Construction materials and processes produce 11% of all energy-related emissions. Concrete, steel, and aluminum account for 23% of all emissions. Hemp can be used in many building products, from outdoor cladding to acoustic panels. The most common hemp-based construction material is hempcrete, an insulation product usable instead of fiberglass, rockwool, and foam. It’s created by combining the hemp plant’s stalk with water and lime. The wet mix is sprayed or packed onto a structural frame on the building site or turned into blocks or panels installed when dry. Nontoxic, biodegradable, resistant to fire, mold, and pests, it can help maintain comfortable interior temperatures, lowering energy-intensive mechanical heating and air conditioning use. Hemp absorbs CO2 during photosynthesis, grows particularly quickly, and can take in even more carbon than trees on an annual basis.
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