Members of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Minnesota have expanded a climate-friendly construction method to homes off the reservation after successfully using it for years.
The innovative process uses hempcrete — a hemp-based insulation product — instead of traditional insulation in building new homes. A company based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, called Americhanvre supplies the hempcrete in a spray applicator, cutting down the time it takes to install the material.
Danny Desjarlais, the Lower Sioux Industrial Hemp Construction project manager, told KARE 11 that "it's definitely a game-changer for installing hempcrete."
Hempcrete is made with the core of the hemp plant, known as hemp hurd or shiv, mixed with lime and water and then dried. Because it's made from hemp and not fiberglass, it is a more environmentally beneficial substance.
As Ind Hemp explains, "Both the hemp plant and the product hempcrete sequester carbon from the atmosphere. This means both the plant and the product contribute beneficially to the reduction of climate change. Hempcrete may be an underutilized product to aid in the fight against climate change."
And while conventional fiberglass is more common and cheaper to install, hempcrete might be a more attractive option because of the plant's sustainability, not to mention the potential health risks of fiberglass to both everyday people and fiberglass manufacturers.
Short-term fiberglass exposure can cause irritation to the respiratory system, especially in sensitive individuals, such as those with asthma.
Hempiculture adds, "There's also some speculation that long-term problems can potentially arise from repeated exposure to fiberglass insulation. Although most types of fiberglass insulation are no longer made with carcinogenic chemicals, the jury is still out on whether or not long-term fiberglass exposure can cause cancer or other health problems."
Hopefully, the hempcrete industry will continue to grow as it has in Minnesota, where it appears to be gaining popularity.
Desjarlais told Hempbuild Magazine, "Hemp is reviving our community and I believe it's the perfect blueprint for other communities — especially indigenous or underprivileged communities."
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Americhanvre co-owner Cameron McIntosh told KARE 11, "We've trained well over 100 people, and we have about 14 or 15 unique owner-operators around the country like Lower Sioux."
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