Today, I had the privilege of presenting on Hempcrete at the EBANZ Conference Professionals Day, designed to introduce architects, designers, engineers, and builders to natural building methods. After a morning of engaging presentations, we headed to Otakaro Orchard in the heart of Christchurch for some hands-on demonstrations.
Kirstie in Christchurch for EBANZ and HBD
Thanks to Kerry and Everett from EBANZ, who prepared the frame and formwork, I was able to demonstrate the process of building with Hempcrete. Though we didn’t have a mixer on-site, we hand-mixed enough Hempcrete to illustrate the ideal mix consistency, packing, and tamping process. While hand mixing was slower, it allowed for a close-up view of how the material behaves during construction.
We also heard from Tane of Kohu Hemp, who spoke about Hempcrete panels and blocks utilizing New Zealand’s own Geobind binder—a magnesium oxide-based product. It was exciting to see the level of interest in Hempcrete and hemp clay light earth, as many in the crowd were eager to learn and ask questions about these sustainable building techniques.
This event marked a meaningful step in bringing natural materials like Hempcrete into the mainstream, and it was encouraging to see so much enthusiasm for sustainable building solutions.
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