| ABOUT TRADICAL® HEMCRETE® |
| WHY USE HEMCRETE®? |
The U.S. Council on Green Building estimates that approximately 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are due to the construction and operation of buildings.1 Greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide, are now almost universally recognized as the driving force behind climate change, and according to the United Nations Environmental Program’s 2007 report, Buildings and Climate Change, new policies at the governmental level and technological advancement in private industry are essential if we are to alter the trend of global warming.2
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| Low emission, efficient, and sustainably produced building materials offer one such technological advancement, and this pioneering British lime and hemp system is proving to be an environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional construction. This proprietary system, which relies on hemp fiber and lime binder, is being used to construct seamless walls and to insulate floors and roofs. The resulting buildings are thermally efficient, attractive, pest-resistant, fire-resistant, and durable, and these nontoxic, all-natural materials contain no harmful chemical. Unlike typical new construction materials, hemp and lime are breathable, which discourages harmful mold growth while providing better air quality for the building’s occupants. |
| In addition to the reduced impact of heating and cooling, the production of hemp and lime has a lower environmental impact than that of comparable building materials. Industrial hemp is a fast-growing crop that requires minimal irrigation, and almost all parts of the plant are usable. Like most plants, hemp also converts carbon dioxide into oxygen during its growing cycle, and with a maturation cycle of only 14 weeks it is a rapidly renewable resource. The other key component, lime, is an ancient binder and render that has been used in construction for thousands of years. |
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| In addition to its proven performance as a building material, lime is fired at a lower temperature than conventional portland cement, thereby requiring less energy. During the curing cycle lime also reabsorbs the carbon dioxide that it released during the firing process, effectively sequestering this greenhouse gas. |
The hemp-lime building system is being used with great success in the United Kingdom, with projects that include the Haverhill Houses, a public housing project, and the Adnams Brewery, a large-scale construction project in Southwold. The system is easy to install, and although it is slightly more expensive than conventional construction, construction costs are recouped in reduced operational costs. The hemp-lime building envelope system results in a potential reduction of approximately 35-40 tons of potential carbon dioxide for each average-sized house. The introduction of this system into the American building market has the potential to eliminate the emission of millions of tons of carbon dioxide annually while creating healthier, sustainably produced buildings. |
| Related Articles |
| BBC: "Hemp concrete in £6.2m eco-centre" March 5, 2008
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| BBC: "Adnams's eco-centre" October, 2006 |
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2 The United Nations Environment Programme. Buildings and Climate Change. 2007. pg. v.
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Haverhill Hemp Houses-New construction in the UK |
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| Renovation of existing building-
Maison Diocésaine Chalons en Champagne (France) |
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| Lime Technology, Limited UK Headquarters-Addition to existing building |
Download the Tradical® Hemcrete® Information Pack (PDF)
Download Case Studies (PDF)
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