Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by fwgwgwgch 3029 days ago
Talking of hemp, hemp "concrete" blocks are also considered good for buildings.
2 comments

Hemp-lime aggregate is good insulation, but cement-fiber aggregates do not have the characteristic properties of more famous composite materials. Additionally, Portland cement is highly basic and tends to weaken wood, so the hemp is not really acting as a reinforcement in this case, but a filler which reduces density. Hempseed shells (the indigestible portion of hempseed) are often preferred here. See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber-reinforced_concrete

You're right! It's ideal for suburbia or rural villages. So long as you don't need them to be higher that a story, hempcrete is great.