A homeowner recently shared a video that may give people another peek at the future of sustainable construction as well as affordable housing in the United States.
In a clip with nearly 400 likes, TikToker HempHealthyHome (@hemphealthyhome) explained how her family was building a house made only of lime and hemp hurd, a woody substance from the inside of the plant.
"We are the first hemp-block house in the United States that is building with this specific product," she says. Earlier in the video, she also noted her family wouldn't cover the blocks with drywall, as many people choose to do.
@hemphealthyhome 🌿 The Top 3 Questions About Our Hemp Home 🏡 1️⃣ Why? Hemp is a game-changer! It's incredibly sustainable, reaching maturity in just 90 days and sequestering more carbon per acre than a forest. A win for our planet! 🌍💫 2️⃣ What will it look like? It's all about your vision! We've opted for a beautiful plastered finish both inside and out, ditching conventional siding and drywall for a unique aesthetic. 🎨✨ 3️⃣ How much does it cost? The hemp walls substitute traditional insulation, siding, and drywall, making costs comparable to conventional builds. As they become more accessible in the US, we believe they'll pave the way for affordable, eco-friendly housing. 💰🌱 Let's build a better future together, one hemp block at a time! 🌟 #SustainableLiving #HempHomes #GreenFuture 🌿 #HempHealthyHome #SustainableConstruction #FollowAlong #HomeDesign #NaturalBuilding ♬ original sound - HempHealthyHome
"We're probably going to keep a little bit of the texture just because we love the hemp," she said. "But you can pick plasters that are pigmented. You can pick colors just like you would with paint."
As she pointed out, "People have been building with hempcrete for a long, long time," and the benefits of doing so are numerous.
In addition to being inexpensive, hempcrete is made from a plant that not only soaks up carbon pollution much more effectively than trees but also grows quickly.
"Hemp can renew itself to full maturity within 90 days. If we were building our house out of wood, it would take 20 to 25 years for the forest to reach maturity so that we could then harvest it," the TikToker explained, adding that the blocks would continue to absorb some carbon when they were part of the house.
As detailed by National Geographic, deforestation contributes to more than just the overheating of our planet, as habitat loss can increase the risk of diseases transmitting from wildlife to humans. Already, around 60% of "emerging infectious diseases" are from animals.
Hempcrete is also an amazing weatherizer, so homeowners spend less money on electric bills, cutting the generation of plant-warming pollution.
The OP explained that unfortunate "timing issues" meant her blocks had to be shipped to the U.S. rather than cast in place, but she hoped to see them available stateside sooner rather than later.
"Let's build a better future together, one hemp block at a time!" she wrote in the video's caption.
"Was gonna build my house out of wood logs … but…like you, I didn't like that idea. THIS is sooo much better!" one commenter said.
"Interesting! I like the look!" another said.
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