Hemp in sustainable construction: 5 benefits

Hemp is undoubtedly a revolutionary material for use in construction thanks to its ease of cultivation and countless properties. In this article, we look at the five main benefits of using it.

1 – RESILIENCE

Hemp is an extremely resilient plant: it grows without the need for fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides and can help remediate soil. Its dense growth suppresses the development of invasive weeds.

2 – REMEDIATION PROPERTIES

Hemp is also well suited to cultivation on degraded land: it can absorb pollutants such as zinc and mercury, meaning hemp plantations can help remediate land that might otherwise be unusable, while also promoting better soil oxygenation.

3 – AIR PURIFICATION

Among its many other benefits, hemp removes CO2 from the atmosphere and oxygenates the soil. It is also worth highlighting that during growth, hemp absorbs four times the amount of carbon dioxide stored on average by trees.

4 – BREATHABILITY

Across its various applications, hemp has proven to be a highly breathable material, allowing the building envelope to “breathe”, supporting a high level of indoor air health and reducing mould formation and moisture-related damage.

5 – ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE

Unlike the construction sector’s typically energy-intensive processes, the hemp-and-lime production chain removes more carbon dioxide from the environment than conventional building materials. Finally, hemp’s rapid growth makes it available within short timeframes.

These are just five of the main benefits of this extraordinary material, which allows us to build ethically for the benefit of both our health and the environment.