India's first building built with hemp building materials

The activity shown by Indian specialists in various sectors of modern hemp growing speaks of the interest of the business of this country in the most efficient use of the hemp plant in various sectors of management. Given the development of the pharmaceutical sector in India, it seems that in the near future, the use of cannabis, including the therapeutic properties, will become in demand in one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Throughout 2021, the editors of the specialized electronic edition of national hemp growers have repeatedly drawn the attention of our esteemed readers and listeners to the fact that a huge market for modern cannabis production in India will open in the near future. Attention was focused on the lack of seed material in the country and the prospects of this niche for national seed and breeding companies, the “launch” of production chains associated with the processing of hemp fiber, as well as the production of high value-added textile and knitwear from the fibrous part of the plant, amendments to legislative acts of individual administrative-territorial units of the country, regulating the development of modern hemp growing. This material concerns the development of another area of hemp growing in India - hemp construction.

At Himalayan Hemp Eco Stays, the hemp plant is used not only as a building material for the construction of walls, floors and roofs, but also in interior items. To demonstrate the therapeutic properties of hemp fibers, hemp fabric was used to make bed linen, pillowcases and curtains, and among other things, the wooden windows and doors of the entire structure were impregnated with hemp oil.

Designed by architect couple Namrata Kandwal and Gaurav Dixit, the eco-friendly family-style guest house was built entirely from hemp fire blocks, lime binder, ash and mineral additives.

Guest house "Himalayan Hemp Eco Stays" 

Construction was initiated in January 2020. During it, Indian architects had to train about a dozen local workers to make and use various hemp building components, explaining to them the specifics of using building materials from natural raw materials, which are not only that hemp is an excellent building material, but also the fact that this kind of building material has powerful antibacterial, antifungal, therapeutic properties.

Another reason for using hemp building materials was their natural origin, as well as their weather-resistant properties. Those. the ability to withstand natural disasters - earthquakes, flash floods and forest fires, which affect the area on which the building is built. In addition, the idea of creating this kind of structure was also to create an environmentally friendly building that could serve as a proof of concept for the environmental benefits of using hemp.

“Until 2018, we worked with a well-known architecture firm in Delhi. Then we moved here to research and promote building components and technologies based on the properties of the hemp plant with the help of our startup “Gohemp Agroventures”, which was initiated with three more architects,” says Namrata Kandwal. “Instead of traditional concrete columns, we used stones and clay to make foundation frames. While the toilets were built from fire concrete, the bathrooms were separated by a monolithic wall made from a mixture of fire and lime. In the finishing process, we mainly used hemp-based plaster.”

The composition of hemp concrete blocks allows sufficient time for the evacuation of residents living in such buildings in case of fire. According to Namrata Kandwal, “During the ongoing experiments with fire blocks, we realized that they are extremely fire resistant. We tried to light them with a butane torch for 40 minutes, but it was impossible to do so. In addition, during smoldering, the fire block does not emit smoke, the inhalation of which is usually the cause of death.

Covering an area of 74 square meters, Himalayan Hemp Eco Stays operates on a “zero energy” model with its 3-kilowatt solar panels on the roof and a 4,000-liter underground rainwater reservoir, according to Ms. Kandwal. . Purified water from the on-site treatment plant also helps grow flowers and vegetables in the adjacent garden.

Since its opening by the former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand on November 24, 2021, Himalayan Hemp Eco Stays has already welcomed dozens of tourists.

Commentary of the specialists of the Association “Ukrainian Industrial Hemp”

An article by Gaurav Dixit on the benefits of hemp building materials was published by the Council for the Advancement of Building Materials and Technologies (an autonomous body established by the Government of India in 1990 to introduce new building material technologies on a large scale). In particular, the published article argued that hemp concrete is a lightweight building material that can significantly reduce the cost and weight of the foundation of the entire structure of the structure, thereby making the building itself earthquake-resistant. Hemp building materials are an excellent moisture regulator, which prevents the appearance of dampness and fungus during wall decoration. Another feature of hemp building materials is their ability to repel various insects and rodents, which is very important in a region where traditional wooden structures suffer from termite attack. Insulating the roof with hempcrete not