has numerous values. It’s low density, fibrous material makes it durable to movement and will not easily crack. Hempcrete is a breathable material that allows moisture to easily evaporate and stems off the growth of mold or bacteria. The sustainability of the material has a big impact on the environment. Hemp is harvest ready after only three to four months and the plant itself is a natural air purifier. Hempcrete does not emit toxic byproducts and can last for up to 100 years under proper maintenance.
So, whether you are planning on renovations or a brand-new build, there are a multitude of options on where and how to use hempcrete within your project and budget. Michigan Medical Hemp will gladly provide you with the comfort you require upon trying something new and will answer any questions you may have in the meantime.