Build sustainably with hempcrete

Posted 4/19/22

HONESDALE, PA — Hempcrete is a sustainable, innovative building material. Now SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support) and Nature’s Grace Health Foods & Deli have …

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Build sustainably with hempcrete

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HONESDALE, PA — Hempcrete is a sustainable, innovative building material. Now SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support) and Nature’s Grace Health Foods & Deli have partnered to bring an extensive, hands-on workshop where participants will learn to build with the material.

A seminar will be hosted at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 12 at the Cooperage Project in Honesdale. It will be followed by all-day, hands-on workshops 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Friday, May 13 to Monday, May 16, at 168 Church St. in Prompton, PA.

The seminar will be led by hempcrete expert Cameron McIntosh, founder of Americhanvre Home Building Solutions.

Workshop attendees will learn to build a hempcrete structure, including forming the walls and roof; they will mortar-mixing the hempcrete, and will be taught details on finishing walls and electrical.  The concrete pad has already been placed and the building is framed out and ready for electricity. The hands-on component will continue throughout the weekend, with a goal of finishing the walls and roof by Monday. Lunch will be provided by Nature’s Grace.

Construction contractors, potential home-builders and do-it-yourselfers should consider the program and workshop. Attendees are encouraged to participate in all aspects of the event, or can attend any part of it.

Hempcrete is quickly gaining attention for many reasons, including its environmental friendliness, said a SEEDS spokesperson.  The material breathes, allowing moisture to evaporate; does not off-gas; and is avoided by termites. The nontoxic and lightweight properties of hempcrete also ensure that it is easy to move around a job site. It does not shrink, maintains a steady temperature, and can also increase in strength over time.  In addition, hemp- and lime-based biocomposite insulation, known as “hempcrete,” can be produced sustainably from a highly renewable resource that sequesters carbon as it grows, the spokesperson said. The resulting insulation is carbon-negative, yet also has considerable thermal, acoustic and fire-resistance properties. The material can be incorporated into walls, floors and even roofs.

SEEDS is a nonprofit environmental education organization based in Honesdale, promoting sustainable energy and sustainable living in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Upper Delaware region. Its goals include improving the health of the region’s environment and local economy through energy efficiency and sustainability practices such as conservation and recycling.

Registration is required. To register, and to learn more, visit bit.ly/SEEDSHempcrete.

For more information about SEEDS, go to www.seedsgroup.net.

For information about McIntosh and Americhanvre Home Building Solutions, visit americhanvre.com.

Learn more about Nature’s Grace at naturesgrace.net.

Information provided by SEEDS.

hempcrete, SEEDS, Honesdale, sustainable construction

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