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I wish the Navajo reservation would legalize industrial hemp production so we could start producing these types of materials for our own use and as an export. Our winters are cold and our summers are hot and if these blocks could help with insulation, people wouldn't need to burn as much wood and coal as they do to keep warm in the winter months. Not to mention that the reservation has areas contaminated from all the uranium mines and from my understanding the hemp plant can be used to pull some of that hazardous material from the ground (hopefully before it reaches down into the groundwater) so cultivation would help on that front as well.
@@Anti1gnorant interesting question, in my opinion, it should be good at withstanding water but I doubt it is as good as concrete. Let see what anyone else has to say.
Just the fact that those blocks are so large and are not hollow speaks to how much of a reduction in weight they are compared to traditional concrete blocks, which are much smaller and hollow but weigh around the same amount. Being able to have such a high insulation value without the need for insulation under siding and inside of framed walls is pretty impressive
@@davidjones8043 You just made me re-watch this entire video with CC turned on, not once was gravel mentioned. The dude in the video described what both types of these blocks are made of and specifically stated that "no sand of any type is used so you can cut these blocks on a ban saw" at 2:30, you would not be able to cut a block filled with gravel on a ban saw. Also what would it matter if gravel was used, my comment was about how impressive it was to see an old man sling these blocks around like they are nothing when they are about 50% larger than a traditional concrete block and completely solid, and that they almost make the need for additional insulation near zero. So no you aren't the only one listening, cause weren't listening...
We tested this specific product in a wall assembly for fire rating at a test lab I worked at. It blew me away how well the hemp fibre composite material resisted high temperatures and flame on the furnace. I really hope to see our society adopting this product full scale in the near future considering all of the benefits.
Why should it surprise you? It's how we've been making furnaces and fireplaces for millennia? Take a mix of clay and hay and mix it together, shape and form them. Allow it to dry and now you have brick or a mud forge (or fireplace) that can take thousands of degrees of heat to smelt copper or iron... Or just keep your warm.
@@danbiss87 Considering it is just concrete with the hemp acting as a binder they won't bother it since it's covered in concrete. It's just like adding carbon fiber or fiberglass else as a binder to concrete.
My daughter at 4 years old coined the phrase "Hemp Hemp Horray Have a Grateful Day!". We did alot of education on this amazing plant & attended a Dead show or two. So good to see this plant become accepted & utilized. This is a product I would use & I hope it takes over concrete!
We need options when it comes to natural building. We cannot just use one type, we can't produce THAT much sustainably. So great to see! Hemp can be used in so many ways! 💚💙
@@thetessellater9163 I understand that, but a lot can be accomplished if people actually work together, there is a possibility for sustainable products, we just use excess amount of everything! There is the problem. Now, do you have anything you can teach me? A solution? Or just a disagreement about sustainability? Please, if you are going to disagree, give me something! I don't see a human cull coming up, so finding solutions is the main goal. Real solutions, not pretending to be environmentally friendly and counting on people to well, not read. Not to actually learn. That is where I believe people are lazy. We need thinkers and those that care. Caring would help everything!
So glad to see this actually happening…hemp is such a versatile plant with countless uses…let’s hope the rest of the world catches on to it’s thus far hidden value
It's not a hidden value. Henp was widely used for commercial and industrial goals in the past. But the US ruined that with their war on drugs that was copied around the globe. It's a great idea, but he lost me with "slightly above average price". That ruins the whole idea. Personally i think it would be better to use henp fiber in earth bag building concepts and plating material instead of bricks. You need to build cheaper. Much cheaper. Housing has become too expensive. Using this and driving up the price means it's only something for the very rich climate change fanatics to feel better about themselves. It's not practical for large scale use.
@@benanders4412 housing is mostly expensive because rich people hoard and sit on their land waiting the prices to climb ever higher. It is "above average" in costs compared to wood frame, but also more superior in structure, efficiency and fire resistance.
@@benanders4412 Maybe he meant the material was more expensive, but if they are quicker and easier to install the labor should be cheaper. If you did most of the work yourself and it looks like an easy install for people with a little general experience in the trades could handle. i want to know the price.
@yo yo That was my question load bearing limits. Also, how long will these last? In 20 years will it be falling apart? How durable where weather is concerned?
@@nathanvalle6997 I'm pretty sure that, other than the "you'll get high if it burns'" comments, a lot of these comments are valid concerns from skilled Tradesmen, construction people and architects. Seems to me that many of them are pointing stuff out that MIGHT help the Hemp block industry. My Dad was an architect, and I've done various forms of construction over the years. fwiw, I'm a huge proponent of this product and alternative building in general.
@@jwwtzl67 That's reassuring to hear, as many of the comments under Dark's comment thread seemed hell-bent on being negative. For instance the back and forth about R values... just go to the site and look! 33-35 R value given for a standard wall construction using the methods shown.
The earth gives us everything we need and its completely sustainable we just aren't very smart about how we do things. This is a great step in the right direction
DuPont realized it and lobbied for the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act, 1937 and later the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Hard to sell your nylon fibers when hemp production costs are so low.
Building with hemp has been around for so long, but this video makes it look like an absolute NO BRAINER! I hope it becomes much more popular. Great work by these guys. Such an easy sell for them because they've considered so much.
@@area52designscustompaint6 what would be the accepted price for your guys? cinder block is 1-2$ a pop and you can't really compare 2 as this one comes with R value afaik ~ R2-3 per 1inch. So assuming it's 10-12inches wide wall it will be your R30ish but the cinder block will give R1.5 :) can't really compare the 2. Hemp is super expensive in general. can't make cheap burritos from expensive stakes :)
I was given a tour of the manufacturing facility it was amazingly simple and the gentlemen were truly great guys. This product should change the world.
Living in an area where we get quite a bit of wet weather, I'd be interested in the short and long term affects from exposure to continuously wet conditions.
If I built with these I'd definitely put up a moisture barrier around the outside like I would a normal house before applying stucco. Should be fine like that.
@@STB-jh7od it would help, but ultimately I think that it would be unnecessary. If you installed a moisture barrier and added stucco over the top of it then you would be fine. If done right the place should be waterproof for a very long time.
@@ahsnap9103 I read an article in a farm magazine that there's a planned commercial hemp processing plant to be built in ND in the near future to process a 100,000 acres of hemp into various products. Can't remember the name of the company, but it sounds like they are on the verge of making it happen very soon.
We cannot continue to deplete our soils for anything other than food. The biofuel / biomass industry is aware of that, and the same applies to hemp production - a nightmare scenario where there's little fertile soil left in the future.
I love seeing applications of hemp like that. I'm convinced that hemp is the solution to so many problems. You can do so much with it and it's so easy to make it grow and it grows fast. Hemp is the king of plants.
Hempcrete is the best building material ever. It can be done even more simple as this lego aproach, complete diy. We have been living in our hempcrete house for 3 years now and we can't imagine living in a concrete house anymore. Building and living with hempcrete makes you sincerely happy.
@@reneerobinson6953 Slovenia. You will probably need certificate for lime binder and another one for hempcrete mixture. Easiest way is to buy both materials from specialized manufacturer, for which you should get also certificates. In my case I onlly bought lime binder from italy ( senini tecnocanapa) and they gave me certificate also for hempcrete mixture.
Awesome! Same idea as Timbercrete, I've wanted to build a house out of Timbercrete for years, I'll definitely check out Hempcrete. I love the Lego design of these blocks! They seem to take this concept to the next level in terms of hemp and lime being such renewable resources. I love this idea!
@@JohnJones-zx9pu so there's that. no judgement, just stating the glaringly obvious to someone that felt the need to thank him, for his commercial. Sarcasm is not your forte, I gather?
Hemp is truly a miracle plant; not only for building materials like these, but for paper, fabric, and food. I had a hemp hat for over 12 years & it never wore out, but it finally shrunk so I gave it away. It's probably on some kid's head 30 years later.
@@Geoff-j4b That's not quite true; hemp jeans worked fine for the consumers but not for Levis, who learned that cotton denim wore out much sooner & could be easily textured to make it more fashionable. And the failed War on Drugs make it illegal for U.S. farmers to grow hemp (best suited to the American West's climate) so the option disappeared except in a few imported goods. The politics were primarily responsible & this isn't surprising since politics are the worst aspect of living in the U.S.
I want a house built out of these hemp blocks and a solar roof! With lumber through the roof and how long it takes for trees to grow this seems like such a great alternative!
I have been planning a solar garage for a few years. I imagined somebody would have a design for this, but have not found one except one-offs. These or similar walls with a skillion roof is now something I will consider.
@@montychong-walden6564 too expensive to produce, the infrastructure is alrdy in place for current systems. We would have to spend trillions to revamp our infrastructure to switch to hemp products.
@@NirtieDigger You're right - and this is why it is so slow to take hold. It isn't going to all get done at once, yet it will need to happen. Just because "this is the way we have always done things" seems like a logical argument, it isn't and this is not a true statement. We actually used to build similar to this with cob and adobe structures. It was the right way to build and we will need to get back to that. Trillions on re-doing infrastructure (which isn't the true story, as much of it can be re-vamped) is going to be nothing compared to the costs we will bear if we have to face runaway climate disasters.
Can see these blocks having a huge impact in reducing heating bills, especially if used in conjunction with tripple glazing and the geothermal systems...
The variable is wide depending on your conditions but the estimate at this time is 30-60 percent energy savings compared to the basic home construction.
Three questions: 1) How do you frame window and door openings--by using regular bucks? But how do they attach to the blocks? 2) you mentioned mortar between the blocks; could you use foam construction adhesive instead? 3) Is a bond beam needed at the top of the walls before framing a second story or roof?
Ya, this and many more questions. This looks interesting, but they left a lot of unanswered questions. I would like to see how they do plumbing, heating, light fixtures, etc.
The parabolic curve is one of the most significant scientific discoveries in human history . Imagine a "dome home" made in a parabolic shape using this material . Heat and cool distribution and awesome acoustics .
What an amazing alternative to current building techniques. Like the video portrayed, Hemp was used for thousands of years (in fact hemp was required to be grown in the early days of the USA) for rope, paper, textiles, etc. but got a bad rap when industrial barons of the 19th and 20th centuries insisted on using wood (yes they owned the wood) for everything from paper to building products and supplies.
Thankyou so much for this video, I heard of hempcrete many years ago and wondered what happened with the technology. The design, ease of use and multitude of applications make this building invention super exciting for me and its future potential.
This is great for so many applications. The idea of something light, safe, long lasting, and low maintenance are amazing characteristics for an easy building material. I hope to use these in a self built home
@r n unfortunately, obviously. Did you even bother to realize the truth I stated? It's easy to just chime in, but your reply isn't useful to any point. Hemp blocks for mainstream brick replacement is an incredibly sophomoric idea. It being used for specific sub-projects where insulation is needed is a great idea. These are two entirely different points that require the same truth. Using a farm to replace a stone is never going to be energy efficient or eco-savvy on a large scale, so better focus on the small one than waste a bunch of breathe with these hope-inducing movements of people that truthfully are more interested in growing more pot than they are in actual design or construction. I work in both design AND Cannabis, and I am not wrong.
@r n he sounds like a guy that just tried some free rum at the store ... "oh it's spicy AND imported? I hope to use this when I open up a bar". Like seriously, in earnest tell me how those points aren't met otherwise in your supposed self building of a home you have all lined up ...
Great product. Anything using hemp is a winner. It's a great rotational crop too. Because it fixes soil nitrogen levels for other crops. Amazing that humans have been using hemp for centuries, and we went away from a wonder product. Glad we are rediscovering the old ways with new technology.
This would be a great option to build with in areas that are prone to forest fires. Put a metal roof on it and the house would last though the fire. Very interesting.
If there are any tests on how hempcrete blocks stack up to a regular stick build in terms of wind resistance(hurricane and tornado strength), a video would be really appreciated!
There are meshes that can be added to give even more strength to the exterior and interior like sheetrock has paper on each side giving it tremendous strength.
Honestly If i was looking to make it last, id use this as the structural wall and have an Exterior Brick layer to protect it. should keep out most of the moisture. and the hemp blocks would work great as insulation of the required thickness for up north.
I'd love to have my home built from this stuff. The only factor is that I get snow drifts that put a great deal of pressure on the walls. It would need to be very strong in that regard. I love that it would better insulate the underside of my house.
Terry Radford is a great speaker in this video. Very easy to absorb the information he provides nonstop during this video. Well done. Would love to own a hempcrete home. The only thing I noticed was that the below grade foam blocks would probably emit voc's and I noticed that Terry did not say otherwise. Regardless, I would use them. I love the idea that these hempcrete insulate and provide structural integrity at half the weight of concrete. Oh yeah, and sequester 10 tons of carbon per home on average.
except he said that it has the same load bearing capacity as conventional concrete which is entirely false! i dont understand why he would say such a thing
I'd like to know how many blocks do you get per acre of plants? To cut down on shipping it would make sense to have small manufacturers in communities so you're not shipping blocks thousands of miles to the work site. Just like there were smaller saw mills and homesteaders have portable saw mills. That's also how you can create green jobs & move towards a greener economy. Lots of people would love to be able to say they grew their own house! Lol
Hey, you just coined the term: "Grow your own house, with Hemp Block"! I just moved to the country and am seriously thinking of growing some hemp and experimenting.
@@markhedquist9597 Yes I suppose I did! Lol I have a small acreage & I'd love to grow hemp too. I'd love to have my own business & call it "Homegrown Homes" Lmaooo
Your forgetting the whole "lego part" part of the block which is the load bearing part of it. That is not going to be a home grown part to make and the chemicals to make it are not the most green of processes.
@@corail53 I agree, but we have to start somewhere. I would actually do my due diligence on this and any other versions of this idea that exist. I'm sure most people interested in the hemp part would likely not want plastic in their house either.
What's the wind resistance of walls made with this? Is the reduced weight negligible when a structure is all together? It seems like a really cool in-between for wood and concrete, and fiberglass insulation!
This video was incredibly well made and very enjoyable to watch! Thank you so much for shedding light on this new construction technology. Very interested and excited to see how hemp-blocks will impact the construction industry…seems like a massive disruptor!
This is so super duper awesomeness!! I've been a fan of "hemp Crete" and building a home for my family out of this spectacular product! I live in Oregon where we have an abundance of locally grown hemp. I would love to build a hemp fiber, shipping container home with a built in greenhouse for passive heating as well as sustainable food.
Cool cool but why the shipping container? Check out ownhome. Tiny house from germany with sunroom/greenhouse on the southside. And clay plus wood for the walls.
LoL of course you're in Oregon. This material is terrible, shipping containers make terrible houses. Sorry, I'm a jerk but please remember this: Shipping containers are a really, REALLY BAD way to try to make a home. -an architect
@@travismiller5548 and where are you from? Oregon is beautiful, I've been all over this country many times and Oregon is one of the most amazing places on this planet. I work every day in the cannabis industry and see the waste that could be used to produce building materials. Shipping containers are cool, been using them probably way way before you got your architecture degree, and I've never had an issue. So if your going to be all super architect then give me or us the reasoning behind your thoughts. Btw not only do I grow some of the greatest indoor cannabis in Oregon with the lab results to prove it, I also went to school for culinary arts, so I'm just wondering what makes you so cool?
What was your price? And where did you get it.. because my price in ontario, is astronomically unfeasible. 130 a square foot its not even worth looking into.
The price was reasonable as I did the work myself. I purchased hemp hurd from Ontario Hemp Materials, metakaolin clay from Poraver in Barrie ON and local hydrated lime. The bricks in this video are awesome because of the time consuming nature of the mixing/packing process, but overall I'm happy with the results, my 12" walls are approx R30 + thermal mass :)
Absolutely Brilliant - Love this. I will be looking at this as a solution going forward. Congrats to the team and owner who brought this product to life after "life"! Genius :)
Fantastic idea. I want to be the first woman in Germany to build her own hemp block little house. We have just one company making hemp stones with lime. There is just no house or even a tiny house project in Germany. Looking forward to introducing my first hemp house ever built in Germany 💗
I am so thankful for you and your brothers ingenuity to create a sustainable, safe, carbon negative and eco friendly building solution! I've always been a huge fan even helped with earth bag and straw home builds throughout my life! All the best and many blessings
Those center sections (ie the load bearing part) are basically a type of epoxy plastic - aka not great for the environment - won't break down and can't be recycled easily.
A brief financial analysis would help the audience understand if this is practical. What is the actual cost per block in volume, delivered to a major market? Since masons aren't required and blocks are just stacked what are comparative metrics on time to construct a wall of a given size compared to concrete hollow block masonry, and what is the comparative labor cost?
I was going to say that this surely is rather expensive, as it is still a niche market, but "as for pricing, the company says its hempcrete blocks can be up to 37% lower than traditional building materials with comparable specifications." I suppose it is hard to do a 1:1 comparison, but it does seem economically viable.
...and does it have to be hemp, or is that just a buzzword to get attention? Could the same thing be done with other, potentially cheaper, plant material without losing structural integrity?
@@jonw8694 Hemp is pretty cheap in most places to be fair, since it's a weed type plant. It is however very durable and I kinda wish they would show those qualities.
Seriously interesting. It would be great to have some quarter-round shapes (again, like Lego) in order to built curves into the design. Have spent quite a while researching an off-grid, net-zero build and some of the thermal-efficient considerations (including solar sinks) work best with some curving built into an outer wall. Great video, thank you for this informative vid and really innovative product design.
@@lutzaby1997nope…no smoking this house, hemp is the male version of a marijuana plant and has no thc, the female produces the flowers that is the bud you smoke!
The material and cost effective designs are there, but housing industry stick with existing stuff because of "contractual" relationships. For sure expect to make an enemy out of certain Industries if you take these company's work away.
On the issue of carbon pollution and such, we Actually are making a change. It's China actually sending all of its pollutants and ozone gases to West Coast America.
@@dra6o0n no... no thats not the case at all. Yes they are a big contributor but dont start putting the blame on the country ranked first on that list... cause in second place is america. You guys STILL use a lot of coal based facilites and since trump was so set on keeping them in use they are still there... plus the americans OBSESSION with using cars instead of any other transport is also not helping.
A few questions for you: - Why does hemp below grade decompose? Is this due to cutting off the airflow so it could shed the moisture? With proper ventilation hemp will shed moisture and help regulate it just like a thermal mass regulates heat automatically. - Why do you use a sealant on your hemp blocks? Part of the benefit to building with hemp is breath-ability which the majority of homes lack in abundance and enhances the living standard for the residents. There are other ways to protect you home exterior sufficiently. - Do you offer other sizes of blocks for colder climates? - What is does a repair job look like with these prefab blocks? I would think you must remove a substantial amount of blocks to make repairs with this method versus a quick fill for the typical build of filling the walls. - What is a comparable price comparison for similar insulation and what is the expected lifetime? Hemp is also fire proof not just fire resistant. There have been many demonstrations where people have deliberately tried to start hemp on fire and failed every time, sometimes to their surprise.
This is incredible! I wonder if this can also be done with dried and chopped-up bamboo (*edit: but bamboo probably wouldn't have the fire resistance of hemp). I'd love to learn more about this way of building.
We farm sugar cane and our customers juice it. We all have a crazy amount of leftovers. i'd love to know if we can do this with sugar cane scraps the same???
I don't think there was a mention of how long it lasts. The main part of my mum's house goes back to the 1600s, it used to be the village pub and has been extended a lot over the years. I'm not sure this would be as long lasting but I can see some of the benefits.
Not only that but how does it settle over time? I dunno it looks to me the wall will be riddled with cracks after few years... Maybe I am wrong but I just dont see it as rigid as a brick mortar wall.
Yes, very long lasting. Much like modern adobe or cob, but each level is supported by the internal frame, which is very strong and rigid, so there will be little settling. With the lime binder, it will automatically and slowly heal any cracks over time and continue to strengthen for many, many decades. Very durable and resilient material.
@@Agent.Wadsworth they actually work very well for exterior insulation, but you could face them with "good ol brick" is you needed, and then you would have a very bulletproof and EMF-proof building!
Have you been approached by the tiny house industry yet? While the thickness would be prohibitive for mobile tinies, this would be great for stationary structures I would think. The fact that one of these could be built by one skilled engineer/foreman and a crew of just people is great too. Sort of like the old-time barn-raising used to be.
We are going to build a small house (around 600 sqft) in Minnesota, and this is very appealing. We have a lot of remodeling experience but have never built a house. It would also go on a foundation so it's exciting they have below grade blocks.
It would be interesting to see the long term maintenance needed for this type of building material, and how it stands up to harsh weather conditions like extreme cold weather or extreme wet (e.g. monsoon) weather.
Finally, I was waiting for this kind of company for so long! :-D Hempcrete blocks like these and Compressed Earth Blocks are the best options out there at the moment, for smaller building I'd say.
Compressed earth = bricks, adobe, any variety like that aka been around for a thousands of years and used in dry climates everywhere to this day. They do not work that well in wet/northern climates. Hempcrete has been around a long time as well this is just yet another iteration of it, there is a major reason why mainstream building industry has not adopted it yet, costs and availability.
2:42 The only difference between concrete and this hempcrete is the ingredients. They BOTH have lime. Lime is made from limestone which has to be kiln fired to RELEASE CARBON DIOXIDE, bound up in the rock, back into the atmosphere to turn it into lime. Carbon dioxide is released from the limestone PLUS the energy used to fire up the kiln. This is no more environmentally friendly than concrete. It is only lighter and quicker to decompose. I wouldn't want that for my foundation. Solid concrete for my foundation please.
Pretty cool stuff!! How long do they think these blocks can last? Do the constructions start breaking down over time from water, bugs or mold? I don't really know what to compare it to.
If you are talking about maintaining lime stucco, stucco is a very durable finish material with a typical life span of 50-80 years or more. Although it is one of the most durable surfaces available, it also features the lowest annual maintenance cost when compared to other siding materials.
I watch urban adventures channels that go through abandoned houses. Want your house to last? Use a metal roof. That is what I've noticed homes, even abandoned for fifty years that have metal roofing are remarkable in there preservation.
@@batalay Could you please write more about those homes? I didn't know hemp blocks had been in use before - I thought it's modern technology (blocks (not just the hemp as a building material).
Love this! It's a win win all the way around with the Lego format being something I'm surprised was not used long ago. It just seems obvious. Even the layman would be able to build walls easily with these.
I'm also fascinated with turning seaweed into blocks, like what Omar Vasquez is doing with his company SARGABLOCK. They collect the invasive brown algae that washes up on Caribbean beaches (and costs a fortune to the tourism industry). Biofiber, Sargablock... _THIS_ is how carbon sequestration should be done!!!!
The functional impact of carbon sequestration from such things is absurdly low. It's a waste of everyones time to even approach innovation at all from that perspective and waste energy there. Turning agricultural waste like the remainder of the plant after harvest and animal manure into biochar however is a logical, low tech, almost free solution that anyone in the world can do and the result is something that increases the health of the land to improve crop health and yields for hundreds of years to come in added back to the soil. It actually sequesters the carbon long term. This would alone would likely make a massive different in the carbon issue but it's not done. No one actually cares about carbon, they never did. It's about power and control. That's what the carbon tax does. Just like vaccine passports, it's not about health. It never was.
@@elizabethdg It probably is a scam to tax the globe. Carbon is a essential life giving element. That is why I mentioned biochar. It's amazing for plants I buy it and add it to all my houseplant potting mixes. One of the biggest secrets in horticulure. And it's stupidly easy to make and low tech as I pointed out. If carbon was really an issue they'd be turning all the waste to biochar it is practically free to do and almost instantly would turn every agricultural field on the PLANET into an extremely effective carbon sink. I don't know the metrics but I'm sure it's seriously many times more than the amount of carbon humanity releases.
Hemp really is a miracle crop that has so many great uses. This is a very interesting idea but I'd like to see some different finishing options for both interior and exterior as I hate stucco and plaster.
I remember when the state of Kentucky was aiming for Industrial Hemp, the b eurocrats refused the approach due to the fact its appearance was to close to recreational type hemp.
interesting but I missing the disadvantages of this building style. I've seen "lego bricks" in India too, but there it was the problem, that the pushing strength sitewards wasn't as high, as in solide concrete or with clasical brick stacking. Because of that they're using steel bars. It would be perfect to using the already given holes. Simply set the first row, drill the steel bars into the foundation and stacking from there up. I could imagine another problem is with the tensile strenght of screws or nails in the wall. I don't know if there is a problem, but it could be possible. The last one I want to write about are the gaps between the bricks. He told, that they got glued, so the gaps would be disappear, but then the problem of the not even level by stacking the bricks up would come again. Somethin he explicit told about it isn't the case because the bricks does not touch another. But with glue they would.... Nevertheless, without the glue (or what ever) it has gaps, what is decreasing the isolation. I like dealers who talk about the pros AND cons of something, so I can decide. And the most important thing, can handle the things to look out for, like weigth of my hanging cabinets in the kitchen or looking for special dowels I have to use.
Yeah, I have same concerns! Curious how you’d hang heavy things. Also curious about using it in humid or wet climates? As soon as it gets wet wouldn’t it fall apart or rot? At least with wood you can replace. Regardless, very cool would try out
Hemp and lime are both breathable materials so even high humidity is not a problem. Can’t leave it wet, which is why it’s not used below ground, but air moisture is not a problem.
They have found 1200 year old hemp and Lym walls that are still standing, after 75 years the wall becomes petrified, you can pass jeans made of hemp fiber down to your grandchildren, hemp oil is outstanding for your health, Henry Ford made a car body out of hemp fiber, then made the oil to lubricate the engine out of hemp, which did not set well with Standard Oil or the Steel Industry.
This is very exciting and promising. I hope the industry picks this up soon as a common form of building homes. How does this compare in cost per square footage to an average built home?
Love those hemp & lime blocks. Have done lime plaster before, and that’s really a fun material to work. Nicely done. Now let’s get the country growing that crop!
I'd love to see how well it insulates in south Texas. We get over 100F regularly in the summer and down to freezing in the winter. To compare the electric bill would be so interesting.
@@ExploringAlternatives that's what I'm working on researching actually would love to do a video with y'all when it's up and running I'm planning on developing it in partnership with university of Washington this winter/ spring
Would need to know a lot more about the loadbearing "epoxy" frame to make any judgement. Epoxy is typically used for bonding surfaces together, not in independently resisting live axial & flexural loadings. You'd expect it to be too brittle to use for such purposes. Also that, lime and any additional bonding agents used for hempcrete are usually too expensive compared to traditional walling materials. And I'd like to see how the blocks would stand up to rough handling on the usual wet, muddy, construction site. Not well by the looks of it.
Excellent points, the fact that they never mentioned any downsides gives me second thoughts about ever building with these... better to let a few hundred homes be built like this first and see how that goes
Having worked with polyester epoxies, i understand they are pure poison until cured, and not environmentally friendly. To me, it seems like the fly in the ointment. Otherwise, i dig it, just not sure i could in good conscience sign up for a house with that much cast epoxy in it.
They build complete houses out of it and In France, they have bridges that are over a thousand years old that are still functioning so may not be the problem you are making it. below grade, it is not made to stand in water so don't build a boat with it. The best way to find something out is to build with it or go see a building that has.
@@paultryba7228 - A 1000yr old bridge with epoxy in it?? I've only ever seen stone bridges of that age. And houses with hemp in traditionally depend on timber framing as the structure. And timber is good both to bear axial and bending loads, whereas unconstrained epoxy is very unlikely to stand up to high axial or flexural loads.
If this is as practical as it sounds, then it's truly revolutionary. I would love to know more about how it handles harsh environments in the long run, and its reaction with other materials. Also how sustainable its processing is compared to regular brick and mortar.
This is truely great, especially as hemp is starting to get used for CO2 sequestration without really having a good use for all the hemp. One question: are there any experiences with rodents? In our timber/ clay house we always had mice in the walls
Thanks for watching! You can find out more about Just BioFiber hempcrete blocks here:
justbiofiber.com/
facebook.com/justbiofiber
instagram.com/just_biofiber/
Hello 👋.. Do you sell this product in Canada. How much? Thanks for your time
Canada. Can you buy the block in canada
@Wanda Gray beginning video: fireresistent
@Wanda Gray watch the video plus description. The brand and Co are named.
Can this hemp product be shipped to the US?
I wish the Navajo reservation would legalize industrial hemp production so we could start producing these types of materials for our own use and as an export. Our winters are cold and our summers are hot and if these blocks could help with insulation, people wouldn't need to burn as much wood and coal as they do to keep warm in the winter months. Not to mention that the reservation has areas contaminated from all the uranium mines and from my understanding the hemp plant can be used to pull some of that hazardous material from the ground (hopefully before it reaches down into the groundwater) so cultivation would help on that front as well.
Wow that’d be so cool! Bring money into the res too🤩
Could this be done as a co-op effort. And takien somewhere to be processed into the blocks?
The newly constructed hemp houses are not only termite-resistant but they are also fire-resistant, and they can prevent the growth of mold.
what about water? can they withstand water? at least as good as concrete?
@@Anti1gnorant interesting question, in my opinion, it should be good at withstanding water but I doubt it is as good as concrete. Let see what anyone else has to say.
@@Anti1gnorant It doesn't burn. It has a coating, Water proof and you're ready to go.
@@Anti1gnorant concrete absorbs water... lol unless it waterproofed/sealed..
and love flooding and high winds and lightning. No you did not make it blah blah blah proof. no one can.
Just the fact that those blocks are so large and are not hollow speaks to how much of a reduction in weight they are compared to traditional concrete blocks, which are much smaller and hollow but weigh around the same amount. Being able to have such a high insulation value without the need for insulation under siding and inside of framed walls is pretty impressive
Didn’t you hear him say that they’re filled with gravel? Am i the only one listening?
@@davidjones8043 You just made me re-watch this entire video with CC turned on, not once was gravel mentioned. The dude in the video described what both types of these blocks are made of and specifically stated that "no sand of any type is used so you can cut these blocks on a ban saw" at 2:30, you would not be able to cut a block filled with gravel on a ban saw. Also what would it matter if gravel was used, my comment was about how impressive it was to see an old man sling these blocks around like they are nothing when they are about 50% larger than a traditional concrete block and completely solid, and that they almost make the need for additional insulation near zero.
So no you aren't the only one listening, cause weren't listening...
another benefit is hemp petrifies in 100 years, When I was in Japan I. visited a 600 year old hemp house and it was beautiful.
@@bray7197 sounds so cool to see
petrify means "turns to stone" and that is a process that takes millions of years and only in very specific underground conditions.
@@brokenrecord3523it does harden back into limestone, so idk if purify is the correct term or not.
We tested this specific product in a wall assembly for fire rating at a test lab I worked at. It blew me away how well the hemp fibre composite material resisted high temperatures and flame on the furnace. I really hope to see our society adopting this product full scale in the near future considering all of the benefits.
Why should it surprise you? It's how we've been making furnaces and fireplaces for millennia? Take a mix of clay and hay and mix it together, shape and form them. Allow it to dry and now you have brick or a mud forge (or fireplace) that can take thousands of degrees of heat to smelt copper or iron... Or just keep your warm.
"blew me away" is not a good choice of words for this context xD
I wonder how well it holds up against termites
@@danbiss87 Considering it is just concrete with the hemp acting as a binder they won't bother it since it's covered in concrete. It's just like adding carbon fiber or fiberglass else as a binder to concrete.
what about sound do they block out sound better ?'
My daughter at 4 years old coined the phrase "Hemp Hemp Horray Have a Grateful Day!". We did alot of education on this amazing plant & attended a Dead show or two. So good to see this plant become accepted & utilized. This is a product I would use & I hope it takes over concrete!
We need options when it comes to natural building. We cannot just use one type, we can't produce THAT much sustainably. So great to see! Hemp can be used in so many ways! 💚💙
Wood is natural and it's easily accessible than hemp is.
Nothing is 'sustainable' when there are too many people on the planet.
@@thetessellater9163 I understand that, but a lot can be accomplished if people actually work together, there is a possibility for sustainable products, we just use excess amount of everything! There is the problem. Now, do you have anything you can teach me? A solution? Or just a disagreement about sustainability? Please, if you are going to disagree, give me something! I don't see a human cull coming up, so finding solutions is the main goal. Real solutions, not pretending to be environmentally friendly and counting on people to well, not read. Not to actually learn. That is where I believe people are lazy. We need thinkers and those that care. Caring would help everything!
It’s because of law , or else everyone would build themselves a mansion ,
We have more trees now than 100 years ago in north America.
So glad to see this actually happening…hemp is such a versatile plant with countless uses…let’s hope the rest of the world catches on to it’s thus far hidden value
It's not a hidden value.
Henp was widely used for commercial and industrial goals in the past.
But the US ruined that with their war on drugs that was copied around the globe.
It's a great idea, but he lost me with "slightly above average price". That ruins the whole idea.
Personally i think it would be better to use henp fiber in earth bag building concepts and plating material instead of bricks.
You need to build cheaper. Much cheaper. Housing has become too expensive. Using this and driving up the price means it's only something for the very rich climate change fanatics to feel better about themselves. It's not practical for large scale use.
@@benanders4412 housing is mostly expensive because rich people hoard and sit on their land waiting the prices to climb ever higher. It is "above average" in costs compared to wood frame, but also more superior in structure, efficiency and fire resistance.
@@benanders4412 Maybe he meant the material was more expensive, but if they are quicker and easier to install the labor should be cheaper. If you did most of the work yourself and it looks like an easy install for people with a little general experience in the trades could handle. i want to know the price.
As long as the rich and America exist it won’t unfortunately. Their goal is to manipulate and destroy any and everything just for their benefit.
As a civil engineer, this episode with all the technical detail was just like honey. Thank you for sharing!!
@yo yo Something weird about the comments on this video. It's like they're bots or a cult.
@yo yo That was my question load bearing limits. Also, how long will these last? In 20 years will it be falling apart? How durable where weather is concerned?
@@wimpb Yeah I wonder if they're a bunch of bots supporting the lumber industry or something by trying to bring down Hemp Blocks
@@nathanvalle6997 I'm pretty sure that, other than the "you'll get high if it burns'" comments, a lot of these comments are valid concerns from skilled Tradesmen, construction people and architects. Seems to me that many of them are pointing stuff out that MIGHT help the Hemp block industry. My Dad was an architect, and I've done various forms of construction over the years. fwiw, I'm a huge proponent of this product and alternative building in general.
@@jwwtzl67 That's reassuring to hear, as many of the comments under Dark's comment thread seemed hell-bent on being negative. For instance the back and forth about R values... just go to the site and look! 33-35 R value given for a standard wall construction using the methods shown.
I have been dying to see hemp being used commercially again, thank you guys for seeing the benefit of this renewable resource!
Not with marijuana being so easily available
The earth gives us everything we need and its completely sustainable we just aren't very smart about how we do things. This is a great step in the right direction
DuPont realized it and lobbied for the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act, 1937 and later the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.
Hard to sell your nylon fibers when hemp production costs are so low.
I wonder. The plastic, load-bearing core seems problematic. The production of lime is also massively energy consuming.
Building with hemp has been around for so long, but this video makes it look like an absolute NO BRAINER! I hope it becomes much more popular. Great work by these guys. Such an easy sell for them because they've considered so much.
except water ingress of course 😂
@@keithcole9904 have you built with this material?
Ya, it really makes you wonder why someone wouldn't want to build a house out of a highly flammable material.
@@keithcole9904 they make a sealed version incased in bio plastic so your incorrect🤣
@@stuzworldz
They really don't....unlucky
Keep up the BS ...its suits you 🤡
This is actually incredible, I would love to build a home using this material.
me too!!i once helped doing a superadobe house but this looks LIKE A GAME COMPARED
Imagine building your home like building a Lego set!
@Garbage Ilearsi as i watched i saw the high cost coming, they have to reduce the costs to make these before it can be accepted
@@area52designscustompaint6 what would be the accepted price for your guys? cinder block is 1-2$ a pop and you can't really compare 2 as this one comes with R value afaik ~ R2-3 per 1inch. So assuming it's 10-12inches wide wall it will be your R30ish but the cinder block will give R1.5 :) can't really compare the 2.
Hemp is super expensive in general. can't make cheap burritos from expensive stakes :)
termite will have a feast .......
I was given a tour of the manufacturing facility it was amazingly simple and the gentlemen were truly great guys. This product should change the world.
where is it located?
Living in an area where we get quite a bit of wet weather, I'd be interested in the short and long term affects from exposure to continuously wet conditions.
If I built with these I'd definitely put up a moisture barrier around the outside like I would a normal house before applying stucco. Should be fine like that.
@@jacobglassmeyer5961 humidity over 10-12 yrs will render it crumbly and falling apart.
Good point. Wonder if spraying a water repellent on it would help.
@@STB-jh7od it would help, but ultimately I think that it would be unnecessary. If you installed a moisture barrier and added stucco over the top of it then you would be fine. If done right the place should be waterproof for a very long time.
@@deathninja16 possibly. It would be interesting to test.
This is great. We need factories turning these out by the thousands.
And the government made it illegal because they were in bed with the logging industry
We need a better government...
@@ahsnap9103 no shit Sherlock haha
My stoned mind
@@ahsnap9103 I read an article in a farm magazine that there's a planned commercial hemp processing plant to be built in ND in the near future to process a 100,000 acres of hemp into various products. Can't remember the name of the company, but it sounds like they are on the verge of making it happen very soon.
We cannot continue to deplete our soils for anything other than food. The biofuel / biomass industry is aware of that, and the same applies to hemp production - a nightmare scenario where there's little fertile soil left in the future.
I love seeing applications of hemp like that. I'm convinced that hemp is the solution to so many problems. You can do so much with it and it's so easy to make it grow and it grows fast.
Hemp is the king of plants.
Just wait. In 50 years cars will be made from it. Including the paint.
@@isorokudono Poe's Law is strong in this
@@isorokudono lol cars were already made and ran on hemp by ford they outlaWed it cause of oil
I've never seen a modular hemp product with the same capacity that this has to change the building industry forever, amazing work!
Hempcrete is the best building material ever. It can be done even more simple as this lego aproach, complete diy. We have been living in our hempcrete house for 3 years now and we can't imagine living in a concrete house anymore. Building and living with hempcrete makes you sincerely happy.
Where are you located? Just curious because of building regulations will be my concern with using them
@@reneerobinson6953 Slovenia. You will probably need certificate for lime binder and another one for hempcrete mixture. Easiest way is to buy both materials from specialized manufacturer, for which you should get also certificates. In my case I onlly bought lime binder from italy ( senini tecnocanapa) and they gave me certificate also for hempcrete mixture.
Hempcrete: So those 5G millimeter frequencies can get into your home real easily.
NO! 👎
NO! 👎
Not buying your government propaganda.
Awesome! Same idea as Timbercrete, I've wanted to build a house out of Timbercrete for years, I'll definitely check out Hempcrete. I love the Lego design of these blocks! They seem to take this concept to the next level in terms of hemp and lime being such renewable resources. I love this idea!
Forgot to say: THANK YOU for the time and energy you put into creating this line of building materials!! Absolutely awesome!!!
the dude is making money with the business he set up with it. Thank you for watching his commercial
@@ResurrectingJiriki Soo what ?!
It's a business to make money, why are you thanking.
@@JohnJones-zx9pu so there's that. no judgement, just stating the glaringly obvious to someone that felt the need to thank him, for his commercial.
Sarcasm is not your forte, I gather?
This is fascinating. I’d love to build a house out of this material it sounds fantastic.
Hemp is truly a miracle plant; not only for building materials like these, but for paper, fabric, and food. I had a hemp hat for over 12 years & it never wore out, but it finally shrunk so I gave it away. It's probably on some kid's head 30 years later.
Levis jeans & old american west jeans were made from hemp, lasted too long so not commercial.
@@Geoff-j4b That's not quite true; hemp jeans worked fine for the consumers but not for Levis, who learned that cotton denim wore out much sooner & could be easily textured to make it more fashionable. And the failed War on Drugs make it illegal for U.S. farmers to grow hemp (best suited to the American West's climate) so the option disappeared except in a few imported goods. The politics were primarily responsible & this isn't surprising since politics are the worst aspect of living in the U.S.
I want a house built out of these hemp blocks and a solar roof! With lumber through the roof and how long it takes for trees to grow this seems like such a great alternative!
Whats the cost comparison?
I have been planning a solar garage for a few years. I imagined somebody would have a design for this, but have not found one except one-offs. These or similar walls with a skillion roof is now something I will consider.
Me, too! I emailed the sales department to get info on availability.
Are you kidding? Construction lumber these days is all made from GMO fast growth trees.
@@Datanditto Yeah, they're growing fields of them ready for harvest in 90-110 days?
Looks like a great option for a sustainable build system.
This will never be used in mass production lol a disaster waiting to happen.
@@natashabegley1346 why is that? This product is engineered by some of the best engineers in the country.
@@montychong-walden6564 too expensive to produce, the infrastructure is alrdy in place for current systems. We would have to spend trillions to revamp our infrastructure to switch to hemp products.
@GYT u must be a liberal democrat, with no clue how basic economics work.
@@NirtieDigger You're right - and this is why it is so slow to take hold. It isn't going to all get done at once, yet it will need to happen. Just because "this is the way we have always done things" seems like a logical argument, it isn't and this is not a true statement. We actually used to build similar to this with cob and adobe structures. It was the right way to build and we will need to get back to that. Trillions on re-doing infrastructure (which isn't the true story, as much of it can be re-vamped) is going to be nothing compared to the costs we will bear if we have to face runaway climate disasters.
Can see these blocks having a huge impact in reducing heating bills, especially if used in conjunction with tripple glazing and the geothermal systems...
Generally homes built with mostly a brick or concrete material insulates better than your typical stud and siding house.
The variable is wide depending on your conditions but the estimate at this time is 30-60 percent energy savings compared to the basic home construction.
And cooling systems
Cant be having that, the energy giants wont allow it. Bad for the shares portfolios
If it is energy efficient then geothermal will never pay off.
Three questions:
1) How do you frame window and door openings--by using regular bucks? But how do they attach to the blocks?
2) you mentioned mortar between the blocks; could you use foam construction adhesive instead?
3) Is a bond beam needed at the top of the walls before framing a second story or roof?
I hope someone answers!
Ya, this and many more questions. This looks interesting, but they left a lot of unanswered questions. I would like to see how they do plumbing, heating, light fixtures, etc.
wow you aren't builders are you
The parabolic curve is one of the most significant scientific discoveries in human history . Imagine a "dome home" made in a parabolic shape using this material . Heat and cool distribution and awesome acoustics .
up the scale a few notches . How about 3D printed Hemp Dome houses with something like chopped basalt fibre blended in at the nozzle ?
This really makes me want to actually build my own home.
What an amazing alternative to current building techniques. Like the video portrayed, Hemp was used for thousands of years (in fact hemp was required to be grown in the early days of the USA) for rope, paper, textiles, etc. but got a bad rap when industrial barons of the 19th and 20th centuries insisted on using wood (yes they owned the wood) for everything from paper to building products and supplies.
This should go up! not many people seem to know the real history of the US and the whole hemp industry.
Thankyou so much for this video, I heard of hempcrete many years ago and wondered what happened with the technology. The design, ease of use and multitude of applications make this building invention super exciting for me and its future potential.
This is great for so many applications. The idea of something light, safe, long lasting, and low maintenance are amazing characteristics for an easy building material. I hope to use these in a self built home
Light, safe and long lasting .... describe how this is any better than other options that don't require a farm to create.
@r n unfortunately, obviously. Did you even bother to realize the truth I stated? It's easy to just chime in, but your reply isn't useful to any point.
Hemp blocks for mainstream brick replacement is an incredibly sophomoric idea.
It being used for specific sub-projects where insulation is needed is a great idea.
These are two entirely different points that require the same truth.
Using a farm to replace a stone is never going to be energy efficient or eco-savvy on a large scale, so better focus on the small one than waste a bunch of breathe with these hope-inducing movements of people that truthfully are more interested in growing more pot than they are in actual design or construction.
I work in both design AND Cannabis, and I am not wrong.
@r n he sounds like a guy that just tried some free rum at the store ...
"oh it's spicy AND imported? I hope to use this when I open up a bar".
Like seriously, in earnest tell me how those points aren't met otherwise in your supposed self building of a home you have all lined up ...
Are there any completed builds using this material? I'd love to see a completed structure tour.
An awesome alternative. I hope to see more carbon negative construction materials being innovated.
Great product. Anything using hemp is a winner. It's a great rotational crop too. Because it fixes soil nitrogen levels for other crops. Amazing that humans have been using hemp for centuries, and we went away from a wonder product. Glad we are rediscovering the old ways with new technology.
This would be a great option to build with in areas that are prone to forest fires. Put a metal roof on it and the house would last though the fire. Very interesting.
the house might, but nothing inside would.
1. Put human in house
2. Bake at 400 degrees
3. ????
4. Profit!
@@DVankeuren Exactly, which makes it an upgrade from everything, including the house, burns down.
Fire retardant not proof. I wonder how they would hold up during a hurricane.
@@ronaldbaak3183 no theyre fire proof.
If there are any tests on how hempcrete blocks stack up to a regular stick build in terms of wind resistance(hurricane and tornado strength), a video would be really appreciated!
Living 3 miles from the Gulf of Mexico I agree.
There are meshes that can be added to give even more strength to the exterior and interior like sheetrock has paper on each side giving it tremendous strength.
@@paultryba7228 Wow, Thanks I learned something new! 👍🏻
Honestly If i was looking to make it last, id use this as the structural wall and have an Exterior Brick layer to protect it. should keep out most of the moisture. and the hemp blocks would work great as insulation of the required thickness for up north.
Hatteras island NC and I was wondering the same, as well if it's recommended being started 8 plus feet off the ground
The fact that this knowledge is over a hundred years old and we never started utilizing it until now
Great job you guys!!
I'd love to have my home built from this stuff. The only factor is that I get snow drifts that put a great deal of pressure on the walls. It would need to be very strong in that regard. I love that it would better insulate the underside of my house.
Terry Radford is a great speaker in this video. Very easy to absorb the information he provides nonstop during this video. Well done. Would love to own a hempcrete home. The only thing I noticed was that the below grade foam blocks would probably emit voc's and I noticed that Terry did not say otherwise. Regardless, I would use them. I love the idea that these hempcrete insulate and provide structural integrity at half the weight of concrete. Oh yeah, and sequester 10 tons of carbon per home on average.
except he said that it has the same load bearing capacity as conventional concrete which is entirely false! i dont understand why he would say such a thing
I'd like to know how many blocks do you get per acre of plants? To cut down on shipping it would make sense to have small manufacturers in communities so you're not shipping blocks thousands of miles to the work site. Just like there were smaller saw mills and homesteaders have portable saw mills. That's also how you can create green jobs & move towards a greener economy. Lots of people would love to be able to say they grew their own house! Lol
Hey, you just coined the term: "Grow your own house, with Hemp Block"!
I just moved to the country and am seriously thinking of growing some hemp and experimenting.
@@markhedquist9597 Yes I suppose I did! Lol I have a small acreage & I'd love to grow hemp too. I'd love to have my own business & call it "Homegrown Homes" Lmaooo
@@bludaizee24 There you go! Great idea!
Your forgetting the whole "lego part" part of the block which is the load bearing part of it. That is not going to be a home grown part to make and the chemicals to make it are not the most green of processes.
@@corail53 I agree, but we have to start somewhere. I would actually do my due diligence on this and any other versions of this idea that exist. I'm sure most people interested in the hemp part would likely not want plastic in their house either.
Simply...WOW!!!!! I really hope these guys get funding to expand and help make these affordable and easily available for consumers soon.
What's the wind resistance of walls made with this? Is the reduced weight negligible when a structure is all together? It seems like a really cool in-between for wood and concrete, and fiberglass insulation!
He says that they are hurricane proof 😃
Wow. Outstanding. I want a hemp house from those blocks.
This video was incredibly well made and very enjoyable to watch! Thank you so much for shedding light on this new construction technology. Very interested and excited to see how hemp-blocks will impact the construction industry…seems like a massive disruptor!
Finally, large scale, adult Legos.
That is a genius bit of both engineering and materials. Well played.
This is so super duper awesomeness!! I've been a fan of "hemp Crete" and building a home for my family out of this spectacular product! I live in Oregon where we have an abundance of locally grown hemp. I would love to build a hemp fiber, shipping container home with a built in greenhouse for passive heating as well as sustainable food.
Cool cool but why the shipping container? Check out ownhome. Tiny house from germany with sunroom/greenhouse on the southside. And clay plus wood for the walls.
LoL of course you're in Oregon. This material is terrible, shipping containers make terrible houses. Sorry, I'm a jerk but please remember this: Shipping containers are a really, REALLY BAD way to try to make a home.
-an architect
@@travismiller5548 and where are you from? Oregon is beautiful, I've been all over this country many times and Oregon is one of the most amazing places on this planet. I work every day in the cannabis industry and see the waste that could be used to produce building materials. Shipping containers are cool, been using them probably way way before you got your architecture degree, and I've never had an issue. So if your going to be all super architect then give me or us the reasoning behind your thoughts. Btw not only do I grow some of the greatest indoor cannabis in Oregon with the lab results to prove it, I also went to school for culinary arts, so I'm just wondering what makes you so cool?
Thanks for posting and sharing. The blocks look like they would be simple for inexperienced people to build with. Very interesting and exciting.
As someone who has built with hemp in northern Ontario's temperate climate, I wish this had been readily available at my time of build ;b Brilliant!
care to share any details?
What was your price? And where did you get it.. because my price in ontario, is astronomically unfeasible.
130 a square foot its not even worth looking into.
The price was reasonable as I did the work myself. I purchased hemp hurd from Ontario Hemp Materials, metakaolin clay from Poraver in Barrie ON and local hydrated lime. The bricks in this video are awesome because of the time consuming nature of the mixing/packing process, but overall I'm happy with the results, my 12" walls are approx R30 + thermal mass :)
@@renegadepermaculture Did you rely on previously published resources to determine your ratios or did you test it?
When he set that giant flame onto the brick of hemp it warmed my heart
Absolutely Brilliant - Love this. I will be looking at this as a solution going forward. Congrats to the team and owner who brought this product to life after "life"! Genius :)
Fantastic idea. I want to be the first woman in Germany to build her own hemp block little house. We have just one company making hemp stones with lime. There is just no house or even a tiny house project in Germany. Looking forward to introducing my first hemp house ever built in Germany 💗
Würde ich gerne sehen.
Must be dope to know you will be the first one
I am so thankful for you and your brothers ingenuity to create a sustainable, safe, carbon negative and eco friendly building solution! I've always been a huge fan even helped with earth bag and straw home builds throughout my life! All the best and many blessings
Those center sections (ie the load bearing part) are basically a type of epoxy plastic - aka not great for the environment - won't break down and can't be recycled easily.
A brief financial analysis would help the audience understand if this is practical. What is the actual cost per block in volume, delivered to a major market? Since masons aren't required and blocks are just stacked what are comparative metrics on time to construct a wall of a given size compared to concrete hollow block masonry, and what is the comparative labor cost?
I was going to say that this surely is rather expensive, as it is still a niche market, but "as for pricing, the company says its hempcrete blocks can be up to 37% lower than traditional building materials with comparable specifications." I suppose it is hard to do a 1:1 comparison, but it does seem economically viable.
...and does it have to be hemp, or is that just a buzzword to get attention? Could the same thing be done with other, potentially cheaper, plant material without losing structural integrity?
@@jonw8694 Hemp is pretty cheap in most places to be fair, since it's a weed type plant. It is however very durable and I kinda wish they would show those qualities.
Seriously interesting. It would be great to have some quarter-round shapes (again, like Lego) in order to built curves into the design. Have spent quite a while researching an off-grid, net-zero build and some of the thermal-efficient considerations (including solar sinks) work best with some curving built into an outer wall. Great video, thank you for this informative vid and really innovative product design.
Id also like to see.variable angle blocks, 30, 45, 60 degree, etc could be done. Square walls are Boring! And corners are heat sinks.
I looked at their website where they are building a gorgeous house with curved walls!
@@1818kitten I'll see if I can find it, sounds great!
This is absolutely brilliant. I want to invest in these guys and build a hemp house!!!
@@lutzaby1997nope…no smoking this house, hemp is the male version of a marijuana plant and has no thc, the female produces the flowers that is the bud you smoke!
ME TOO
The material and cost effective designs are there, but housing industry stick with existing stuff because of "contractual" relationships.
For sure expect to make an enemy out of certain Industries if you take these company's work away.
On the issue of carbon pollution and such, we Actually are making a change.
It's China actually sending all of its pollutants and ozone gases to West Coast America.
@@dra6o0n no... no thats not the case at all. Yes they are a big contributor but dont start putting the blame on the country ranked first on that list... cause in second place is america. You guys STILL use a lot of coal based facilites and since trump was so set on keeping them in use they are still there... plus the americans OBSESSION with using cars instead of any other transport is also not helping.
A few questions for you:
- Why does hemp below grade decompose? Is this due to cutting off the airflow so it could shed the moisture? With proper ventilation hemp will shed moisture and help regulate it just like a thermal mass regulates heat automatically.
- Why do you use a sealant on your hemp blocks? Part of the benefit to building with hemp is breath-ability which the majority of homes lack in abundance and enhances the living standard for the residents. There are other ways to protect you home exterior sufficiently.
- Do you offer other sizes of blocks for colder climates?
- What is does a repair job look like with these prefab blocks? I would think you must remove a substantial amount of blocks to make repairs with this method versus a quick fill for the typical build of filling the walls.
- What is a comparable price comparison for similar insulation and what is the expected lifetime?
Hemp is also fire proof not just fire resistant. There have been many demonstrations where people have deliberately tried to start hemp on fire and failed every time, sometimes to their surprise.
Hempcrete wicks moisture, that's why lower layers need to be waterproof.
We need more innovators like this!
Love it! As a building biologist I'm sure hempcrete will be the material of the future. Thanks for sharing!
I can't wait to start researching mycelium blocks similar to this this winter
@@thegnomegang6825 Are you working on such a project?
@@seededsoul that I am
This is incredible! I wonder if this can also be done with dried and chopped-up bamboo (*edit: but bamboo probably wouldn't have the fire resistance of hemp). I'd love to learn more about this way of building.
I think the Lime is the main cause for fire resistance.
I was thinking bamboo too
We farm sugar cane and our customers juice it. We all have a crazy amount of leftovers. i'd love to know if we can do this with sugar cane scraps the same???
I shared this one because all the great factures from growing, manufacturing, R Value and structural fortitude.
Thank you so much, Rita! We appreciate the share :)
@@ExploringAlternatives 👍🏾😉
I don't think there was a mention of how long it lasts.
The main part of my mum's house goes back to the 1600s, it used to be the village pub and has been extended a lot over the years. I'm not sure this would be as long lasting but I can see some of the benefits.
Not only that but how does it settle over time? I dunno it looks to me the wall will be riddled with cracks after few years... Maybe I am wrong but I just dont see it as rigid as a brick mortar wall.
it's got lime in it so it probably lasts quite a while.
Yes, very long lasting. Much like modern adobe or cob, but each level is supported by the internal frame, which is very strong and rigid, so there will be little settling. With the lime binder, it will automatically and slowly heal any cracks over time and continue to strengthen for many, many decades. Very durable and resilient material.
I'd use this for the interior & insulation, & good ol brick for the outside.
@@Agent.Wadsworth they actually work very well for exterior insulation, but you could face them with "good ol brick" is you needed, and then you would have a very bulletproof and EMF-proof building!
Have you been approached by the tiny house industry yet? While the thickness would be prohibitive for mobile tinies, this would be great for stationary structures I would think. The fact that one of these could be built by one skilled engineer/foreman and a crew of just people is great too. Sort of like the old-time barn-raising used to be.
We are going to build a small house (around 600 sqft) in Minnesota, and this is very appealing. We have a lot of remodeling experience but have never built a house. It would also go on a foundation so it's exciting they have below grade blocks.
Thank you. This is amazing! Hemp is the future to the earth🌎🌏🌍. I have hope❤️
This is exactly what is needed in the world right now! Please can this be made available in the U.K., I would 100% build my house from this 🙌🙌🙌
We have a fabulous world with wonderful people 😊
It would be interesting to see the long term maintenance needed for this type of building material, and how it stands up to harsh weather conditions like extreme cold weather or extreme wet (e.g. monsoon) weather.
It hardens over time- becoming harder than steel in 60 years
I dont think its suited for "extreme" weather conditions, otherwise they would market the material as a material able to withstand extreme conditions.
I now know what my dream home will be built of. Love it!
Finally, I was waiting for this kind of company for so long! :-D Hempcrete blocks like these and Compressed Earth Blocks are the best options out there at the moment, for smaller building I'd say.
Compressed earth = bricks, adobe, any variety like that aka been around for a thousands of years and used in dry climates everywhere to this day. They do not work that well in wet/northern climates. Hempcrete has been around a long time as well this is just yet another iteration of it, there is a major reason why mainstream building industry has not adopted it yet, costs and availability.
2:42 The only difference between concrete and this hempcrete is the ingredients. They BOTH have lime. Lime is made from limestone which has to be kiln fired to RELEASE CARBON DIOXIDE, bound up in the rock, back into the atmosphere to turn it into lime. Carbon dioxide is released from the limestone PLUS the energy used to fire up the kiln. This is no more environmentally friendly than concrete. It is only lighter and quicker to decompose. I wouldn't want that for my foundation. Solid concrete for my foundation please.
Pretty cool stuff!! How long do they think these blocks can last? Do the constructions start breaking down over time from water, bugs or mold? I don't really know what to compare it to.
If you are talking about maintaining lime stucco, stucco is a very durable finish material with a typical life span of 50-80 years or more. Although it is one of the most durable surfaces available, it also features the lowest annual maintenance cost when compared to other siding materials.
@@dosadoodle Lime render on external walls with a good roof should perform better than most conventionally built houses .
I watch urban adventures channels that go through abandoned houses. Want your house to last? Use a metal roof. That is what I've noticed homes, even abandoned for fifty years that have metal roofing are remarkable in there preservation.
There are hemp block homes in France that has been sitting there for few centuries.
@@batalay Could you please write more about those homes? I didn't know hemp blocks had been in use before - I thought it's modern technology (blocks (not just the hemp as a building material).
This is really exciting to see. Good things coming from Alberta, Canada. I hope to see them in California soon.
Love this! It's a win win all the way around with the Lego format being something I'm surprised was not used long ago. It just seems obvious. Even the layman would be able to build walls easily with these.
This is amazing! I wonder how resilient hemp-crete blocks are against earthquakes, or tornadoes, and other destructive natural phenomena.
I've got the same question
Brilliant idea, planet earths future building material
I'm also fascinated with turning seaweed into blocks, like what Omar Vasquez is doing with his company SARGABLOCK. They collect the invasive brown algae that washes up on Caribbean beaches (and costs a fortune to the tourism industry). Biofiber, Sargablock... _THIS_ is how carbon sequestration should be done!!!!
Wow now here's an idea! Let's combine the two. Maybe I should read the article first but it sounded good!
The functional impact of carbon sequestration from such things is absurdly low. It's a waste of everyones time to even approach innovation at all from that perspective and waste energy there. Turning agricultural waste like the remainder of the plant after harvest and animal manure into biochar however is a logical, low tech, almost free solution that anyone in the world can do and the result is something that increases the health of the land to improve crop health and yields for hundreds of years to come in added back to the soil. It actually sequesters the carbon long term. This would alone would likely make a massive different in the carbon issue but it's not done. No one actually cares about carbon, they never did. It's about power and control. That's what the carbon tax does. Just like vaccine passports, it's not about health. It never was.
@@WaterspoutsOfTheDeep good grief...carbon is a good thing ..the basic building block of life. The global warming hoax is all about control
@@elizabethdg It probably is a scam to tax the globe. Carbon is a essential life giving element. That is why I mentioned biochar. It's amazing for plants I buy it and add it to all my houseplant potting mixes. One of the biggest secrets in horticulure. And it's stupidly easy to make and low tech as I pointed out. If carbon was really an issue they'd be turning all the waste to biochar it is practically free to do and almost instantly would turn every agricultural field on the PLANET into an extremely effective carbon sink. I don't know the metrics but I'm sure it's seriously many times more than the amount of carbon humanity releases.
I wrote a thesis on this in college. So great to see it on action
Hemp really is a miracle crop that has so many great uses. This is a very interesting idea but I'd like to see some different finishing options for both interior and exterior as I hate stucco and plaster.
I remember when the state of Kentucky was aiming for Industrial Hemp, the b eurocrats refused the approach due to the fact its appearance was to close to recreational type hemp.
Truly an amazing product. I hope this becomes available at the Lowes and Home Depots of the world for us DIY types.
They would ruin the brand I think it should stay independent.
@@MoonChild-nw6oy - How could they ruin it? They're simply resellers.
interesting but I missing the disadvantages of this building style. I've seen "lego bricks" in India too, but there it was the problem, that the pushing strength sitewards wasn't as high, as in solide concrete or with clasical brick stacking. Because of that they're using steel bars. It would be perfect to using the already given holes. Simply set the first row, drill the steel bars into the foundation and stacking from there up.
I could imagine another problem is with the tensile strenght of screws or nails in the wall. I don't know if there is a problem, but it could be possible.
The last one I want to write about are the gaps between the bricks. He told, that they got glued, so the gaps would be disappear, but then the problem of the not even level by stacking the bricks up would come again. Somethin he explicit told about it isn't the case because the bricks does not touch another. But with glue they would....
Nevertheless, without the glue (or what ever) it has gaps, what is decreasing the isolation.
I like dealers who talk about the pros AND cons of something, so I can decide. And the most important thing, can handle the things to look out for, like weigth of my hanging cabinets in the kitchen or looking for special dowels I have to use.
Yeah, I have same concerns! Curious how you’d hang heavy things. Also curious about using it in humid or wet climates? As soon as it gets wet wouldn’t it fall apart or rot? At least with wood you can replace.
Regardless, very cool would try out
Hemp and lime are both breathable materials so even high humidity is not a problem. Can’t leave it wet, which is why it’s not used below ground, but air moisture is not a problem.
@@coleblezard6628 i heard on another video that hempcrete toughens up and hardens over time due to weathering
They have found 1200 year old hemp and Lym walls that are still standing, after 75 years the wall becomes petrified, you can pass jeans made of hemp fiber down to your grandchildren, hemp oil is outstanding for your health, Henry Ford made a car body out of hemp fiber, then made the oil to lubricate the engine out of hemp, which did not set well with Standard Oil or the Steel Industry.
This is very exciting and promising. I hope the industry picks this up soon as a common form of building homes. How does this compare in cost per square footage to an average built home?
Love those hemp & lime blocks.
Have done lime plaster before, and that’s really a fun material to work.
Nicely done.
Now let’s get the country growing that crop!
This is one of the most exciting things I’ve seen in green building in a long time!! How wonderful!!
the green & black structural additions to the hemp block, are they made from recycled plastics ? ! ? that would be a wonderful thing.
We think this is totally awesome. Thanks Matt for sharing ❤
This is wonderful! I'm very interested in using this in the tiny home I'm building. Thank you Exploring Alternatives for this video!
Would love to see this in Sweden. I am interested in more details how it handles moisture inside and outside of the house.
This is cool I hope one day this is standard the world need's this
Good to see, that there are people out there that have such incredible ideas 💚
I'd love to see how well it insulates in south Texas. We get over 100F regularly in the summer and down to freezing in the winter. To compare the electric bill would be so interesting.
You are in luck. There are a few hempcrete projects going in Texas now.
@@kmcroes cool!!!😍
R70 will be phenomenal in TX or anywhere.
I would like to see this combined with mushroom mycellium building techniques.
Ohh we'll have to check out the mycelium blocks, sounds neat! Thanks for watching :)
Yes cool hemp and magic mushrooms 🍄 would be a perfect mix 😋
@@ExploringAlternatives that's what I'm working on researching actually would love to do a video with y'all when it's up and running I'm planning on developing it in partnership with university of Washington this winter/ spring
Mushroom mycelium buildings ? That’s what I would call real “connected houses”
It's inventions like this that will one day save the planet.
Would need to know a lot more about the loadbearing "epoxy" frame to make any judgement. Epoxy is typically used for bonding surfaces together, not in independently resisting live axial & flexural loadings. You'd expect it to be too brittle to use for such purposes. Also that, lime and any additional bonding agents used for hempcrete are usually too expensive compared to traditional walling materials. And I'd like to see how the blocks would stand up to rough handling on the usual wet, muddy, construction site. Not well by the looks of it.
Excellent points, the fact that they never mentioned any downsides gives me second thoughts about ever building with these... better to let a few hundred homes be built like this first and see how that goes
@@davelevj he did mention that it was not suitable for below grade, i think that qualifies as a downside characteristic
Having worked with polyester epoxies, i understand they are pure poison until cured, and not environmentally friendly. To me, it seems like the fly in the ointment. Otherwise, i dig it, just not sure i could in good conscience sign up for a house with that much cast epoxy in it.
They build complete houses out of it and In France, they have bridges that are over a thousand years old that are still functioning so may not be the problem you are making it. below grade, it is not made to stand in water so don't build a boat with it. The best way to find something out is to build with it or go see a building that has.
@@paultryba7228 - A 1000yr old bridge with epoxy in it?? I've only ever seen stone bridges of that age. And houses with hemp in traditionally depend on timber framing as the structure. And timber is good both to bear axial and bending loads, whereas unconstrained epoxy is very unlikely to stand up to high axial or flexural loads.
If this is as practical as it sounds, then it's truly revolutionary. I would love to know more about how it handles harsh environments in the long run, and its reaction with other materials. Also how sustainable its processing is compared to regular brick and mortar.
It is very durable in harsh environments and carbon-negative due to biogenic carbon storage, so very sustainable.
This is truely great, especially as hemp is starting to get used for CO2 sequestration without really having a good use for all the hemp. One question: are there any experiences with rodents? In our timber/ clay house we always had mice in the walls
Yeah, the mice are all stoned.
I am pretty sure that the lime is toxic. its quite acidic and mixed with water starts to cause chemical burns.
Fabulous! Congratulations on your brilliantly simple design. I wish this was available in Australia. Best wishes