mopman Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 SA’s first hemp house A house built from hemp? Yes, it's possible. In fact, one such house has just been added to the Noordhoek landscape. Smoking industrial hemp gets you high. Truth or fallacy? That’s a definitive “no”. Although hemp is a variant of the cannabis plant, it’s distinct in its low THC (the psychoactive property that creates the euphoric high) and high CBD (the anti-psychoactive agent that literally blocks any said effects) content. A versatile textile, an impressive building material, a highly nutritious food source, and a material that’s capable of producing biodegradable plastics and fuels, hemp is a potential green powerhouse – if it can successfully thread its way through current prohibitions. The similarities between hemp and marijuana are still a concern for legislators, however, excluding hemp from being grown for commercial use and making any meaningful environmental impact. In Cape Town’s picturesque Noordhoek, construction was completed in July this year of what is roundly considered to be South Africa’s greenest building. It was built with the prodigious help of hemp. A green building is defined as energy efficient, resource efficient and advocates responsibility by consciously reducing the impact of development on the environment and inhabitants. Tony Budden and Dutch architect Erwin van der Weerd teamed up to construct the environmentally sound seven-roomed house. It was expressly conceived to urge the South African government to reconsider its prohibitions on commercial hemp development. Budden and Van Der Weerd wanted to produce a house with the lowest possible carbon footprint, but had to eventually concede to overseas imports of hemp materials despite the obvious carbon miles involved. The house is walled in by Hempcrete – a breathable material made from hemp, lime and water – and an insulating material inside the partitions made from reclaimed wood. Because of its tremendous value as a sustainable material and its ability to capture carbon, hemp is purported to be a significant asset in arresting the menacing effects of climate change. Almost all of the home furnishings are hemp based. The hemp house employs other sustainable methods like recycling black and grey water (grey water refers to water from cleaning processes like bathing and dishwashing, while black water refers to sewage), using solar energy and incorporating natural temperature-regulating systems. When you consider the booming population and rate of residential development overtaking the natural landscape, hemp development might be much more than just an interesting fringe novelty… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potent Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Nice man, yeah i've bin checking out Hempcrete alot recently it's bin giving me ideas for the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 looking good guys thanks for sharing maybe that's available in my country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mopman Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Nice video clips , wish we could all go the green route like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now