CREATING HEALTHY BUILDINGS

Creating healthy buildings

In the modern world of chemical and toxic building practices building with hempcrete offers the opportunity to create a living space that will benefit the health of the occupant as much as the environment. There are multiple reasons why the living environment created is so healthy.

Hempcrete is chemical free! Unlike many other insulations it is naturally fire, rot and pest-resistant. Chemicals added to building materials such as fire retardants contain known carcinogens including formaldehyde and VOC's (volatile organic compounds) - the “off- gassing” of which have been linked to a recent rise in allergies and asthma. Hempcrete is free from synthetic, fossil fuel based materials and is natural.

Hempcrete is a breathable material. Because of hempcrete's hygroscopic nature, moisture is absorbed into the wall during times of high relative humidity, being released again slowly as the relative humidity drops. This passive regulation means that excess moisture created from cooking, showers and from the occupants breathing is absorbed into the wall rather than forming condensation. Condensation in many homes is the cause of mould spores, and the formation of damp walls that lead to ill health.

The regulation of humidity in the indoor environment to a healthy level (between 40-60% relative humidity) has been shown to inhibit the spread of viral and bacterial infections, allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory conditions, and reduce the occurrence of mites, mould and fungi.

Hempcrete's ability to naturally regulate the quality of the indoor environment means that there is little need for mechanical ventilation or dehumidifiers, reducing the energy consumed to maintain the building.