The Pierre Chevet Sports Hall on the outskirts of Paris, Croissy-Beaubourg, is one of the first buildings constructed using hemp blocks.
The project was able to be realized due to the cooperation of architects, building manufacturers, construction companies and town leaders. Hemp blocks are a combination of lime, hemp fibers and a chemical binder. It has been given the name “hempcrete” since it can be poured just as traditional concrete. Texas A & M University was given a $3.74 million dollar grant by the Department of Energy to develop 3D printed hemp buildings. Smaller objects are already being produced using hemp but the high cost of developing these building materials must be overcome. There is also the stigma of the word hemp being connected to drug use. Hemp buildings can provide a space that is resistant to fire, mold, and extreme weather conditions. In Cape Town, South Africa, a 12-story building has already been constructed. The costs of the bricks are much higher, but construction takes considerably less time which decreases the expense of the overall project. As of now hemp buildings need to be a hybrid using traditional support systems (ex. iron beams) but the bulk of the building can be rendered using hemp.
https://www.buildwithrise.com/stories/building-with-hempcrete
