Cultivation of industrial hemp for fiber and grain - Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
The first home in the U.S. made out of hemp is complete. Builders used Hemp-crete to make the house in Asheville, North Carolina. Designer Anthony Brenner said hemp is a great insulator and air filter that makes houses cleaner and more energy efficient.
Hemp-crete is a mixture of hemp, lime and water. Inside the house, there are a lot green features. Walls and doors are made from recycled paper, which is breathable material. It is like having a large all-natural air filter. Many led lights were used throughout the home for low voltage lighting.
The 3400 square foot home was custom built for the current owner, the former Asheville mayor Russ Martin and his wife Karen Korp. When speaking to the local media they said, “The insulating factor and thermal capabilities are fantastic, I think this is really the wave of the future in looking at using reusable and recyclable materials that are a lot healthy, better for the environment and certainly for living.”
The house, that cost about $133 per square foot to build, is proving its conservativeness as the cooling bill for last month was about $100 or at least so says the happily green couple.
Hemp, a plant that to most people brings about thoughts of marijuana, has been used for other green initiatives like the concept vehicle in Canada that runs on hemp. Nathan Armstrong, director of development firm Motive Industries, the company that came up with the hemp car, said, “People have had interest, but it’s always been a supply and demand issue. This is the first time that people are taking hemp seriously.” Now all we can do is sit back, watch and hope that it does not catch fire.