CannaHub starts its 2024 season in Lithuania with - "House Building from Hempcrete" Workshop
- Neimantas Bilevičius
- Feb 14, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 4, 2024
As the year is picking up its pace, CannaHub is hosting its first seminar event. The event is aimed at those who specialize in the construction industry, especially those interested in building, especially building with hemp-based composite - Hempcrete.
Briefly about Hempcrete - Concrete from Hemp Shives
Hemp Concrete or Hemp Lime - is a biocomposite material. A mixture of hemp flakes (shives) and lime sand or pozzolans, which is used as a building and insulating material.
It is sold under names such as Hempcrete, Canobiote, Canosmose, Isochanvre and IsoHemp. Hemp concrete is easier to work with than traditional lime mixes and acts as an insulator and moisture regulator. It does not have the brittleness of concrete, so there is no need for expansion joints.
Generally, hemp concrete has good heat and sound insulation properties, but low mechanical properties, especially resistance to strong compression. Mechanical Properties of Hempcrete - When used specifically for precast blocks, it accumulates CO2 throughout its lifetime.
The result is a lightweight insulation material, finishing plaster or non-load bearing wall, ideal for many climates as it combines insulation and thermal mass. At the same time, it has a positive effect on the environment.
A mixture of materials
Hempcrete is made from the inner woody core of the hemp plant (hemp pods) mixed with a lime-based binder and water. A lime-based binder usually consists of hydrated lime or natural hydraulic lime. Hydrated lime is made from pure limestone and absorbs CO2 during the carbonation process. When time constraints are faced, hydraulic binders are used in conjunction with regular hydrated lime, so hemp concrete will take less time to set than regular lime, from about two weeks to a month to achieve the required strength.
For example, a small fraction of cement and/or pozzolanic binder is added, which also accelerates the setting time. During the process, a mixture is obtained, which will turn into a hard, but light and durable product.
Adaptation
Hemp concrete has been used in France since the early 1990s. Recently, and widely in Canada, non-load bearing insulating infill walls are being used because hemp concrete does not have the strength required to build a foundation, so it is frame supported. Hemp concrete has also been used to renovate old stone or lime buildings. France continues to be an avid user of hemp concrete and is growing in popularity every year. Canada has followed France's lead in the green building technology sector, with hemp concrete becoming a growing innovation in Ontario and Quebec.
Currently, there are two main construction methods used to produce hemp concrete. The first technique is to use molds to cast or spray hemp concrete directly on the construction site. The second technique consists of prefabricated blocks that are delivered to the project site similar to masonry construction. After installing the hemp concrete technology between the wooden frames, plasterboard or plaster is added for aesthetics and greater durability. Hemp concrete can be used for a variety of purposes in buildings, including roof, wall, slab and stucco insulation, each with its own composition and ratio of various ingredients.
Summary
Hempcrete is a relatively new natural building material, the use of which has increased in recent years in all European countries and is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. in 2022 February. The Hemp Building Foundation has filed with the International Residential Code (IRC) to certify the material as a national building material to help the construction industry become more familiar with the material.
Hempcrete is a building construction material that uses hemp chips, aggregate, water and some type of binder for use as load-bearing walls, insulators, finishing plaster and blocks.
The material has low mechanical properties and low thermal conductivity, making it ideal for insulating material. Hemp concrete blocks have a low carbon footprint and effectively absorb carbon. Widespread codes and specifications for the widespread use of hemp concrete still need to be developed, but the material promises to replace current unsustainable building materials that negatively impact the environment in the near future.
If you are interested in starting to build from Hempcrete, we offer you the opportunity to join the trainings and workshops organized by us - 'Hemp House Construction', May 24-26 in Lithuania.
You can find more information about the fun three-day training on the event page by clicking on this text.
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