How Do We Reduce Fossil Fuel Dependence? Two Books Lay Out a Plan

Feb 20, ’12 11:22 AM

By Shayne Korithoski

Two visionary blueprints for moving us away from fossil fuel dependence into a new paradigm powered by renewable energy and energy efficiency have come out recently—Jeremy Rifkin’s “The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power is Transforming Energy, the Economy & the World,” and Amory Lovins’ “Reinventing Fire: Bold Business Solutions for the New Energy Era.” These books call on business and government leaders to shift society’s focus from greenhouse-gas producing fossil fuels to various renewable energies–including solar, wind, geothermal and tidal–and to facilitate the decentralization of distribution systems, e.g. by installing solar panels on the rooftops of buildings in order to transform them into power plants. Of course, efficiency is a key aspect of the shift, so better building codes, building retrofits, higher efficiency vehicles, and more public transit options such as high-speed rail are essential to making this vision a reality.

How can we reduce fossil fuel dependence?

fossil fuel dependenceRifkin, an economist, wrote his book as an economic manual for policy makers and business leaders. His model has been endorsed by the EU, and he regularly consults with heads of state, including Angela Merkel of Germany. His thesis is that the convergence of Internet communication technology and renewable energies is giving rise to a Third Industrial Revolution–a revolution that our world desperately needs. While our current economy was built on the premise of infinite cheap energy, we have now entered an era when oil can no longer remain inexpensive. When you factor in the escalating climate crisis the world is facing, it only makes sense for us to reduce fossil fuel dependence, and make a switch to renewable energy technologies.

An essential part of the revolution, Rifkin argues, is the new political mindset that is emerging, especially among those in the younger generation. Internet technology has produced a worldwide interconnected communication web that is steadily transforming the political scene. The top-down, centralized, authoritarian dichotomy of “left versus right” is being replaced with a new model of democracy that is distributed, lateral and collaborative. Although much of the world is still framing things in terms of left and right, the distinction, according to Rifkin, is no longer relevant.

Quantum leaps are also being made, thanks to the Internet, in the way people access information, news, music, television and motion pictures. The recent battle over the SOPA bill in the U.S. Congress shone a spotlight on the clash between the old top-down ways of disseminating media, and the new laterally-distributed approach. Companies like Google that have been quick to occupy the newly formed “stage” are butting heads with others, such as Viacom (cable TV giant, owner Paramount Pictures), that are resisting the changes. The latter, however, are discovering they must abandon their old business models or risk becoming irrelevant.

The distribution of energy must now be brought into the equation as well. Rifkin points out that “old-age” fossil fuels are in fact elite energies that require significant military investment, large amounts of capital to move them from the ground to the end consumer, and centralized, top-down, command-and-control systems. In contrast, the emerging Third Industrial Revolution is driven by renewable energies that can be found and shared almost everywhere. The distributed nature of these energies and their infrastructure systems favours lateral rather than hierarchical command and control mechanisms; this has in turn facilitated the establishment of a new organizational model for the numerous economic activities generated by the revolution; a wiki-economy. Distributing energy in a more lateral fashion, which is now possible with renewables and energy storage devices like fuel cells and advanced batteries, also facilitates the democratization of energy. This changes the whole game.

fossil fuel dependence

In “Reinventing Fire,” Amory Lovins, whose background is in physics, provides a road map for actually laying down the infrastructure to create a more democratized energy grid. His plan would allow the U.S. to wean itself completely off oil, coal and nuclear energy by the year 2050; to eliminate fossil fuel dependence. The book looks at the four dominating sectors of the economy: (in order from the book) Transportation, Buildings, Industry and Electricity. Lovins breaks down each sector and then unveils his plan to set us free from the old energy regime. The book details some exciting technologies, some not yet well known, even among green building professionals, and it definitely conveys a message of hope and possibility. Let us ensure, in this era of transition, that we hold our political leaders to account for their contribution to our future; it is essential that they take notice of and help us move into the new Third Industrial Revolution.

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A Look Into the Future – The Living Building Challenge and VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitor Centre

Feb 13, ’12 10:29 PM

By Shayne Korithoski

The VanDusen Botanical Gardens Visitor Centre has been gaining a lot of rightfully deserved media attention lately. The super ambitious project, which opened last fall, was recently called the “greenest building in Vancouver” by Vancouver Magazine, and was designed not only to to meet the highest levels of LEED certification, “Platinum”, but also to embody something truly revolutionary. Led by local architect Peter Busby, the design team chose to accept and respond to the Living Building Challenge, which is by far the most stringent green building standard currently in existence on the planet.

So stringent, in fact, that some of the requirements are actually illegal in most jurisdictions.

living building

Living Building Challenge - VanDusen Botanical Gardens - Vancouver

 

What is the living building challenge?

The Living Building Challenge was created in May 2009 by Jason McLennan, the CEO of the Cascadia Green Building Council, which is now part of an umbrella organization called the International Living Future Institute. Instead of looking at a building as a mechanistic assembly of parts, the LBC applies the metaphor of a flower, viewing buildings as organisms. There are projects all over the world now seeking to push the boundaries of green design with a Living Building. The 22,000 sq. ft. centre, (the design of which was actually inspired by a flower), is located on city-owned parkland off Oak Street and W 33rd Ave; the building features earthen walls, a geo-exchange system, a green roof with rainwater collection, a passive ventilation system, and blackwater treatment system.

Currently one of the huge hurdles for Living Building projects is the avoidance of any substances found on the Materials Red List. PVC, formaldehyde, phthalates and cadmium are just a few of the fourteen items found on the Red List. Since there is a huge lack of transparency in the building materials industry (even among greener companies), it can be very difficult to track which chemicals are found in different products. Architectural firm Perkins-Will has now launched a searchable database; the Healthy Building Network’s Pharos Lens is another important tool designers can use to find out which materials are truly green. Companies such as Google have recently adopted the LBC Red List for their own real estate operations—a huge incentive for manufacturers contemplating changing their materials to comply with these new standards.

The VanDusen building houses an Interpretive Centre that among other things tries to educate visitors about environmental issues such as deforestation and climate change. The centre is the perfect backdrop to show people what is possible when it comes to designing a building that co-exists with nature. And as Trung Le recently blogged for FastCoDesign: “As we strive to shape society’s current relationship with the natural environment into one of respect, we need to create places that convey a new narrative and a connection to nature.” As a member of the Western Apache First Nations explains, “Wisdom sits in places. It’s like water that never dries up. You need to drink water to stay alive, don’t you? Well, you also need to drink from places.” Elders in the tribe tell their children, “Drink from places; then you can work on your mind.”

Living building design, nature and health

In his book entitled Biophilia, E.O. Wilson talks about humanity’s innate love of living systems, noting that individuals who inhabit stark, urban settings can end up developing a kind of nature-deficit disorder. Hopefully the VanDusen building will inspire more projects of this kind, not just at botanical gardens, but also in the form of schools, universities, libraries and even homes. You can read more about this unique building in Vancouver Magazine, as well as in the latest issue of Trim Tab found here. For more information on Biostruct bio-fibre building materials, which of course meet Living Building Challenge criteria, please contact us and visit our Wall System page on the website.

Photo courtesy LUCAS FINLAY PHOTOGRAPHY. Used with permission.

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What to Know About Choosing a More Energy Efficient Window. Serious Windows, Now Available in Vancouver.

Feb 9, ’12 3:58 PM

Serious windows, leaders in efficient window technology, now available in vancouver and greater bc.

Biostruct is very excited to announce the launch of our office and distribution centre in Vancouver at the collaborative green business space, the HiVE. We are a dealer for Serious Windows, the leading energy efficient window maker, using high-tech suspended film, and fiberglass window technology to reduce your energy costs, and lower you environmental impact.

Upgrading to a more efficient window. Does it pay off?

efficient windowDoes it pay off to upgrade to a more efficient window? According to Steve Selkowitz, a leading thinker on energy efficiency and building science (who works out of the Lawrence Berkeley Lab), the answer is a definite yes– “If we add up all the energy and economic impact of windows in the US, it costs building owners about $40 billion a year. And I’d rather have the $40 billion in my pocket than sort of sending it out the window.” Put another way, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that despite the push for more insulated walls and ceilings, 25 to 35 percent of the energy used in American buildings and homes is wasted due to inefficient windows and glass. The situation in Canada is not much better, and may actually be worse. In fact, we rank 27th out of 29 OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations in terms of energy use per capita. This is more than five times the world average. Of course, we live in a colder climate than most, but isn’t that all the more reason we should be adopting better building codes that conserve the finite fossil fuels we are exporting in ever-increasing quantities? According to CMHC, every home in Canada requires the equivalent of 392 barrels of oil to build, and uses over 40 barrels to operate (a year). When it comes to making a more efficient window, technology has come a long way in recent years. Yet industry has been slow to adopt these improvements, primarily due to cost. Single and dual pane windows are still commonplace in many residential and commercial buildings today. Many people may be surprised to learn that dual and triple pane window technology was developed way back in 1865, around the time of the invention of the telephone and the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Not until the 1930s did these more efficient windows gain industry acceptance. Triple-pane windows, coated with Low-E coatings (see below) are now commonplace in retrofits and new developments that want to achieve a lower energy and environmental footprint, but may have several disadvantages over more efficient window technology now available.There are a number of factors you should be aware of when it comes to choosing windows:
  1. U-Value (the measure of conduction or heat loss and gain through a material): The lower the U- value or higher the R- value of a window, the better. It’s important to look at the Full-Frame R-Value, not a centre-of-glass R-value. This is because the U-value of the unit is affected not only by the glass, but also by the frame the glass sits in. Many companies mislead consumers about the R-value of their windows; if and when they mention it, they may really be talking only about the centre-of-glass R-value, resulting in a much less efficient window than advertised.
  2. Coatings & Gas Fills: Low-E or Low-Emissivity coatings are invisible metallic layers deposited on a glass surface to impede heat flow through the glass. Gas fills may include Argon, Krypton or Xenon. These are injected into the airspace to improve the window’s thermal performance or R-value. Argon is the cheapest option and most common, but pricier gas fills will result in a more energy efficient window. It is also important that the seals used to hold in the gas fills are built to last. There is no point paying for expensive gas fills that leak out, leaving you with a standard, not particularly efficient window.
  3. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: According to the Efficient Window Collaborative, “The SHGC is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window, both directly transmitted and absorbed and subsequently released inward. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits.” Depending upon how your building uses sun angles for passive temperature control, you may want a higher or lower SHGC on different walls. Serious Windows offers options to fit your ideal design.
  4. Air Leakage Rate: This measures how much infiltration or leakage exists around a window or door. ALRs are typically shown in units of cubic feet per minute for square footage of area (m3 / s). The lower the number, the more airtight the window/door will be. Are more airtight window is a more energy efficient window, saving you money, long-term.
  5. Visible Light Transmittance: The VLT is the measure of how much light will make it through the glass. In most cases, the more layers of glass it has to travel through, the lower the amount of light that will shine through. Most windows have a VLT of between .40 and .70, whereas a single pane window would be almost 90%. Newer technology, called Spectrally Selective Glass (also called Solar Tuned), targets specific wavelengths of sunlight, to let in the short wave or visible spectrum and block the long wave or heat gaining spectrum, which may be highly desirable.
  6. Airspace Thickness & Suspended Film: On its own, glass has very poor insulative properties. This is why the boundary layer of air between the glass layers is also important. Widening the airspace can increase the R-value of the window. The use of Suspended films are helpful here to reduce the convection and energy transfer without the weight and size of more glass, achieving similar R-values as quadruple-pane windows.
  7. Materials Used/Durability: Some frame materials are superior to others. Metal frames tend to conduct a lot more heat than fibreglass or wood. Wood has long-term durability issues if not constantly maintained and may be chemically-treated. PVC plastic poses health issues, as its production creates dioxin and other potentially carcinogenic by-products. Many organizations are campaigning for its ban in building materials. Fiberglass frames are the best window frames available, being durable, strong, long-lasting, and aesthetically-pleasing. They can be painted multiple colours, and provide enhanced insulation. Weight should also be taken into account for windows. Some window technology such as quadruple-pane windows can have impressive U-values but are heavier and more cumbersome, and only available in small sizes.
  8. Site Conditions: All of the variables mentioned are important, but none is perhaps more important than the actual site where your energy efficient windows are to be installed. Consideration must be taken when deciding what windows should go in what location. Conditions are different for every direction and even with respect to the layout of your yard. Depending on your situation you might want to have energy modeling done, or consult a qualified green building professional.

efficient windowThe world is changing quickly, and most global energy experts agree that energy costs are only going to increase and/or become more volatile in the coming years. Increasing the efficiency of your home is an excellent way to protect yourself from this volatility. Now is a great time to look at retrofitting your home—upgrading to a more efficient window and better insulation, etc. There are great incentives to take advantage of, such as the LiveSmart BC program, which may save you up to $110 per window unit. The City of Vancouver is offering a Home Energy Loan program (vancouver.ca/energyloan) that deserves consideration. Also check out Natural Resources Canada’s list of Grants and Incentives at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/1513. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, the federal government program, EcoEnergy has been cancelled as of January 31st, 2012, by the federal Conservatives. Please visit saveecoenergy.ca and sign the petition to restore funding

efficient windowLooking forward, other progressive initiatives coming down the pipe include: energy transparency when buying and selling a home—meaning you will know exactly how much energy a home uses and where it needs improvements or upgrades; green appraisals—where energy-efficient technologies are taken more heavily into account when determining the appraised value of a property, and nutrition-fact type labeling on building products, disclosing how a product was made, what chemicals were used, and whether or not the latter are carcinogenic.

Exciting changes are in the wind; don’t let them take you by surprise! If you are interested in learning more about our high-performance, energy efficient window line, Serious Windows, please give as a call at 604.379.9477

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Biostruct a business enabling Alberta to think global and act local

Jan 13, ’12 2:57 PM

As featured in the Alberta Biomaterial Development Centre newsletter.

Think global and act local was a message from ABDC’s event Green Building – Marketing to the Masses.

Acting on global issues such as the economic crises and environmental problems can seem intimidating but we are fortunate to live in Alberta where local companies are making the acting on these issues much easier. ABDC had the chance to speak with Shayne Korithoski from Biostruct, a Calgary company about their role in enabling Albertans to think global and act local.

Hi Shayne, can we start the interview by learning about Biostruct?

Yes, Biostruct is focused on manufacturing and distributing biomass-based building products. For our initial projects, we are also involved in the development and building of the projects. Biostruct’s philosophy is built around our business model the vision of the Triple Bottom Line. We see ourselves as a “bright green” company that combines innovation, design and entrepreneurial leadership in an ecological economy.

Can you explain what the Triple Bottom Line means?

No problem, a Triple Bottom Line approach means we view our success in terms of our social, environmental and fiscal performance. Biostruct believes that wealth can’t be measured in purely monetary terms, so we are committed to working on projects that create healthy and happy families and environments.

Perfect Shayne, so how did Biostruct begin?

Biostruct, or as it was originally named Canamo Enterprises, began as a research project I undertook, together with architect Andrew Mackie, after I began working at Riva’s Eco Store www.rivasecostore.com , a Calgary-based business owned by Andrew and his wife, Riva. The store’s green building is unique in Calgary and we were looking for ways to become more involved with local initiatives and help the local green building manufacturing sector.

I am aware that your main product ingredient is hemp but I am curious what ignited the idea to focus on hemp?

The idea of focusing on hemp grew out of our investigation of the European building industry as well as our interest in working with renewable biomass as opposed to mainstream synthetics and hydrocarbons. This preference stemmed from environmental issues and the health concerns of occupants and workers within the building, where there is considerable potential for off-gassing from synthetic products. The biomass hemp produces, remains largely unexplored in our part of the world, and the fact that it grows well in our climate is a real bonus for our business.

Shayne, can you provide some examples of the products that use hemp and where they can be
applied in a building structure?

Our main product, WallCore pictured right, is currently in the research and development phase, is made from a ceramic cement binder, using industrial hemp shiv and flax fibre. WallCore can be used in prefabricated structural insulative panels (SIP’s) for wall, roof and floor. We are currently finalizing projects for next year for WallCore.  We also have a line of hemp-lime insulating plasters that can be used in retrofits of old masonry buildings or used on exterior walls of natural building projects.

Thank you for the interview Shayne, do you have anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Yes, ABDC is a leader in the development of biomaterials in Canada and we very much appreciate being able to work with you.  The accessibility of the facility, the fibre processing plant in Vegreville, is the only one of its kind in North America and it is a real advantage for us.  The building sector is very risk-adverse and collaboration is essential to the success of a business promoting and distributing new building products.

Visit: www.albertabiomaterials.com for more info on ABDC.

 

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Get ‘Serious’ About Windows

Oct 18, ’11 10:53 PM

best windows for energy efficient passive solar design

Serious Fiberglass Windows for Passive House

Superior energy efficiency allowing for the maximum amount of glass in the design. The high performance characteristics of SeriousWindows fiberglass products combine to allow for more direct natural lighting in the overall building design resulting in less energy usage and passive solar heating and cooling. Fiberglass SeriousWindows high performance characteristics include highest full frame R values and full range of low to high SHGC while maintaining high visible light transmittance. Compare performance data of the full SeriousWindows fiberglass series here. Superior air infiltration values. Extremely low air infiltration is required for passive homes. SeriousWindows have some of the lowest air infiltration values available. Selectable solar heat gain. SeriousWindows offer both low and high solar heat gain for correct high gain required in passive homes in northern climates and optimal solar control. High visual transmission. Even with very high R values and high solar heat gains, SeriousWindows offer superior light transmission required for passive homes. Operable windows for natural ventilation. Operable windows take full advantage of natural ventilation to help maintain comfortable temperature year-round, depending on the local climate. 99.5+% UV protection. Harmful UV light can significantly fade furniture, drapes and carpeting, and cause interior damage. SeriousWindows – using our suspended film, multi-chamber glass technology – creates windows with high UV protection allowing for natural light, not the sun’s damaging rays, to come in. Biostruct is now a affiliated dealer for Serious Fiberglass Windows. Please contact us via email or at 403.589.5009 (Calgary, AB) for window inquires.

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A New Paradigm in Building

Oct 3, ’11 11:01 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: Shayne Korithoski

Bio-material development is catching on everywhere—Europe has been at the forefront of research for the last 25 years and North America is finally starting to catch up. Here in Canada, there is now a keen interest in an industrial hemp fibre industry. It has been legal for Canadians to grow hemp since 1998, but the focus was previously only on food development. Over $8 million dollars worth of hemp food products were exported from Canada in 2009 alone.

Hemp’s potential as a building material has been gaining more attention in the last 3 years–advancing in France, particularly, and more recently in Ireland and England as well. However, the technique of using hemp and lime in buildings is centuries old. Hemp bio-masonry materials are produced from using hemp shiv (the woody core of the plant) and a mineral binder such as natural lime. Hemp buildings have been shown to be highly insulative, fire and mold resistant, extremely durable and carbon neutral. As a fibre, hemp is superior to other agricultural crops in terms of biomass; comparing it to wheat, for example, we find hemp yields triple the amount of fibre per hectare (and sequesters 22 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare as well).

Many green building experts predict that–due to continuing decline of worldwide timber quality and availability, as well as the increasing costs of labour and energy–prefab and SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) construction will become increasingly popular and cost-effective over the next 10 years. At the same time, a campaign to develop healthy materials for the green building industry is gathering steam. Currently, most SIP products contain styrene and/or spray-foam. Yet styrene (along with formaldehyde) was recently added to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “Report on Carcinogens” earlier this year. Disocyanate chemicals used in spray-foam insulation are also being investigated for toxicity by both the U.S. EPA and health agencies in Europe, with the potential outcome being a ban or restriction on them. Bio-materials can be developed using non-toxic binders, but unfortunately not all manufacturers are choosing them. It is quite common to come across board and/or sheeting products that were produced using flax or hemp and subsequently combined with a binder containing formaldehyde. These developments underscore the need for new products that are free of these chemicals. There is also a push from both the U.S. & Canada Green Building Councils and the Cascadia Green Building Council for “nutrition-fact” type labels on building materials themselves. Recently the Cradle to Cradle system, Pharos Lens and the Declare label have been created to bring more transparency to the building industry. The use of such labels will no doubt lead to a greater demand for more non-toxic, locally made materials and systems, especially within the LEED and Living Building Challenge programs.

The old economy largely abandoned local manufacturing in favour of exporting jobs overseas because of cheap labour and cheap oil; now those jobs are starting to come back. But not enough attention has been given in the past to looking at where the materials are coming from and how they are made. The case of imported toxic drywall in 2008 is a perfect example of how something tragic can happen when the manufacturing is sub-contracted out and the company marketing & distributing the product does not oversee what is going into it—most houses made with the hydrogen-sulfide contaminated drywall had to be demolished. This was a real shame and we cannot afford to have it happen again. By relocalizing manufacturing, we can have greater control over quality and can ensure the production of non-toxic, healthy building materials. An added bonus will be the creation of many meaningful green jobs. The bio-material industry is perfectly positioned to help bring this new paradigm into fruition. When we keep industries local, carbon emissions are reduced, local farmers are assured demand for their fibre crops, and local economies start to emerge.

Stay tuned as we develop our new hemp bio-masonry SIP product; we will keep you posted with updates, here on our blog.

 

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Living Buildings for Alberta

Jun 8, ’11 9:35 AM

At the recent Alberta Sustainable Building Symposium, keynote speaker Jason McLennan was quoted saying “I challenge Alberta to put forward a living building.” There are several Living Buildings in various stages of planning, construction and approvals in other parts of Canada. As per the theme of the Symposium, we agree that it is time for Alberta to “Join the Conversation.”

We at Biostruct are looking for a partner who wants to live, work or play in a certified Living Building. We have a challenging climate, and this makes the process all the more compelling. We believe it can be done here. We have the materials and the expertise to make this a reality. Please contact us with partnership ideas.

earth cob house

Eco Sense, Petal certified Living Building project in Victoria BC.

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Biostruct in Vancouver

Apr 28, ’11 11:42 PM

cascadia unconference 2011

The Biostruct booth is up and running at the 2011 Living Future unConference. We are honored to be included in the show and are inspired by the people who surround us.

The event was kicked off with some impressive keynote lectures. Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson opened with an introduction to the plans to make Vancouver the Greenest city in the world by 2020. He mentioned upgrading the goals to include a push toward a Living Buildings initiative.

The Keynote speaker was Majora Carter who has led some truly incredible community based urban environmental recovery projects. Getting the community to understand that the environment is everywhere and that it can and should be a part of everyone’s daily experience was instrumental in rallying support. Though this sounds like a simple idea, the implications are profound. We can all adopt this awareness in some way.

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Living Future 11

Apr 25, ’11 4:14 PM

We are excited to feature our hemp building materials next week at the Living Future unConference in Vancouver. The Cascadia Green Building Council event is running from April 27-29 and we hope to see you there.

 

cascadia green building council unconference

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BENEFITS OF BUILDING WITH BIOSTRUCT EARTHEN WALL SYSTEMS

Apr 24, ’11 9:33 PM

Health – Structures built with hemp masonry, also known as “hempcrete” are non-toxic (do not “off-gas”) and resist mold and mildew formation

Comfort – The thick Biostruct walls provide high R-value insulation and maintain stable indoor humidity levels and temperature

Durability – Masonry walls have been shown to last 100 years or more. Mixed with lime and other aggregates, hemp masonry is fire-resistant and extremely strong.

Environmental – A highly sustainable crop that is harvestable in just 120 days, hemp yields four times as much useable fibre per acre as trees. “Carbon-negative” hemp also sequesters CO2 very efficiently as it grows.

Cost-effectiveness – A fast-growing and versatile crop, hemp has an unrivaled high fibre and biomass yield. Hemp masonry is highly insulating and energy-saving, with minimal maintenance costs.

Beauty – Walls are finished with traditional plasters that have a subtle, natural beauty that modern synthetic finishes can only attempt to mimic. Biostruct walls are suitable for use in all types and styles of design. The thicker, heavier walls give the building a more quiet, solid feel.

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