Hempcrete Insulation Submitted for U.S. Building Codes

The U.S. Hemp Building Foundation, the non-profit arm of the U.S. Hemp Building Association (USHBA), earlier this month submitted hempcrete insulation for certification in U.S. building codes, HempBuildMag reports. The hemp and lime material was submitted as an appendix in the International Residential Codes.

In an interview with HempBuildMag, USHBA President Jacob Waddell said the submission documents “will show a pathway for using hempcrete as a building material.”

“The goal is to allow you to build with hempcrete without needing an alternative material variance.” — Waddell to HempBuildMag

International Residential Codes experts are expected to evaluate the paperwork in March and again in September, the report says. If approved and included in the International Residential Codes, it would “allow for hempcrete to be accessible to the standard person to construct with it,” Waddell told HempBuildMag. Under current U.S. codes, builders, engineers, and architects must get approval to use hempcrete on a project-by-project basis, although the material is commonly used in the United Kingdom and France and has been approved for use for 30 years in Europe, according to HempBuildMag.

The certification process opens the door to apply for hempcrete certification in the International Building Codes for commercial buildings in 2024 when the next application process begins, USHBA president Waddell said in the HempBuildMag interview.

“Submitting to the IRC is just the first step in a very long process to get hempcrete where we’re able to use it more readily,” he said.