Is hemp block insulation any good?
I just came across a video about building with hemp blocks. Does anybody here have any insights or knowledge about it?
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Hemp insulation is an excellent and very sustainable alternative to many types of more toxic building materials and insulations. But as for the hemp blocks, that would not be our preferred method. We’ve seen and looked into the blocks you are talking about, and while we like seeing innovative building products emerge, especially with natural materials like hemp, we would sooner use hemp batts. While the insulation in the blocks is natural, each block has a plastic form inside it which makes up the structure itself.
And as for the carbon footprint, they are pretty high in greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing. Using hemp blocks essentially means you are building a plastic framed house insulated with a hemp / lime mixture, so over all it is not as natural or ‘eco-friendly’ a product as it looks at first glance. In our opinion about this product, we think you would get a more sustainable and probably more affordable wall assembly using hemp batt insulation in a standard wood framed wall. Wood is a much more sustainable building product, not to mention that a wood frame wall with hemp batt insulation means when the day comes where a house needs to be decommissioned, all the components are reusable or recyclable, where the hemp block will be of limited value as a block with a plastic frame inside. it.
All good points there. What about the HempBLOCK system? It looks like it's free on many of the issues with the JustBioFiber product.
Interesting, I hadn't seen that one. Looks like a similar product just no plastic structure inside. What's your intended purpose for it?
I'd like to determine if it's a good alternative to building with ICF. It appears have many of the same benefits and maybe more DIY friendly, eco-friendly, pest resistant, etc. I'm still trying to find more info on finishing options, moisture control, below grade use, flooring systems, etc.
Not having worked with it we really aren't in a position to comment too much about it, but a few things to consider - they would not be airtight, so you would need an air barrier for sure. ICF is extremely airtight, that's one of its benefits. The down side of ICF in our opinion is less about the EPS foam and more about the carbon footprint of the concrete. If you were able to source carbon capture concrete that is one way to bring ICF right into the folds of 'green building'.